Chapter 2 The Fall

Valeria

"Next time, pay attention to details before you transfer power to irresponsible men," Officer Chen said, in a sharp and disdainful voice.

I opened my mouth to talk, but Officer Ramirez interrupted, "You've been served, Miss DeLuca. There's nothing else to say. File your protest in court if you like."

"I just-can't you explain more? What happens now? I didn't sign anything. I didn't approve-" I tried to explain but Officer Chen interrupted me. "The courts have all the information they need. If you didn't want this to happen, then you should have maintained more control of your assets."

"But I didn't know he -" My voice broke.

Ramirez shook his head. " it's our job to know who did what. You've got the paperwork now. That's all." And with that, they turned and walked away.

I stood at the door, in shock. As the police car drove away, my fingers clutched onto the now wet paper, soaked by my sweaty palms. I felt my knees lock, my chest burned and the air felt too thin.

This wasn't real.

It couldn't be.

I glanced at the summons again as my eyes watered up, and I let the tears fall freely from my eyes. "They really did it," I whispered.

My legs buckled slightly as I braced myself against the doorframe, gazing into the deserted frontage as if I was supposed to find something out there. My chest hurted with each breath I took. "I trusted them..." I murmured. "I trusted them."

By now my hands were shaking so hard. Cold sweat covered my palms and my heart pounded in my ears. The loss, the hurt, the anger - it was all too much. I ran to the table where I had left my phone and picked it up with trembling hands.

I called Father first. "Number not reachable."

"No, no, no," I panted as I scrolled down to call Lorenzo next. His didn't even ring. It went Straight to voicemail. I tried calling mother next, and just like Lorenzo's it went straight to voicemail.

I couldn't breathe. The room felt like it was spinning. My phone fell out of my hand and hit the floor. I picked it up again, frantic and desperate. I could barely type in my passcode as my fingers were shaking so much. Left with no other option, I snatched my keys off the counter and headed for the door.

The wind slapped me in the face but I didn't give a shit. I was crying before I even got to my car. I hardly glanced at the speedometer when I drove. I just needed answers. I needed one of them to admit that it was a mistake. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even see the lights flashing behind me until I heard the siren wail.

I pulled over with a gasp, my heart pounding. The officer approached my window. "Ma'am, you were doing thirty over the slack."

"I-I'm sorry. I wasn't, I was just ..." My voice broke. "It's an emergency."

His eyes narrowed. "License and registration." I handed it over to him, with trembling hands.

After a moment, he returned. "I'll write you a ticket. Don't let it happen again. Pay it immediately."

"I will," I whispered. "Thank you... thank you."

"Drive safely." I gave him a quick nod and pressed the pedal a bit harder than I should have. It was freezing now. My grip on the steering wheel was stiff, but all I wanted more than anything was to get there - get home.

As I sprinted up to the gate of the DeLuca's mansion, I hollered. I found it locked. I banged on the iron bars. "Father! Mother! Please-it's me!"

But I got no response. I hit harder. "Open the door! Please! I need to talk to you!"

Tears ran down my face, scorching my cheeks through the icy air. I held onto the gate and shook it with all my might until my arms ached.

"They can't do this," I wailed. "You can't just shut me out!"

I gazed up at the dark windows. There were no movements. No lights. They were home. I knew it. I had just left here an hour hours ago. But they wouldn't come out. The gateman had been given a leave last weekend, so he wasn't due till next week. They acting like I didn't even exist.

I retreated from the gates, hugging my arms to myself. The wind whistled through my clothes. My body was shaking violently, but I did not go.

I stood there, in pain, lost in my thoughts. "How could they do this to me?" Finally, I took my phone out again, praying for anyone to pick up. I called my assistant, but it went straight to voicemail. Next, was my accountant. Still, no answer. I got nothing from my publicist.

It was as if I had disappeared from their world when I lost everything. They'd blocked me. All of them. I dropped to all fours before the gate, choking out uneven breaths.

"I'd given them everything," I wept. "How could this happen? Why won't anyone answer me?"

And then a news alert appeared on my screen. I half opened it with quaking fingers.

"BREAKING: The Valeria DeLuca empire - Vino Luna has been taken in court battle. The company management already has apparently changed hands, the reports say."

My blood ran cold as I tapped the video clip and kept listening.

"The estate had been sealed this evening when legal papers were served. DeLuca, who skyrocketed through the wine world, presumably now finds herself back at square one. Investors say her oversight cost them millions. Sources suggest internal mismanagement. The former has turned into something of a 'cautionary tale' for future entrepreneurs."

I dropped the phone. "No," I whispered. "No. This has to be a joke. A cruel, twisted joke." I picked the phone back up again and frantically checked for more news.

FAILED BUSINESSWOMAN VANISHES AMIDST RUIN.

GREEDY, NAIVE, OR BOTH? INSIDERS SPEAK ON DE LUCA'S FALL.

I hugged the phone to my chest and sobbed. "This isn't real. This isn't happening. Please..." Then my phone rang. My breathe caught as I stared at the ID. It was my father. I answered immediately.

"Daddy?" My voice was soft, and broken. "Daddy.... Somebody's trying to hurt me. I don't know what's happening. Everything's going wrong. I-I need you."

"You stupid girl," he snapped. "You think it's someone? This is your fault!"

My whole body flinched. "What...?"

"You made this bed with your conceit," he hissed. "You thought you could handle it all yourself. You put everything in your name. If you weren't so selfish, I wouldn't have had to make bets behind your back."

"But I trusted you," I whispered.

"You should know better," he growled. "You acted like a queen. Now live like a fool."

"Daddy, please-" My voice cracked.

"Oh, and one more thing. Everything you owned? It's being auctioned off. In two hours."

I couldn't breathe. "What...?"

"Everything," he said. "Your house. Your company. Your name. It's all going to other people. Maybe they'll handle it better." And then he hung up. I stared at the phone in shock. Tears clouded my eyes as my knees buckled under me.

"No..." I whispered. "That's impossible..." I dropped to the ground, clutching my face with my hands.

"No! That's impossible!" I wept openly, my voice hitching at my loss.