Chapter 9 - THE MAN WHO WANTED A REPLACEMENT
Luca avoided Elina for ten days after Noah called her Mama.
She noticed.
Hated that she noticed.
Then confronted him.
“You’re disappearing.”
“I’m giving space.”
“To who?”
“You.”
“Did I ask?”
He stopped.
“No.”
There.
Same pattern in reverse.
Deciding distance for her.
Elina crossed arms.
“What scared you?”
Luca looked toward construction site windows.
“That I wanted it.”
She went still.
“What?”
“When he called you Mama.”
He swallowed.
“For half a second, I wanted to let him.”
Honest.
Ugly.
Human.
Elina’s chest tightened.
“Because you miss Sofia.”
“Yes.”
“And because I look like her.”
“Yes.”
“Do you want me?”
Long silence.
“I don’t know where grief ends.”
Best answer.
Then:
“That’s why I stayed away.”
She considered.
“That part I understand.”
He looked at her.
“But don’t vanish without telling me again.”
“Okay.”
Then Elina set boundary.
“No dating.”
His face changed slightly.
“Not now.”
“Okay.”
“No kissing.”
“Okay.”
“No making me mother substitute.”
“Never.”
“Good.”
They became family first.
Aunt.
Brother-in-law, technically.
Complicated.
Luca supported Noah’s relationship with Bellandi relatives.
Lucia Bellandi visited.
Rosa eventually met Noah.
Messy.
Healing.
Then Matteo offered settlement.
He would repay part trust losses in exchange for reduced civil claims.
Elina’s attorneys advised.
She accepted only after independent valuation.
No emotional bargaining.
Matteo sold properties.
Lost board positions.
Prosecutors later charged him with fiduciary fraud and identity-related offenses.
He entered plea.
Prison possible.
Before sentencing, he asked to see Elina.
She went with attorney.
“Why did you save me from my father if you were going to steal from me?”
Matteo looked old.
“I was twenty-eight.”
“That’s not answer.”
He sighed.
“Your father was panicking. He said one twin ruined estate structure.”
Elina felt sick.
“I told Vincent to move you temporarily.”
“So yes, you helped save me.”
“Yes.”
“Then?”
“I saw how easy control became.”
There.
Power corrupted gradually.
“At first I planned to restore everything.”
“When?”
“Later.”
The universal lie.
Then Antonio wanted her back.
Matteo feared exposure.
So he delayed.
Then parents died.
He inherited control.
Then money became normal.
“You loved Sofia?”
“Yes.”
“And me?”
He looked at her.
“I avoided knowing you.”
That answer was devastatingly honest.
Because knowing her would make theft personal.
Elina stood.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finally saying something true.”
She left.
Then outside courthouse Luca waited.
Not because ordered.
Because asked.
Elina looked at him.
“I’m ready for dinner.”
He frowned.
“We eat together all the time.”
“No.”
She smiled faintly.
“A date.”
Luca went completely still.
“For real?”
“Yes.”
“One.”
He almost smiled.
“Your choice.”
May you like
“Obviously.”
And for first time, the man feared across Boston looked nervous because a woman had agreed to have dinner with him.
