The Hearing
Chapter 15 - The Hearing
The financial proceedings were slow, complicated, and less dramatic than the headlines suggested. Prosecutors reviewed the alleged charity diversion and falsified business instruments; civil attorneys worked to recover money and protect Gabriel's trust. Rocco contested several claims through counsel.
Elena gave a detailed statement about the pressure she'd faced and the documents she'd refused to sign. Sophie described what she knew directly, avoiding guesses about events she hadn't witnessed. Luca answered questions about his own failures of oversight even when the answers embarrassed him.
A reporter shouted at Sophie outside one hearing, "Are you dating Luca Romano?"
She stopped and looked straight at the camera. "I'm here because a mother and her child deserved to be safe. That's the story."
She walked away before anyone could ask another question.
Later, the restaurant where she'd worked sent a handwritten note congratulating her on her new position. Brenda had persuaded the owner to establish a clear policy for employee complaints and whistleblower protection. It wasn't a perfect transformation, but Sophie appreciated it.
At the end of the day, Luca found Elena sitting on a bench with Gabriel asleep in her arms.
"Do you wish we could go back?" he asked.
She thought carefully. "I wish none of it happened. But I don't want to go back to pretending everything was fine."
May you like
He sat beside her, leaving room between them.
"Neither do I."
