Chapter 12
The outside audit found problems that had nothing to do with Camille.
Exactly as Rachel warned.
Bellini relatives had used estate vehicles without documentation.
A cousin billed personal travel through a legitimate company account.
Two senior employees approved cash reimbursements with insufficient receipts.
A long-time family friend had received a consulting contract with almost no measurable work.
Lorenzo could have argued those issues were unrelated.
He did not.
“If I want everyone to verify Camille’s authority,” he told Rachel, “they verify mine too.”
She looked almost surprised.
“Good.”
The estate changed.
Written approvals.
Defined purchasing limits.
Separate vendor review.
No family member could issue instructions to staff simply because they were related to Lorenzo.
Even Lorenzo’s own verbal orders involving significant spending had to be documented afterward.
His uncle complained.
“You need paperwork to buy flowers now?”
“No.”
“For flowers?”
“Yes.”
“That’s insane.”
Lorenzo smiled.
“You can buy your own flowers.”
Mia noticed different changes.
No aprons in her size.
No one asking her to carry adult coats.
No threat tied to dinner.
The first time a guest asked playfully:
“Mia, can you bring Uncle Frank a napkin?”
The room went quiet.
Mia looked at Lorenzo.
He said nothing.
That was intentional.
Mia turned to Frank.
“No.”
Frank blinked.
Then smiled.
“Fair enough.”
He got his own napkin.
Mia looked incredibly pleased.
Later she whispered to Nora:
“I said no.”
“I heard.”
“And he still ate.”
Nora laughed.
“Yes.”
May you like
A five-year-old should never have needed to discover that other adults could survive her refusal.
But now she knew.
