Chapter 12
Garrett disappeared for two days.
Not literally.
He stayed at a Manhattan hotel.
Ignored Evelyn.
Ignored Alessia.
Spoke only through his attorney.
The council expected Alessia to exploit the fracture.
She did not.
That worried Garrett more.
On the third day, he requested a meeting.
Alessia agreed.
Neutral office.
Attorneys nearby.
No weapons inside.
Garrett entered looking exhausted.
He sat across from his wife.
Neither spoke for almost a minute.
Then Garrett removed his wedding ring.
He placed it on the table.
“You knew my mother lied.”
“I learned when you did.”
His eyes searched hers.
“You expect me to believe Miriam never told you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she hid things from me too.”
That stopped him.
Alessia did not make herself innocent.
Miriam concealed family history.
Alessia ignored warning signs.
Carlo had created the wound.
Evelyn preserved it.
Garrett weaponized it.
Several generations had contributed something.
Garrett looked down.
“I did love you.”
Alessia’s face barely moved.
His voice cracked anyway.
“That wasn't part of the plan.”
Her fingers remained still in her lap.
“Was kicking my mother?”
Garrett closed his eyes.
Silence.
That was the answer.
Alessia leaned forward.
“You want me to care that you suffered while betraying me.”
“No.”
His breathing became uneven.
“I want you to understand why I couldn't stop.”
Alessia shook her head.
“No.”
Garrett looked at her.
“That is the lie you still tell yourself.”
Her voice became quieter.
“You could stop every day.”
The words landed harder than the punch at the gala.
Garrett looked away.
Then he said something Alessia did not expect.
“The council document wasn't the real takeover.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“What was?”
Garrett rubbed his wedding ring once between thumb and forefinger.
“I never had enough men.”
He looked back at her.
“I needed you to believe you did.”
Alessia went still.
The forged signatures.
The leaked photographs.
The anonymous messages.
The succession directive.
Everything had been designed not to actually remove Alessia—
but to make her start purging loyal people.
If she had arrested, expelled or attacked the wrong capos, she would have created the rebellion Garrett lacked.
May you like
His real weapon had been Alessia’s suspicion.
And she had come within hours of using it for him.
