Chapter 7
Ethan arrived at Cesare’s office voluntarily.
His attorney came with him.
The bruise along Ethan’s cheek had turned dark purple.
He did not sit.
“You’re blocking my company from the contract.”
“The board suspended the vote.”
“Because my sister lied to her boyfriend?”
“Because your company is being reviewed.”
Ethan laughed.
“You’re punishing me because I took a swing at you.”
“You’re free to report what I did.”
“I already have.”
Cesare nodded.
That surprised Ethan.
There would be consequences for the gala.
Cesare had struck Ethan.
He had struck Diane.
Avice’s mistreatment explained his anger.
It did not erase his actions.
Ethan had expected Cesare to use influence to bury the reports.
Cesare did not.
That removed one piece of leverage.
Then Cesare asked about the security contract.
Ethan's posture changed.
“What does that have to do with Vanessa?”
“You tell me.”
“Nothing.”
“Then why did she repeatedly pressure Julian to approve it?”
“She wanted peace between families.”
“We are not two families.”
Cesare leaned forward.
“You work around mine.”
Ethan’s face hardened.
The distinction mattered to him.
Cesare noticed.
Ethan had spent years close enough to Lombardi power to benefit from it but never close enough to control it.
Vanessa marrying Julian would change that.
A baby would make the relationship feel permanent.
At least that was the appearance.
Ethan stood.
“You think everything is a conspiracy.”
“No.”
Cesare looked at him calmly.
“I think my granddaughter said one sentence and four adults panicked.”
Ethan stopped at the door.
Cesare continued.
“That interests me.”
Ethan left without answering.
Later that evening, Julian found an old message from Vanessa.
It had arrived the night before he rejected Ethan’s contract for the second time.
Please don’t embarrass my brother again. We’re having a child together. At some point you need to treat my family like yours.
Julian read it three times.
He remembered feeling guilty when he received it.
The next morning he had agreed to reconsider Ethan’s proposal.
Now the words felt less like emotion.
More like pressure.
Julian forwarded the message to Cesare.
Then he found another.
This one was from Diane.
Sometimes being a father means making decisions for the family you’re building, not only the family you lost.
Julian stared at the screen for a long time.
Caroline.
Avice.
His grief.
His new baby.
May you like
Every vulnerable part of his life had been placed inside one sentence.
And Diane had known exactly where to press.
