Chapter 20 - The Name on the Birth Certificate
Vanessa requested a call through her attorney. Miriam advised me that I didn't have to take it. I did, with Miriam listening.
“Leo's legal name is Leo Moretti-Russo,” Vanessa said without greeting. “You have seen that in the files.”
“Yes.”
“You should also know that he carries Russo from his father, not from me.”
I sat straighter. I had assumed something about the surname without noticing I was doing it.
“His father died before Elena,” Vanessa continued. “I'm his godmother and the secondary trustee, not his parent. I've been the person at school pickups because Adrian delegated everything.”
“Why didn't you go to him directly?” I asked.
“I did. His staff scheduled me for fifteen minutes between two acquisitions.”
I thought of the visitor book: eleven and three.
Vanessa said she had filed in Vermont to request independent review of Leo's care arrangements. She hadn't asked for the trust assets to be transferred to her personally, whatever Adrian had told me.
“Do you want to be his guardian?”
“I want a guardian who is physically present. If that's Adrian, I'll be relieved.”
I couldn't tell whether I trusted her. I could tell she'd given me facts I could check.
May you like
Before the call ended, Vanessa asked one question. “Has Leo been told that this is about money?”
“No,” I said. “And I'd like it to stay that way.”
