Chapter 14
Helena asked for one final meeting with Roman.
He agreed.
Lauren attended.
Helena’s attorney attended.
No Nora.
No Sophie.
Helena placed a small box on the table.
Roman recognized it from the vault.
One of Sophie's unopened birthday boxes.
“I’m not giving this to her,” Helena said.
Roman waited.
“I want you to decide.”
He opened it.
Inside was a stuffed red fox and a card written by Roman on Sophie’s second birthday.
He remembered choosing it.
He had wondered for months whether Nora threw it away.
Helena looked at the toy.
“Marco told me every package you sent would make Nora think you were trying to buy silence.”
Roman said nothing.
“I wanted to believe him.”
“Why?”
“Because the other possibility was that I had done something unforgivable.”
Roman looked at her.
“You did.”
She nodded.
No argument.
That was new.
Helena continued.
“I hated Nora before Marco lied.”
Roman did not expect that admission.
“I thought she would take you away from everything your father built.”
“She never asked me to leave everything.”
“I know.”
“She asked me to create distance.”
“I know.”
“You used Marco’s story because it gave you permission to do something you already wanted.”
Helena began crying.
“Yes.”
That was the closest thing to full responsibility she had ever offered.
Marco deceived her.
But she chose to believe the deception because it matched her prejudice.
She chose not to ask Roman.
She chose not to verify Nora’s supposed blackmail.
She chose to maintain the lie after months became years.
And when Nora became poor enough that anyone paying attention should have noticed, Helena did not look.
“I cannot ask Sophie to forgive you,” Roman said.
“I know.”
“I won’t tell her she has to see you because you’re old.”
“I know.”
“I won’t tell Nora to make peace for the family.”
Helena nodded.
“What do I do?”
Roman looked at his mother.
“Live with the part you can’t control.”
She closed her eyes.
For Helena D’Angelo, that might have been the hardest sentence possible.
Roman took the red fox.
Not the card.
The card belonged to the past.
The toy could become something new.
May you like
Helena did not ask whether Sophie would receive it.
Roman did not promise.
