Chapter 9 - What Serena Chose

The investigation lasted months.

Victor was charged with conspiracy.

Attempted murder.

Financial crimes.

Bribery.

Obstruction.

And offenses connected to Serena’s mother’s death.

Jonathan cooperated.

His earlier crimes did not disappear.

Neither did his years of lying.

He accepted that.

Peter testified too.

Then resigned from Matteo’s staff.

Matteo asked him to stay.

Peter shook his head.

“I spent seventeen years watching your life for other people.”

Matteo understood.

“What will you do?”

Peter looked at him.

“Find out who I am when nobody pays me to stand near a DeMarco.”

Matteo smiled faintly.

“Fair.”

Antonio returned to Chicago.

Not to the mansion.

He rented a small apartment.

Matteo visited once a week.

At first, every conversation became an argument.

Then shorter arguments.

Then questions.

Then silence that did not hurt as much.

One evening, Matteo placed the repaired watch on the table.

Antonio stared.

The glass was new.

The case polished.

But the hands still read 11:17.

“You left it.”

Matteo nodded.

“I told the watchmaker not to move them.”

Antonio smiled sadly.

“Why?”

Matteo looked at him.

“Because not everything has to be fixed by pretending it never broke.”

Antonio’s eyes became wet.

Serena heard about that later.

She came to see Matteo at the mansion.

No ruby gown.

No gala.

No father beside her.

She handed him a box.

Inside was a key.

Matteo frowned.

“To what?”

“The Cole river property.”

He looked at her.

“My father transferred my shares to me.”

“What are you going to do with them?”

“Sell them.”

“To Victor’s people?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

She smiled faintly.

“To the city.”

Matteo blinked.

“For what?”

“Public river access.”

He laughed softly.

“Your father hates that.”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

She smiled.

Then looked serious.

“I also ended the merger.”

Matteo nodded.

“I know.”

“I should have told you about Antonio.”

“Yes.”

“I thought I was protecting you.”

He looked at her.

“I know.”

“That does not excuse it.”

“No.”

She accepted that.

Then:

“Do you still love me?”

Matteo stared at her.

Long silence.

“Yes.”

Her eyes filled.

“But I do not trust you the way I did.”

She nodded.

“That is fair.”

“And I do not know if we stay together.”

Another nod.

“That is fair too.”

Matteo looked at the empty ballroom.

The anniversary decorations were gone.

No guests.

No performance.

He looked back at her.

“If we try again, there are no family deals.”

“Yes.”

“No hidden fathers.”

She almost smiled.

“Yes.”

“No delayed truths because somebody thinks they know what I can handle.”

“Yes.”

He paused.

“And if I ask a question?”

She looked at him.

“I answer it.”

“Even if it ends us.”

Serena nodded.

“Especially then.”

Matteo looked at her for a long time.

Then offered his hand.

Not a ring.

Not a promise.

Just his hand.

She took it.

Across the room, I pretended not to notice.

Harold did not bother pretending.

He smiled.

“About time.”

Matteo looked at him.

“You are still employed?”

Harold straightened.

“I retired.”

“You keep appearing.”

“I am bad at it.”

Matteo laughed.

Then Harold became serious.

“There is one last thing.”

Everyone looked at him.

He removed a small envelope.

Antonio’s handwriting.

Matteo stared.

“When?”

“Last week.”

“What is it?”

Harold handed it to him.

Matteo opened it.

One page.

Son,

I spent seventeen years waiting for the right time to come home.

There was no right time.

There was only fear wearing different clothes.

Matteo stopped.

Serena read over his shoulder.

Antonio continued.

If you ever have to choose between protecting someone and telling them the truth, tell them the truth.

Then stand beside them while it hurts.

Matteo closed his eyes.

The final line:

Time did not start again when I came home.

It started when you decided what to do with the truth.

Matteo looked at the broken watch.

11:17.

Then toward the door.

His father was standing there.

Harold had invited him.

Matteo stared.

Antonio looked nervous.

For once, the older man waited.

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He did not choose for his son.

Matteo walked toward him.