Chapter 11 - MATTEO
Javier did not move.
The room held too much history for movement.
Matteo looked at his son.
“Javi.”
Javier’s face collapsed.
Not dramatically.
One small break.
The expression of a boy hearing a father’s voice after thirty-seven years.
“You’re alive.”
Matteo nodded.
Javier crossed the room.
Then stopped.
Two feet away.
He wanted to embrace him.
Wanted to hit him.
Neither happened.
“Why?”
Matteo’s eyes filled.
“I was afraid.”
Javier laughed through tears.
“Of what?”
“Becoming Enzo.”
“You disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“You let me grow up thinking you burned.”
“Yes.”
“You watched?”
“For years.”
Javier punched him.
One blow.
Matteo staggered.
Nico moved.
Dante raised a hand.
“No.”
Javier hit his father again.
Then stopped.
He was crying now.
“You don’t get to say fear like it fixes it.”
Matteo nodded.
“I know.”
Javier stepped back.
Dante looked at Matteo.
“Did you send the tape?”
“Yes.”
“The ring?”
“No.”
“Nico?”
Matteo looked toward his half-brother.
“He found it.”
Dante looked at Nico.
“And buried it where Leo would find it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To bring all of you here.”
“You hurt children to organize a family meeting.”
“I didn’t tell Javier to attack Leo.”
Dante’s voice chilled.
“You predicted him.”
Nico did not deny it.
Javier looked at him.
“You used me.”
“Yes.”
The honesty infuriated him.
“Why?”
Nico looked around the old dining room.
“Because this house never answered for what happened inside it.”
Dante’s gaze hardened.
“Houses don’t answer.”
“Men do.”
“Then speak to men.”
“I tried for thirty years.”
“No.”
Dante stepped closer.
“You hid for thirty years.”
Nico’s face changed.
Dante continued:
“You say Enzo denied you a name.”
“He did.”
“You say he damaged you.”
“He did.”
“And now you put that damage into Marco.”
Nico’s eyes flashed.
“Leave my son out.”
Dante almost laughed.
“Now you understand.”
Silence.
Marco looked between them.
Dante continued:
“You sent someone toward Leo. You watched Javier attack him. You threatened my son.”
“Leo is Enzo’s blood.”
“So are you.”
Nico stopped.
Dante leaned closer.
“If blood carries guilt, start with yourself.”
That landed.
Matteo stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Dante looked at him.
“You always arrive late with that word.”
Matteo accepted it.
Javier looked toward his father.
“Did Dante order the fire?”
“No.”
“Did Enzo?”
“Yes.”
“Did Dante know?”
“No.”
Javier closed his eyes.
Years of hatred reorganizing itself.
Matteo continued:
“But Dante stopped me at St. Agnes. If he hadn’t, I might have killed Enzo before the warehouse.”
Dante said:
“And if I had believed you, Gabriel’s truth would have come out sooner.”
Both statements stood.
Nobody clean.
Nobody entirely guilty.
Javier looked at Dante.
“I hated you.”
“I know.”
“For what my father did not blame you for.”
Matteo answered:
“I blamed him for years.”
Javier turned.
“Then why the tape?”
“Because I learned blame became easier than responsibility.”
Matteo looked at Dante.
“He was twenty-eight. Enzo owned his loyalty.”
Dante shook his head.
“No.”
Matteo frowned.
Dante continued:
“Do not excuse me.”
Silence.
“I was old enough to ask.”
He looked toward Javier.
“I chose not to.”
Javier nodded slowly.
Not forgiveness.
Recognition.
Then Marco spoke.
“What about me?”
Everyone turned.
The boy looked at Nico.
“You said Uncle Dante stole what was ours.”
Dante stared.
Nico’s face hardened.
Marco continued:
“You said Leo had my life.”
Dante felt something cold.
Nico had been raising his son against Leo.
Not abstractly.
Personally.
Marco looked toward Dante.
“Is that true?”
Dante answered:
“No.”
Nico snapped.
“You don’t answer him.”
Dante ignored him.
“Leo has his life.”
Then toward Marco:
“You have yours.”
Marco looked confused.
“No chair belongs to either of you because of your last name.”
Nico laughed.
“Listen to him. The Boss suddenly hates inheritance.”
Dante looked at him.
“I hate what men do to children while pretending inheritance makes it necessary.”
Nico’s face tightened.
Then Matteo said something that changed everything.
“He’s not your son.”
Nico turned.
Silence.
Marco stared.
“What?”
Matteo looked at Nico.
“I told you we had to stop.”
Nico’s expression became dangerous.
“Be quiet.”
Dante looked at Marco.
Then Matteo.
“Explain.”
May you like
Matteo’s voice lowered.
“Marco is Gabriel’s grandson.”
