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“Absolutely not,” Nico said, his voice raising. “Luca went back on the main provision he promised, no forced children. He brokehis trust and ruined Rocco’s dream, and yet, you’re fine with it. Honestly, I’m baffled the board approved this new will. When was it made?”
All our heads turned to Mr. Sears.
“The board didn’t approve it,” Gunnar answered for him.
Mr. Sears straightened his spine. “As I said, a couple of months ago—”
“Any changes to the will must be approved by the board,” Rocco cut in. “He can’t make a last ditch effort without board approval, especially with succession. It’s in the Marini Holdings bylaws.”
Mr. Silver cleared his throat. “It was to be presented at the quarterly meeting—”
“But it wasn’t,” Rocco cut him off.
“That’s because the meeting was postponed for the wedding, and now with his untimely passing it couldn’t be presented,” Mr. Sears said. “However, these were Luca Marini’s wishes, and the estate and trust are prepared to enforce this new will regardless of its late submission.”
“And what if Rocco divorces Adelina?” Nico asked.
Olivia scoffed. “That’s not happening.”
“I’m just asking Mr. Sears, hypothetically,” Nico said to her. “What happens if he marries someone else?”
I locked my jaw to keep silent and calm.
“If Rocco divorces Adelina, there’s a provision that stipulates that he’ll not be permitted funds beyond what he’s been allotted in this will. As for the Belfiores, their monies and properties would be reverted back to the Marini Corporate if that happened.”
I swallowed hard. Luca had tied me to Rocco, too. My grandmother, who I had just become close to, would lose her legacy property and all the funds promised in the marriage. They’d also end up in great debt. This was a horrific blow. Had Iever known Luca at all?This was a side to him I had never seen before. It was ruthless.
“Fuck that,” Nico said. “Luca’s diabolical. He’s forced marriages, children. It’s obvious he’s trying to make Rocco give up movies and return to Marini Corporate.”
The Marinis would still have billions, properties, shares, and stock, a staggering amount of wealth. I, however, was coming from a position of having nothing.
“Mr. Sears, can you explain what Sienna and I have now?” Salvatore said to him.
“Mr. Marini’s built your trust and funds for you and your children’s children’s lifetimes. Nothing fundamentally changes for you two,” he explained.
“Except for the billions you were to receive in thelegalwill,” Nico said and huffed. “Get out of here with that bullshit of nothing has changed.”
“Rocco, do you want to have a child with Adelina?” Olivia asked him directly, and I held my breath.
“Eventually,” Rocco answered. “Not this year or the next.”
Olivia glared at Nico. “Then, I don’t see the problem. Rocco. You can still run your production company. Just get more investors for the studio.”
I looked at Rocco and admired his calmness and patience with his mother. She obviously didn’t see how taxing this would be for him, and the magnitude of what he just lost.
Nico huffed. “Luca ruined Rocco’s dreams, his inheritance, but you’re fine with it. Nothing Daddy does was ever a problem for you.”
“Stop talking to her like that,” Rocco snapped at Nico. “I get it, Dad. It’s a wishlist will, that has never been approved. I’m going to fight it. But we’re still family and we don’t need to hurt each other right now.”
“If you’re fighting this will, why not fight the arranged marriage?” Nico asked Rocco before turning his attention to me. “You could also fight it, Adelina. Can’t you do that for Rocco? We’ll make sure you’ll never need or lack a thing for the rest of your life. After all we’ve been through, I’m sure you don’t want to put us through litigation.”
“That would only hurt Rocco,” Olivia pointed out. “Isn’t that right, Mr. Sears?”
“It is. But their divorce won’t change anything as I explained,” Mr. Sears replied. “Adelina is as tied to Luca’s will as Rocco is.”
Nico wasn’t considering the will. His only thought was that I wasn’t good enough for his son.
Olivia came over to stand in front of me. She bent at her knees and slowly clasped my hands. Her eyes were watery, and I knew this all was hard on her, and I hated that I hurt her in any way. She had always been accepting of me. “I was upset to learn about the elopement because I love being my children’s mother, and I wanted to see my son marry. I sat right here in your position years ago. I chose to raise a family, and that’s all my father ever wanted. Please tell me, would you be willing to have Rocco’s child now?”