Chapter 13
Vanessa ended her relationship with Julian before he could formally end it.
The distinction meant nothing to him.
She sent one final message.
I’m sorry for everything.
Julian did not answer.
Ethan’s security proposal was withdrawn after the foundation made clear it would not be approved.
Diane resigned from the gala committee before Cesare could remove her permanently.
She still insisted the entire situation had been allowed to grow because Cesare’s family treated reputation like survival.
Cesare could not completely disagree.
That realization bothered him.
For decades, he had encouraged exactly that culture.
Problems remained inside rooms.
Disloyalty was handled quietly.
People protected the name.
Diane had simply taken those principles farther than Cesare wanted to admit.
Julian came to see him one afternoon.
Avice was at preschool.
“I need to ask you something.”
Cesare waited.
“Do you think I should keep trying with her?”
“With Avice?”
Julian nodded.
Cesare stared at him.
“She is your daughter.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you asking me?”
“Because she doesn’t trust me.”
Cesare leaned forward.
“That does not release you from being her father.”
Julian looked down.
“What if she never forgives me?”
“That is not the job.”
Julian looked up.
“The job is to become trustworthy whether she forgives you tomorrow, next year, or never.”
That sentence stayed with Julian.
He began changing things without announcing them.
He stopped attending evening foundation dinners.
He moved business calls away from breakfast.
He returned home before Avice’s bedtime.
When she asked questions, he answered them.
Even uncomfortable ones.
Especially uncomfortable ones.
Cesare did the same.
Avice once asked why he hit Aunt Diane.
Cesare could have said he was protecting her.
Instead he said, “Grandpa got very angry and made a bad choice after stopping her.”
Avice looked puzzled.
“But she was mean.”
“Yes.”
“So you can hit mean people?”
“No.”
That answer cost Cesare some pride.
It also prevented Avice from learning the wrong lesson from him.
A week later, she handed Cesare another card.
This one showed four fish.
One large.
One medium.
One small.
And one swimming away.
“Who is that?”
Avice pointed toward the fish swimming away.
“Vanessa.”
Cesare almost smiled.
Then Avice pointed toward the medium fish.
May you like
“Daddy.”
The medium fish was still separated from hers by several inches of blue crayon.
