Chapter 13
Rosanna asked one question nobody expected.
“Can I apologize to Elliot?”
Carmine’s immediate answer was no.
Claire told him to think about whether that answer protected Elliot or satisfied Carmine.
He disliked the question enough to know it was useful.
He spoke with Dr. Morgan and a child therapist first.
Elliot still remembered the fire.
He had become protective of his possessions.
If anyone moved the restored bear without asking, he became upset.
He also asked why Rosanna hated Grandpa.
Nobody had told him she did.
Children built explanations from fragments.
The therapist recommended no contact yet.
Not because Rosanna was permanently forbidden from existing in Elliot’s life.
Because an apology offered too soon could become another adult asking a child to solve an adult feeling.
Carmine agreed.
Rosanna did not.
“He is my great-nephew.”
“That is a relationship.”
Carmine looked across Claire’s conference room at her.
“Not a permission slip.”
“I loved that boy.”
“You threw his bear into a fire.”
“I was trying to destroy the key.”
The room went silent.
It was the first time she admitted it directly.
Carmine stared at her.
Rosanna realized there was no point retreating.
“I suspected Vittorio had hidden it there.”
“How long?”
“Months.”
“And you waited until a family dinner?”
“I thought if I ruined the toy publicly, nobody would think the reason mattered.”
Carmine felt disgust rather than surprise.
The cruelty had been camouflage.
“Why say men aren’t raised hugging garbage?”
“Because it sounded like me.”
That answer was horrifyingly honest.
Rosanna knew exactly what kind of cruelty people would accept from her without asking deeper questions.
Carmine leaned forward.
“You used your own reputation as cover.”
She said nothing.
“You knew people would think, ‘That’s Rosanna. She’s harsh. She thinks boys should be tough.’”
Silence.
“So nobody would wonder why you needed the bear destroyed.”
Rosanna looked down.
“Yes.”
Carmine stood.
“That may be the part I forgive last.”
She looked up.
“Not the trust?”
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“You built the trust scheme because you believed power kept the family alive.”
He glanced toward the door.
“You burned a child’s memory of his grandfather because you knew everybody was already used to your cruelty.”
May you like
That was different.
It meant she understood the harm well enough to hide behind it.
