Chapter 13 - ADRIAN GAVE UP HIS PLACE
Adrian had one chance to minimize his involvement.
His attorney told him so.
He could claim Helena manipulated him.
He could say Caleb designed the plan.
He could describe the dinner as an emotional family dispute.
Instead, Adrian rejected the strategy.
“I grabbed a three-year-old by the face.”
His attorney looked uncomfortable.
“Yes.”
“I threatened food.”
“Yes.”
“I tried to make him lie.”
“Yes.”
“So write that.”
Adrian entered a cooperation agreement concerning the attempted guardianship fraud and the pressure placed on witnesses.
He resigned from every Bellacorte-controlled company.
He surrendered his family rank.
He also transferred the voting interest he personally held in one legitimate company into a neutral trust until the legal matters ended.
Vincent did not ask him to.
Adrian did it because he no longer trusted himself with power he had once used automatically.
Before leaving Chicago for the duration of the case, Adrian asked Vincent for one thing.
“To apologize to Eli.”
Vincent refused.
Adrian nodded.
“I understand.”
“You want forgiveness because you’re leaving.”
“No.”
Adrian looked tired.
“I want him to hear an adult say what happened wasn’t his fault.”
That made Vincent reconsider.
The meeting happened in Dr. Cole’s office.
No family dining room.
No capos.
No Helena.
No audience.
Eli sat beside Vincent.
Adrian remained across the room.
“I scared you,” Adrian said.
Eli watched him.
“I shouldn’t have touched your face.”
Silence.
“I shouldn’t have told you to lie.”
Eli’s feet swung above the floor.
“And dinner?”
Adrian’s voice broke slightly.
“You should always get dinner.”
Eli thought about that.
“Okay.”
Not forgiveness.
Not reunion.
Just acknowledgment.
Adrian looked at Vincent.
Vincent gave him nothing more.
He was not ready.
Adrian accepted that too.
That afternoon he left.
The family structure continued without him.
Smaller.
May you like
Less certain.
For Vincent, that uncertainty no longer felt entirely like weakness.
