Chapter 11 - THE NAME MY FATHER CHOSE BEFORE I EXISTED
Ava.
Not Avery.
Ava.
My father had chosen it before I was born.
My mother changed it after she ran because she was afraid Victor would search birth records.
Avery Cole was safe.
Ava Moretti wasn't.
Leo couldn't possibly have known that.
Unless he'd heard Matteo say it.
Or Marianne.
Or perhaps babies were simply mysterious little agents of chaos designed to emotionally destroy adults.
I preferred that explanation.
Over the next several months, my life changed faster than I could process.
My parents moved into a secure but ordinary townhouse under legal protection while ongoing cases proceeded.
Matteo began physical therapy.
Mom started counseling.
I started therapy too.
Turns out learning your mother faked her death, your father was imprisoned for decades, and your boss's baby accidentally revealed your bloodline is considered "a lot."
Luca supported me without hovering.
That mattered.
He never told me how to spend my inheritance.
Never suggested I move into his house.
Never tried to make me part of his organization.
Instead, he asked what I wanted.
At first, I had no answer.
I'd spent years surviving.
Dreaming seemed extravagant.
Then one morning, I knew.
I wanted a restaurant.
Not Aurelia.
Nothing with butter shaped like roses.
A neighborhood place.
Good food.
Fair prices.
Servers who weren't treated like furniture.
A place where single mothers could bring babies without strangers sighing dramatically across the aisle.
I called it Marianne's Table.
Mom cried when I told her.
Matteo cried too, then denied it.
Luca invested exactly zero dollars.
Because I refused his money.
Instead, Rebecca helped me structure financing using my own legitimate inheritance.
Luca respected that.
On opening night, Leo sat in a high chair throwing bread onto the floor.
"Your son is destroying my profit margin," I told Luca.
"He has refined taste."
"He has butter in his hair."
"Also refined."
I laughed.
For the first time in years, my life felt like mine.
Then Luca's smile faded.
"What?"
He looked toward the entrance.
A woman stood there.
Early thirties.
Dark hair.
Elegant coat.
She looked directly at Leo.
Then at Luca.
Her face crumpled.
"Luca."
He went completely still.
I looked between them.
"Who is she?"
The woman whispered:
"My name is Elena Marino."
Luca's face drained of color.
Sofia's surname.
The woman continued.
"I'm Sofia's sister."
May you like
Then she looked at Leo.
"And I know what really happened the night she died."
