Chapter 10
Miriam finally told Alessia everything.
Thomas Lawson had betrayed Alessia’s father.
That part was real.
He diverted money to cover a failing business and lied when confronted.
Carlo Carbone punished him.
Harshly.
Too harshly, Miriam believed.
Thomas lost almost everything.
Evelyn never forgave the Carbones.
But Thomas himself eventually accepted responsibility.
Three years before his death, he wrote Miriam asking for help protecting Garrett from inheriting the feud.
Miriam secretly paid part of Garrett’s college tuition through an anonymous education fund.
She helped Evelyn avoid foreclosure once.
She never told Alessia.
She never told Garrett.
“Why?”
Alessia’s voice came out low.
Miriam looked at her.
“Because your father would've seen it as disloyalty.”
“And Evelyn?”
“She knew.”
The room went silent.
Alessia understood before Miriam finished.
Evelyn had accepted Carbone money while raising Garrett to believe the Carbones had abandoned them completely.
She had preserved his hatred.
Not because the pain was false.
Because the pain gave her influence over her son.
Then Alessia uncovered the major twist.
Garrett had not begun planning the gala after their marriage weakened.
He had begun before the wedding.
His private storage contained copied council structures, security schedules and notes about Alessia’s emotional triggers dating back eighteen months.
Before he stood beside her at the altar.
Before he promised loyalty.
Before she put his ring on her hand.
The marriage itself had been part of the revenge.
But something in Garrett’s notes changed after the wedding.
Early entries were cold.
CARBONE ACCESS.
MIRIAM INFLUENCE.
CAPO LOYALTY.
Later entries became different.
ALESSIA DOESN’T SLEEP AFTER NIGHTMARES.
SHE PRETENDS SHE HATES JAZZ BUT HUMS IT IN THE KITCHEN.
SHE THINKS NOBODY NOTICES WHEN SHE’S AFRAID.
Alessia stared at the pages.
The plan had started as revenge.
Then Garrett had actually fallen in love with her.
And continued anyway.
That was the betrayal that finally broke something inside her.
Not that he never loved her.
That he did.
His love had simply never become stronger than his need to win.
Then Dante entered holding one final recovered audio file.
Garrett speaking to Evelyn the night before the gala.
His voice was strained.
“If she hits me, it’s over.”
Evelyn answered:
“Then make sure she does.”
A long pause.
Garrett whispered:
“And if I can't?”
May you like
Evelyn’s reply came without hesitation.
“Then you were never your father’s son.”
