Page 56 of Unlock My Heart

Sienna

The present

Taking a seat across from Saint—now my lawyer since I called in my favor—I ask him, “How bad is it?”

He shifts in his seat. “Extremely bad.”

“You could’ve sugarcoated it,” I inform him crossly.

“There is no sugarcoating it. The hotel is indebted to the tune of a million dollars.”

My jaw falls open. “How is that possible? Hotel D’Amico has been in Michele’s family for two generations. They bought the dirt with cash, for crying out loud!”

“Your husband took out a personal loan with the hotel as collateral,” he explains.

“For what purpose?” I demand.

“It appears he was robbing Peter to pay Paul. The Garden District house. The Jackson Square condo. The cars and staff. The suits and designer watches. The⁠—”

“Prostitutes and cocaine?”

He rubs the back of his neck. “I was going to sugarcoat that part.”

“You realize I’m the madam of those prostitutes; very little shocks me. Let’s hear all of it.” I wave my hand.

“Mr. D’Amico’s substantial gambling debt at the casino. Credit card debt on three different cards.” He rattles off the amounts. “Medical debt for his veneers, a facelift, and,” he pauses, looking uncomfortable.

“Out with it.” I sigh.

“A penis enhancement.”

“Penis enhancement?” I knew about the veneers and the facelift, but the penis enhancement is a shock. “There’s a doctor who will polish a turd?”

He chokes out a laugh, but quickly composes himself, clearing his throat. “And us lawyers get a bad rap. Bottom line is your financial situation is dire.”

“But doesn’t this all magically disappear since Michele’s dead?” I try.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way,” Saint informs me. “Creditors will file liens; if the estate doesn’t have enough cash to pay the debts, creditors will force the sale of the hotel and the real property. The cars, they’ll simply repossess.”

“What you’re telling me is I endured nearly a decade of hell only to become jobless, homeless, and penniless? This is bullshit!” I grit.

Saint holds up his hands. “What I suggest is going through the properties, seeing if you can find any hidden cash or other valuables. We can then go to the various creditors with settlement offers in an effort to keep the real properties.”

“The Jackson Square condo and the Garden District house, I don’t care about, but I’m not losing the hotel.”

“That might not be an option, Mrs. D⁠—”

“Jenkins,” I correct him. “Ms. Jenkins.”

“Ms. Jenkins. For the time being, I’d suggest letting go of the household staff. You can’t afford to keep them.”

“Alright.” I nod resolutely. “But the penis enhancement claim, I’ll see that doctor in court.” Because nothing about Michele’s penis was enhanced, and I’ll gladly swear to that under oath.

Fabien

The present

“Calvani, you have a visitor,” the CO shouts.