Chapter 10 - The Name in the Ledger

Victor Salvi was arrested at 12:58 p.m.

Two minutes before the files he scheduled for release were supposed to become public.

They released anyway.

By sunset, the Vitali empire was no longer a private family kingdom.

It was evidence.

Federal agents seized servers from six offices.

Prosecutors announced investigations into money laundering, bribery, extortion, and conspiracy.

Three judges resigned.

Two police commanders were suspended.

A senator denied everything before anyone publicly accused him of anything.

Marello watched the news from a private hospital room.

His injuries were minor.

A cut across his ribs.

Stitches above one eyebrow.

Bruised knuckles.

Antonio's were worse.

The bullet had damaged his liver but missed the largest vessels.

Doctors said he would survive.

Bianca was in surgery.

Leo sat on Marello's bed eating crackers.

I stood by the window, feeling like I had lived ten years in three days.

Marello turned off the television.

"Enough."

Leo looked up.

"Was that your company?"

"Some of it."

"Did the police take it?"

"Some of it."

"Are we poor now?"

Marello blinked.

I laughed.

"No."

He looked at me.

"Probably not."

"Probably?"

"Elena, I have not checked the accounts."

"That sentence may be the first normal thing you've said."

Leo frowned.

"Can poor people still get pizza?"

Marello nodded.

"Yes."

"Then okay."

I sat beside them.

A doctor entered.

"Mr. Vitali."

"Which one?" Marello asked.

The doctor paused.

Marello nodded toward the next room.

"My father is apparently alive. We need clarification now."

The doctor almost smiled.

"Antonio is awake."

Marello's expression changed.

"Bianca?"

"Stable. The bullet broke the clavicle but missed the artery."

I exhaled.

"Can I see her?"

"In an hour."

The doctor left.

Marello looked at me.

"You want to see Bianca?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because she saved Leo."

"She also helped put him in danger."

"I know."

He studied me.

"You are confusing."

"So are you."

"I am very consistent."

"You have a supposedly dead father and mother, a secret half-cousin, an ex-fiancée under arrest, and a criminal empire being dismantled."

"None of those are personality traits."

Leo raised his hand.

"Papa is grumpy."

I smiled.

"See?"

Marello looked offended.

Then Leo leaned against him.

Marello softened instantly.

I watched.

Every time.

The transformation was tiny but undeniable.

The hard man disappeared around the edges.

"Marello."

He looked at me.

"What happens now?"

He knew what I meant.

Us.

Leo.

The future.

His face became cautious.

"I don't know."

The answer hurt.

But it was honest.

I nodded.

He continued.

"I know what I want."

"What?"

"You both safe."

"That's not a life."

"I know."

"You cannot lock us inside an estate."

"I considered it."

"Marello."

"I rejected it."

"How generous."

Leo whispered, "Grumpy."

Marello sighed.

"I want to know my son."

Leo looked up.

"You can ask me stuff."

Marello smiled.

"Favorite color?"

"Blue."

"Food?"

"Pizza."

"Animal?"

"Dog."

"Do you have one?"

"No."

Marello looked at me.

"Why doesn't he have a dog?"

"Because we moved six times."

"We're getting a dog."

"You are not buying affection."

Leo said, "I would accept a dog."

I covered my face.

Marello laughed.

The door opened.

Nico entered carrying a sealed evidence envelope.

"Sorry."

Marello looked at him.

"You're always sorry immediately before bad news."

"This is complicated news."

He handed over the envelope.

Inside was a photocopy from the original Vitali charter.

And a DNA report.

Marello glanced at the report.

His eyes softened.

"Three labs?"

Nico nodded.

"All three."

Marello handed it to me.

PATERNITY PROBABILITY: 99.9998%.

I stared.

Ridiculous.

We already knew.

But seeing it on paper made my throat close.

Leo leaned over.

"What is that?"

Marello answered.

"Official proof you're stuck with me."

Leo smiled.

"Good."

I pressed the page to my chest.

Nico pointed at the charter.

"There's more."

Marello unfolded it.

"The disputed succession clause?"

"Yes. But Antonio and Sofia lied about one part."

Marello's face hardened.

"Of course."

I read over his shoulder.

The clause did not automatically give Victor control.

It gave recognized descendants of Matteo Vitali a proportional share of a specific group of family trusts.

Not the whole empire.

Marello looked at Nico.

"Victor was owed money."

"And recognition."

"Not control."

"Correct."

I felt anger.

"So Antonio erased him to avoid sharing."

Nico nodded.

"Seems that way."

Marello laughed bitterly.

"All this."

He held the paper.

"People died because my parents refused to give a child his name and inheritance."

I thought of my mother.

"Yes."

Leo looked confused.

"What happened?"

I sat beside him.

"Long ago, Grandpa Antonio did something very unfair to someone in the family."

"Victor?"

"Yes."

"Then Victor did bad things too."

"Yes."

Leo frowned.

"Why didn't Grandpa just say sorry and give it back?"

Marello stared at him.

"Excellent question."

We went to Antonio's room.

Sofia sat beside his bed.

For once, neither looked powerful.

They looked old.

Marello placed the charter on Antonio's blanket.

"You lied."

Antonio looked at it.

Then closed his eyes.

Sofia looked away.

Marello continued.

"Victor was entitled to twelve percent of the protected holdings."

Antonio said nothing.

"Twelve percent."

"Marello—"

"No."

His voice shook.

"You erased him for twelve percent."

"It was not only money."

"Then what?"

"His mother threatened exposure."

"Exposure of what?"

Antonio looked at Sofia.

She answered.

"Matteo was married to someone else when Victor was conceived."

Marello stared.

"That's it?"

"In those days—"

"In those days you killed a woman's career, paid her to disappear, erased her son, and forged trusts because of an affair?"

Antonio raised his voice.

"You do not understand the family then."

Marello leaned forward.

"No. You do not understand the family now."

Antonio fell silent.

Marello pointed toward the hall.

"My son asked why you didn't apologize and give back what you stole."

Sofia's eyes filled.

Marello continued.

"I had no answer."

Antonio whispered, "There is no answer a child would accept."

"Good."

Marello straightened.

"Then maybe the child is smarter than us."

Sofia looked at me.

"Elena."

I stiffened.

"I owe you an apology."

"Many."

"Yes."

She folded her hands.

"I knew Victor threatened you. I let you remain hidden because I believed it reduced risk to Marello."

"It destroyed him."

"I know."

"It destroyed me."

"I know."

"My mother died."

Sofia began crying.

"I know."

I wanted to hate her.

Part of me always would.

But hatred was heavy.

I had carried enough.

"I do not forgive you."

She nodded.

"I understand."

"Maybe someday I will forgive pieces."

Tears slid down her face.

"That is more than I deserve."

Antonio looked at me.

"I ordered Victor to leave your mother alone."

I stared.

"You still protected him after he killed her."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because exposing him exposed us."

I nodded slowly.

"Thank you."

He looked surprised.

"For what?"

"For finally saying the ugly truth without calling it protection."

Antonio closed his eyes.

Marello took my hand.

We left.

In the hallway, he looked at me.

"Are you okay?"

"No."

"Good."

I frowned.

"Good?"

"You hate when people lie."

I almost smiled.

"Fair."

He rubbed his thumb across my knuckles.

"Elena."

"What?"

"I loved you."

Past tense.

I felt it.

He corrected himself.

"I never stopped."

My eyes burned.

"Marello."

"I am not asking you to come back because we have a son."

"Good."

"I am not asking you to forget seven years."

"Good."

"I am asking whether I can take you to dinner."

I stared.

"After all this?"

"Especially after all this."

"You have terrible timing."

"I had seven years to practice."

I laughed.

Then cried.

Then laughed again.

"One dinner."

"One."

"No guards at the table."

"Nearby."

"Marello."

"Outside."

"Fine."

"No guns visible."

"That feels excessive."

"Marello."

"Fine."

Leo appeared at the hallway corner with a nurse.

"Are you getting married?"

We both turned.

"No," I said immediately.

Marello said, "Not today."

I glared at him.

Leo smiled.

"Can I get a dog first?"

Marello looked at me.

I pointed.

"Do not."

He looked at Leo.

"We'll discuss it."

"Traitor."

"Father."

A federal prosecutor arrived that evening.

Her name was Dana Cole.

She informed Marello that cooperation would matter.

Marello handed her passwords, account lists, names, and records.

Antonio protested from his room.

Sofia stayed silent.

Bianca agreed to testify against Victor in exchange for consideration.

Victor requested one thing before arraignment.

He wanted his legal name changed.

Victor Matteo Vitali.

Marello signed an affidavit acknowledging the family connection.

When I asked why, he said, "Because truth doesn't become less true because he became dangerous."

My mother would have liked that.

The next morning, I visited Bianca.

She looked pale.

Her shoulder was immobilized.

"You came."

"Yes."

"To thank me?"

"Partly."

She looked disappointed.

"Only partly?"

"To tell you Leo is safe."

Her eyes closed.

"Good."

"And to tell you I will testify about everything you did."

She opened them.

"I expected that."

"You saved him. That matters."

"I also endangered him."

"That matters too."

She nodded.

"Both things can be true."

"Yes."

She looked at me.

"Does Marello hate me?"

"I don't know."

"He should."

"Probably."

A sad smile.

"Do you?"

I thought.

"I don't want to spend enough energy on you to hate you forever."

She laughed and winced.

"That is somehow worse."

"Good."

As I left, she called after me.

"Elena."

I turned.

"I did love him."

"I believe you."

Her eyes filled.

"I wish that had made me better."

I looked at her.

"Love does not make people better."

She waited.

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"Choices do."

Then I left her with hers.