Chapter 7
The business review produced its first confirmed misconduct.
Not the largest.
The clearest.
A renovation vendor had billed $210,000 for imported stone that never arrived.
A domestic substitute was used instead.
Marcus approved full payment.
The vendor later transferred $48,000 to a consulting company owned by one of his longtime friends.
Valentina countersigned the payment package.
Her attorney said she had no knowledge of the downstream transfer.
That was plausible.
Then another invoice showed a similar pattern.
Then another.
The suspected loss crossed $900,000.
Still under investigation.
Enough that Marcus faced serious exposure.
Enough that Valentina faced questions about whether she knowingly ignored it.
Domenico had planned to review everything Monday.
If he suspended Marcus, family leadership would fracture.
If he removed Valentina from financial oversight, their marriage would likely fracture too.
Lauren asked:
“What happened immediately before the banquet?”
Domenico remembered.
He and Valentina argued Friday night.
Not about Ruby.
About Marcus.
Domenico told her that if Monday’s audit confirmed irregularities, Marcus was done.
Valentina became furious.
“You’re always waiting for an excuse to cut my family out.”
“He approved the invoices.”
“So investigate.”
“I am.”
“You already decided.”
Domenico denied it then.
Now he realized his tone probably made the denial unconvincing.
He had already lost trust in Marcus.
Valentina knew.
Hours later, she consulted her attorney again.
The attorney’s notes included another question:
If spouse removes wife’s family member from business after domestic dispute, can removal be challenged as retaliation?
Domenico stared at the wording.
Lauren said:
“She was thinking about the business and the marriage together.”
“Yes.”
“Still not proof of staging.”
“No.”
But the wall was getting higher.
Then one of the outside directors who attended the banquet called.
He wanted to know whether Domenico planned to temporarily step back from Falcone Development Group while the domestic incident was investigated.
Domenico’s expression hardened.
“Why would I?”
The director sounded uncomfortable.
“Because Valentina’s attorney contacted me.”
“When?”
“This morning.”
“What did she say?”
“That there was a pattern of volatility and that the board should protect the companies from reputational damage.”
Lauren took over the call.
Afterward she looked at Domenico.
“Fast.”
“Very.”
“Too fast?”
“Maybe.”
She reviewed corporate bylaws.
Domenico controlled the company through ownership.
The board could not permanently remove him.
But it could suspend certain executive functions temporarily if legal or reputational risks threatened financing.
Two major refinancing agreements were pending.
If they collapsed, projects would stall.
Marcus knew that.
Valentina knew that.
Domenico looked toward Lauren.
“They don’t need to take my company.”
“No.”
“They just need me sidelined.”
“For how long?”
May you like
He thought about Monday’s audit.
“Long enough.”
