Chapter 5 - The Mother Who Never Died

For twelve years, Marello had believed his mother died from heart failure in a private hospital.

I had attended the funeral.

I had held his hand while he stood beside her coffin.

Now Sofia Vitali sat alive beneath fluorescent lights.

She looked older.

Weaker.

But there was no mistaking her.

"Sit down," she said.

I remained standing.

"Why?"

"Because what I'm about to tell you will be easier to hear sitting."

"I have heard enough lies while sitting."

A faint smile touched her mouth.

"You always were stubborn."

Bianca closed the door behind me.

Victor remained outside.

I looked at Sofia.

"Did you order my mother's death?"

"No."

"Did you know Victor did it?"

"After."

"And what happened to him?"

"Nothing."

I laughed once.

"Then the distinction means very little to me."

Sofia studied me.

"You sound like Rosa."

"Do not say her name like you cared about her."

"I did care."

"You used her."

"Yes."

The honesty surprised me.

Sofia folded her hands.

"Your mother was exceptional with numbers. She found inconsistencies nobody else noticed."

"She found your theft."

"She found my insurance."

"What does that mean?"

Sofia glanced at Bianca.

"Leave us."

Bianca frowned.

"No."

"That was not a request."

Bianca's eyes hardened.

"You don't command me anymore."

Sofia's smile vanished.

"You exist because I allowed you to enter this family."

"And now you're trapped in a chair because you underestimated me."

I looked between them.

Interesting.

They were not allies.

Not anymore.

Sofia looked at me.

"You see?"

"See what?"

"The conspiracy changed hands."

Bianca stepped closer.

"Don't listen to her."

"Why not?"

"Because she built this."

Sofia laughed quietly.

"Child, you have enjoyed my work for years."

Bianca looked at me.

"She faked her death. Antonio faked his. They created a shadow government around Marello's empire."

Sofia nodded.

"That part is true."

I stared.

"Why?"

"Because Antonio believed Marello needed to inherit power without inheriting his parents' enemies."

"So you disappeared?"

"We moved outside the structure."

"By pretending to die."

"Yes."

"You let your son mourn you."

Pain flashed across Sofia's face.

"That was the price."

"You sound exactly like Victor."

She went still.

I continued.

"Everyone in this family keeps calling cruelty a price as long as someone else pays it."

Sofia looked away.

Bianca smiled.

"Now you understand."

I turned on her.

"Don't confuse yourself with me."

Her smile disappeared.

"You think you're different?"

"I ran to save my son."

"You ran because you were weak."

"I was pregnant and kidnapped."

"You still left Marello."

"Because your people threatened Leo."

"My people?"

She glanced at Sofia.

"Ask her who decided the child should remain hidden."

I looked at Sofia.

She said nothing.

My stomach tightened.

"You."

Sofia closed her eyes.

"Not for the reason you think."

"Tell me."

"When Victor brought you to Falcon House seven years ago, I learned you were pregnant."

"You were here?"

"Yes."

"You watched?"

"No."

"Did you know what he threatened?"

"Later."

"Then why didn't you send me home?"

Sofia's voice softened.

"Because Antonio had lost control of Victor."

I laughed bitterly.

"That excuses nothing."

"I know."

"You had armed men. money. intelligence. You could have protected us."

"I thought distance was safer."

"You thought wrong."

"Yes."

The word landed heavily.

No defense.

No excuse.

For the first time, I saw a woman living inside the consequences of her own decisions.

Bianca scoffed.

"How moving."

Sofia looked at her.

"You were supposed to watch Victor."

"I did."

"You joined him."

"I improved his plan."

I turned.

"Seven years ago?"

Bianca smiled.

"Not at first."

"Then when?"

"After I met Marello."

My skin crawled.

"You targeted him."

"I studied him."

"You pretended to love him."

Her expression changed slightly.

"That part became inconveniently real."

I stared.

"You expect sympathy?"

"No."

"Good."

Sofia spoke.

"Bianca discovered the succession rules four years ago. She realized marriage gave her what violence could not."

"Control."

"Yes."

"And Leo?"

Sofia looked ashamed.

"Victor told her he was alive."

Bianca crossed her arms.

"Your son was a problem."

I stepped toward her.

"Say that again."

She smiled.

"A legal problem."

"He's a child."

"In this family, children become claims."

I moved before thinking.

My palm struck her face.

The sound cracked through the room.

Bianca stared at me in shock.

"That was for calling my son a problem."

She raised her hand.

Sofia snapped, "Don't."

Bianca stopped.

I was trembling.

Not with fear.

With seven years of rage.

"Where is Antonio?"

Sofia answered.

"Control room."

"And Marello?"

"If Victor's men haven't killed him, he's trying to reach us."

Bianca laughed.

"He won't."

A boom shook the wall.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Sofia raised an eyebrow.

"That sounded like your certainty exploding."

Another boom.

Marello's voice came faintly through the corridor.

"ELENA!"

My heart jumped.

"I'm here!"

Bianca reached for a weapon at her back.

I grabbed the metal water pitcher from the table and swung.

It struck her wrist.

The gun fell.

I kicked it beneath Sofia's chair.

Bianca lunged.

We hit the floor.

She pulled my hair.

I drove my elbow into her shoulder.

She cursed.

Sofia rolled her chair backward.

"Left side, Elena."

"What?"

"She injured her left knee last year."

Bianca glared.

"You miserable—"

I swept her left leg.

She collapsed.

I pinned her wrist.

"Where is Leo?"

Bianca laughed beneath me.

"You think Marello left him safe?"

My blood went cold.

"What did you do?"

"I sent someone to the estate."

I hit her.

"Who?"

She smiled.

"Maybe you're already too late."

The door exploded inward.

Marello entered through smoke with Nico behind him.

He saw me over Bianca.

For half a second, he stared.

Then he said, "I see you still don't need rescuing."

"Leo."

His expression changed.

"What?"

"Bianca sent someone to Casa Vitali."

Marello turned to Nico.

Nico was already on the radio.

"Casa team, respond."

Static.

"Respond."

Nothing.

Marello's face went white with fury.

I stood.

"We go now."

Sofia called after him.

"Marello."

He stopped.

Slowly, he looked at his mother.

All sound seemed to leave the room.

His face changed in a way I had never seen.

Not anger.

Not grief.

Something deeper.

A wound being reopened after twelve years.

"Mother."

Sofia's eyes filled.

"My son."

Marello walked toward her.

Then stopped several feet away.

"Don't."

She lowered her hands.

"I wanted—"

"No."

"Marello."

"I buried you."

"I know."

"I spoke to you every week for a year after you died."

Her face crumpled.

"I know."

"You knew?"

"We had microphones near the grave."

Marello recoiled.

I had never hated a sentence more.

He stared at her.

"You listened."

"Yes."

"And you stayed hidden."

"Yes."

He laughed once.

It was a terrible sound.

"Why?"

"To protect you."

"No."

"Marello—"

"No one protects someone by letting him beg a grave for forgiveness."

Sofia began crying.

He looked at Antonio's wife, his mother, and saw not a mastermind but a parent who had made unforgivable choices while convincing herself they were necessary.

"Where is Father?"

"Control room."

Marello turned away.

"Take Bianca."

Nico cuffed her hands.

She did not resist.

She looked at me.

"You should worry about Leo."

"I do."

"Then you understand how easy it is to control you."

I stepped closer.

"No."

She smiled.

"No?"

"You misunderstood me seven years ago."

"How?"

"Love makes me afraid."

I looked toward Marello.

"But fear doesn't make me weak anymore."

Nico's radio came alive.

"Sofia team to Nico."

We all froze.

"Go."

"Casa Vitali breached. Three attackers down. One escaped."

Marello grabbed the radio.

"My son?"

A pause.

Then a child's voice came through.

"Papa?"

Marello closed his eyes.

"Leo."

"I'm okay."

I nearly collapsed with relief.

Marello pressed the radio to his mouth.

"Listen to me. Stay with Sofia."

"Which Sofia?"

Despite everything, Nico barked a laugh.

The older Sofia Vitali looked offended.

Marello almost smiled.

"The nice one."

Leo whispered loudly, "I think she's nicer than the old lady in the picture."

Sofia Vitali closed her eyes.

I covered my mouth.

Marello said, "I'll explain later."

"Are you coming home?"

"Yes."

"With Mama?"

He looked at me.

"Yes."

"Promise?"

Marello's voice broke.

"I promise."

The radio went quiet.

Then another door opened.

An elderly man walked into the corridor.

Antonio Vitali.

Alive.

Marello stared at him.

Antonio looked at Sofia.

Then Bianca.

Then his son.

"Enough."

Marello raised his gun.

Antonio did not flinch.

"Put it down."

"You do not get to order me."

"You want the truth?"

"I want ten years back."

"I cannot give you that."

"Then start with seven."

Antonio looked at me.

"The night Elena disappeared was not about the empire."

I felt a chill.

"What?"

"It was about Leo."

Marello's eyes narrowed.

Antonio continued.

"Before he was born, a genetic test revealed something Victor believed could destroy the Vitali succession."

I stared at him.

"What genetic test?"

Antonio looked at Marello.

"The boy was never in danger because he wasn't your son."

My heart stopped.

Marello went still.

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Antonio finished.

"He was in danger because he was."