Edge of Deception

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

The second floor of the store revealed why these designer boutiques were called the ultimate in luxury. Apart from dresses and makeups surrounding them, there was also a wide area designated as changing room with quite a large bed, where a group of women can have fun trying out dresses and other stuff. There was a fully stocked vanity with all the services available of a professional makeup. In one corner there was a small dining area and a pantry.

They were ushered in the pretty chairs. Soon, tea and snacks were placed in front of them on delicate china and dainty cutlery.

For the first time, Tanya truly felt that she was in Milan, one of the world's fashion capitals and the documents in her bag detailing the Visconti empire's credit line told her why it was also the country's financial capital.

Suddenly, Tania was feeling ecstatic. All the resentments of earlier just melted away. Thank god Ilario sent her here. This was so much better than travelling to some suburb in the scorching heat and trying to pose provoking questions to farmland management who undoubtedly would have been hard men.

She settled in and decided to just enjoy her afternoon.

"Please try these kiwis." The manager urged her. "These are transported directly from our, that is to say, the company's farm."

Tanya bit into the succulent fruit. Oh, it was juicy and sweet. So sweet.

The manager smiled at her expression. "You do see the difference from the ones you buy from the local market, Si?"

Tanya nodded, taking another bite appreciatively. "I wish I had a farm tucked away somewhere from where I could order fresh fruits every day."

The older woman smiled. "I'm sure a tour can be arranged to Vera Farms, which is in Lazio. You can make it a weekend trip. I will let Ms. Visconti know, if you wish."

Before Tanya could do more than start nodding, Alonzo said, "No need to trouble Ms Visconti with such small requests, Señora. We are bowled over by the hospitality we receive by Visconti Empires as it is."

Tanya frowned but refrained from making any remark. After that, Alonzo proceeded with the documentation and inventory checking part of the inspection and Tanya got busy in noting down everything in the forms provided to her. Judging by the questions and the points raised, Tanya could see that Alonzo definitely knew way more than her.

It was over an hour when they finally exited the store. They exchanged phone numbers, then Alonzo smiled at her, "I have to get back to office. What about you?"

"I'll have to get back as well. I'll just take the Metro."

"Okay." He hesitated, before saying, "I am sure you know, but still I feel like it's my duty to tell you."

"Yeah, what?" Tanya was suddenly apprehensive, did she do something wrong?

"Apollonia Visconti is engaged to our CEO."

She frowned. "Everybody knows that."

"Si. Correct. When this credit line was sanctioned, we were expressly told not to expect anything from the management. Not even a small favour like arranging transport from the office to any of their shops or factories."

"But isn't that the rule for all the advance accounts? That we aren't supposed to accept any gifts from the borrowers, so they can't ask us for any favours?"

"True." Alonzo huffed. "But you see, it isn't strictly followed. The borrowers use festivals and special occasions to distribute small gifts like confectionaries to the entire staff of the office from where the advances were sanctioned. It looks like a token of appreciation for continued relationship, you know, business to business. But in case of Visconti Empire accounts, we were banned to even accept those."

"Oh?" Tania was still not seeing the importance, what was so surprising about it?

"And it all started right before their engagement was announced. Before that, we'd be getting regular gifts from the group."

Well, that did make sense. "Orlanes Banking wouldn't want accusations that they were favouring future relatives."

"Right, but one of the managers didn't really take it seriously. He used a reference from some higher up in Visconti Empire to secure his daughter's admission in one of the prestigious schools, so he was fired."

"Fired? Just for a reference?"

"Yeah." Alonzo said emphatically. "That is the thing. We didn't realize the rules would be followed so seriously for Visconti Empire accounts and after so many years. After all, the initial credit was sanctioned six years ago. But what was even more baffling was that the manager claimed that Mateo Russo himself arranged for the reference."

Tania understood then. The instruction to not accept favours from Visconti Empires must have come from either Ilario or Giovanni Russo, but Mateo hadn't really cared. So in an attempt to assert authority, Orlanes Banking Services management had terminated the manager.

But this also showed the rift inside the family.

And Alonzo was informing her about it in a roundabout way.

Tanya nodded, committing it to memory. It was a classic case of the pawn getting sacrificed in a war among kings. And she'd do well to remember that.