Chapter 9 - The Uncle Who Raised Him

Anthony entered the federal interview room in handcuffs.

He looked older.

Not weaker.

Just smaller.

Sebastian sat across from him.

Maria watched through the glass.

So did I.

Natalie was not there.

She had gone to the hospital with her father.

Sebastian placed Anthony’s old letter on the table.

Anthony stared at it.

“Where did you get that?”

“Thomas.”

Anthony laughed.

“Of course.”

“You wrote it.”

“Yes.”

“You confessed.”

“Yes.”

“Then gave it to Edwin Vale.”

Anthony looked away.

Sebastian leaned forward.

“Why?”

Anthony said nothing.

“Why?”

Finally:

“Because I was thirty-six and terrified.”

Sebastian’s face did not change.

“My father was thirty-eight and dead.”

“I know.”

“You warned Edwin he was going to testify.”

“Yes.”

“You got into the car with him anyway.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Anthony looked at Sebastian.

“To stop him.”

“From testifying?”

“Yes.”

Sebastian swallowed.

“Then Thomas hit you.”

“Yes.”

“And Luca was alive.”

Anthony’s eyes lowered.

“Yes.”

“You could have helped him.”

Anthony closed his eyes.

“Yes.”

“But you left.”

“Yes.”

Sebastian sat back.

No shouting.

No threat.

That made Anthony look more uncomfortable.

Sebastian asked:

“Then why raise me?”

Anthony looked up.

That question hurt him.

“At first?”

“Yes.”

“Guilt.”

Sebastian nodded once.

“And later?”

Anthony stared through the glass.

Maria stood on the other side.

He could not see her clearly.

“Later you became my son.”

Sebastian’s jaw tightened.

“No.”

“I know I had no right.”

“No.”

Anthony’s eyes filled.

“But it happened.”

Sebastian looked down.

“You taught me to ride a bicycle.”

“Yes.”

“You sat outside my hospital room when I had pneumonia.”

“Yes.”

“You came to every school meeting.”

“Yes.”

“And all that time you knew why my father was dead.”

Anthony whispered:

“Yes.”

Sebastian looked at him.

“That is not love.”

Anthony flinched.

“It was the only kind I had left.”

“No.”

Sebastian shook his head.

“That was possession.”

Anthony looked down.

Sebastian continued.

“You did not save me.”

“You kept me close enough to make sure I never learned the truth.”

Anthony did not deny it.

That was the answer.

Sebastian stood.

Anthony looked up quickly.

“Sebastian.”

He stopped.

“Maria wrote you.”

“I know.”

“I intercepted the letters.”

“I know.”

“I answered some.”

“I know.”

Anthony’s voice broke.

“I am sorry.”

Sebastian turned.

“For which year?”

Anthony said nothing.

“For which lie?”

Nothing.

“For which birthday?”

Anthony’s eyes filled.

Sebastian stepped toward the door.

Then Anthony said:

“The grave.”

Sebastian stopped.

Anthony continued.

“You visited her grave every March.”

Sebastian turned slowly.

“I know.”

“I watched you.”

Sebastian’s face changed.

“I wanted to tell you every time.”

“But you didn’t.”

“No.”

“Why?”

Anthony whispered:

“Because if Maria came back, she would tell you about Luca.”

Sebastian nodded.

There it was.

Even grief had been managed.

He left.

Outside, Maria waited.

Sebastian walked past her at first.

Then stopped.

She did not touch him.

He turned.

“Did you love him?”

“Anthony?”

“Yes.”

Maria thought before answering.

“Once.”

Sebastian looked surprised.

“He was my brother-in-law.”

“He was also your father’s brother. Before the money. Before Edwin. Before fear.”

She looked toward the interview room.

“We were a family.”

Sebastian whispered:

“And then?”

Maria looked at him.

“Then every person made one compromise.”

“One?”

“The first one.”

She nodded.

“The first lie. The first payment. The first threat they ignored.”

Her eyes filled.

“After that, the next compromise became easier.”

Sebastian looked at Anthony through the glass.

Maria continued.

“That is how people become monsters without ever deciding to.”

Sebastian stayed silent.

His phone rang.

Federal prosecutor.

The original records were enough.

Anthony Romano.

Thomas Vale.

Daniel Price.

All charged.

Judge Cross received a cooperation agreement but still faced charges for obstruction and financial crimes.

Natalie had voluntarily surrendered the forged succession documents and agreed to testify.

Sebastian listened.

Then asked:

“What about Romano Holdings?”

The prosecutor answered:

“There will be an audit.”

Sebastian nodded.

“Do it.”

“All divisions?”

“All.”

“Mr. Romano, that could destroy the company.”

Sebastian looked at Maria.

Then at Anthony.

“Then destroy the parts built on crime.”

He ended the call.

Maria smiled faintly.

“Your father would have said the same.”

Sebastian looked at her.

“I don’t want to be my father.”

Maria seemed surprised.

He continued.

“I spent my whole life trying to become the man everyone said he was.”

“What do you want now?”

Sebastian looked toward the exit.

“To become someone who does not need dead men to tell him who to be.”

Three weeks later, the engagement was formally canceled.

Natalie returned the ring.

No cameras.

No argument.

She met Sebastian in the estate garden.

Dark blue dress this time.

No red.

She handed him the box.

“I loved you.”

Sebastian looked at her.

“I know.”

“That was real.”

“I know.”

She cried.

“Was any of us real?”

Sebastian answered after a long silence.

“Yes.”

She looked hopeful.

He continued.

“That is why it hurts.”

Natalie nodded.

Then walked away.

I watched from the terrace.

Maria stood beside me.

She said:

“He still loves her.”

“Yes.”

“Will he forgive her?”

“Maybe.”

“Will he marry her?”

I looked at Sebastian alone in the garden.

“No.”

Maria nodded.

Some truths repaired families.

Others only gave people the courage to leave them.

Then Sebastian’s phone rang.

He answered.

Listened.

His expression changed.

He looked toward Maria.

“What is it?” she asked.

Sebastian ended the call.

“The audit found an account.”

“What account?”

“In my name.”

Maria went still.

Sebastian looked at me.

Then her.

“Opened the year my father died.”

Maria whispered:

“By Anthony?”

Sebastian shook his head.

“No.”

He held up the report.

“The signature belongs to Luca.”

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And the account had been receiving money for twenty-three years.

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