Chapter 9 - THE FAMILY
The morning sun poured through the massive windows of the Romano estate library.
It had been four days since the railyard. Four days of police statements, hospital beds, and lawyers scrambling to untangle the mess Frank and Vitiello had left behind.
Vitiello was in federal custody. Frank’s remaining loyalists had been rooted out and expelled from the city.
Luca sat in his leather armchair. He looked exhausted, but his color was normal. The poison was fully flushed from his system.
He wasn’t wearing a watch.
The heavy oak doors opened. Elena walked in, holding a tray with two cups of espresso. Behind her walked Sofia.
They were wearing identical beige sweaters.
Luca looked at them and let out a dry, rasping laugh. “Are you trying to give me another heart attack?”
Elena smiled, setting the tray down. “We decided if we’re going to confuse the guards, we might as well commit to it.”
Sofia sat on the sofa opposite Luca. For the first time since I met her, she looked truly at peace. The hardened, desperate edge was gone.
“How is he?” Sofia asked softly.
“He’s good,” Luca said. He pointed toward the window.
Outside, in the sprawling gardens of the estate, little Leo was running across the grass, chasing a golden retriever. Teresa sat on a bench nearby, wrapped in a thick shawl, watching her grandson with tears of unbridled joy in her eyes.
She wasn’t hiding him anymore. He wasn’t a secret. He was Marco’s son, and he was home.
“I put a trust fund in his name this morning,” Luca said. “It’s legally ironclad. Nobody can touch it, not even me. He’s going to private school, Sofia. He’s going to be a doctor, or an architect, or whatever he wants. But he will never hold a gun.”
Sofia covered her mouth, stifling a sob. “Thank you, Luca.”
“You don’t thank me for doing what Father should have done,” Luca said firmly. He leaned forward. “You are a Romano. You belong in this house. Both of you.”
Elena reached out and took Sofia’s hand. They held onto each other tightly. The twenty-six years of lies had been burned away in the fire of the last four days. They were sisters again.
I stood near the door, holding my medical bag. My final shift was officially over.
“I’ll leave you to your family, Mr. Romano,” I said quietly. “My agency will send the final billing.”
“Nonsense,” Elena said, standing up. She walked over and gave me a tight hug. “You saved my brother’s life. You saved all of us.”
Luca stood slowly. He walked over to his desk, picked up a heavy cream-colored envelope, and handed it to me.
“What is this?” I asked.
“A cashier’s check,” Luca said. “Enough to pay off your mortgage, and cover your mother’s facility for the next ten years.”
I stared at him, my mouth dry. “Luca, I can’t accept this. It’s too much.”
“It’s not for the nursing,” Sofia said from the couch. She smiled gently. “It’s for David’s coat. I told you I pay my debts.”
Tears pricked my eyes. I clutched the envelope to my chest. For the first time since my husband died, I felt like I could finally breathe.
I said my goodbyes and walked out to the front gate. The sun was warm on my face.
The security guard smiled and handed me my phone.
I turned it on. There was one unread message.
From a blocked number.
May you like
I opened it.
Your husband didn’t die in a car accident, Rebecca. Ask Luca about the mechanic.
