Chapter 12
Thomas tried to reclaim the room.
“My wife abandoned this family.”
Bianca laughed.
“I escaped.”
“She stole loyal men.”
“They stopped trusting you.”
“She poisoned Valentina.”
“I hadn’t seen my daughter in twelve years.”
Silence.
That fact alone destroyed half his argument.
Thomas looked toward the capos.
“You know what she is.”
Antonio answered:
“Alive.”
My father flinched.
Good.
Bianca walked to Ethan.
“May I?”
She looked at me.
Asked.
Not assumed.
I nodded.
She touched his wet hair.
“Cold?”
He nodded.
“A little.”
Vanessa scoffed.
“He’s fine.”
Bianca turned.
“Did you push him?”
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“He wouldn’t stay away from things that didn’t concern him.”
“He’s three.”
“And?”
Bianca’s expression changed.
She looked at me.
I almost smiled despite everything.
Same reaction.
Vanessa continued:
“Everyone keeps treating him like he’s made of glass.”
Ethan whispered:
“She said if I cried, Mommy would do what Grandpa wanted.”
Bianca stood.
“And you believed hurting him was reasonable.”
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“It was temporary.”
Bianca looked at Thomas.
“Your vocabulary survived.”
I understood immediately.
He had used the same words twelve years earlier.
Pressure.
Temporary.
Correction.
Accident.
Never abuse.
Never betrayal.
I looked at Marcus.
“What did Thomas promise you?”
He laughed nervously.
“Nothing.”
Vanessa turned.
“You liar.”
Marcus glared.
She continued.
“He promised Marcus the south crews.”
Thomas looked annoyed.
Marcus stared at Vanessa.
“You promised not to—”
She laughed.
“Why should I protect you?”
Good.
They were unraveling.
I looked at Vanessa.
“And you?”
She hesitated.
Bianca answered.
“Marriage protection.”
Vanessa’s face changed.
“How do you know?”
Bianca smiled faintly.
“Because Thomas offered me the same thing once.”
The terrace went silent.
My mother looked at me.
“Men like him don’t invent new cages. They repaint old ones.”
Thomas shouted:
“Enough.”
No one moved.
Not one capo.
Not one guard.
He noticed.
May you like
Bianca did too.
And for the first time, Thomas Moretti gave an order that disappeared before reaching anyone.
