Chapter 13 - MATTEO HAD ELENA'S FINAL RECORDING
Matteo did not run.
That helped.
Slightly.
He reached inside his coat.
Luca moved.
Matteo raised one hand.
“Relax.”
He removed a small cassette.
Placed it on the altar.
Sebastian looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because Isabella asked me to.”
Isabella had known Elena’s final recording existed.
She feared Sebastian would hear it too early.
Same problem again.
People deciding for him.
Sebastian’s anger rose.
Norah said nothing.
He needed to feel it.
Then use it.
Not inherit it.
Finally:
“Play it.”
They found an old recorder.
Static.
Then Elena’s voice.
Weak.
Breathing shallowly.
Sebastian gripped the pew.
Elena said:
Sebastian, if you hear this, I am sorry I left you with him.
His face tightened.
I wanted to take you.
I could not do it without getting you killed.
Then:
Salvatore knows Julian is your father.
He hates you for existing.
But he also needs you.
The Romano board trusts you.
His own blood frightens them.
You make him look stable.
That explained why Sebastian survived.
Not love.
Utility.
Then Elena said something else.
Matteo is Salvatore’s son.
Protect him if you can.
Do not become responsible for him.
Norah watched Sebastian flinch.
Even Elena understood the difference between love and control.
Then came the final revelation.
Salvatore believed Isabella held the original ledger.
She did not.
I gave it to Claire Moretti.
Everyone turned toward Vivian.
Claire.
Adrian’s wife.
Claire secretly moved the ledger to Julian’s chapel.
Then spent years covering evidence trails.
Not to protect Salvatore.
To protect Vivian.
Elena continued:
If Claire survives me, trust her once.
Not twice.
Static.
Then:
The red stone contains names of people still alive.
Not all are guilty.
Some are witnesses.
Do not punish everyone in a ledger because Salvatore did.
Sebastian looked toward the metal case.
His mother had anticipated his greatest danger.
Confusing evidence with guilt.
Power with justice.
Then the tape ended.
Outside, tires screamed.
Adrian arrived.
Not secretly.
Not armed with an army.
He came alone.
Maria Romano sat in the passenger seat.
Alive.
He stepped out.
Hands visible.
Vivian ran toward him.
“Dad!”
He stopped her.
“No.”
She froze.
Adrian looked at Sebastian.
“I’m done.”
“Why take Maria?”
“To find the chapel.”
“You could have asked.”
Adrian laughed bitterly.
“Men in this family forgot how.”
He surrendered.
Maria was safe.
Then Adrian handed Sebastian a document.
A confession.
Everything.
Elena.
Salvatore.
Claire.
The clinic.
The cover-up.
But one name was missing.
Carlo.
Sebastian noticed.
“Why?”
Adrian looked toward the chapel.
“Because Carlo didn’t spy on Elena for Salvatore.”
Sebastian frowned.
“We have payment records.”
“Those payments were from Elena.”
Everyone froze.
Carlo had been Elena’s man inside Salvatore’s structure from the beginning.
He had lied about betraying her.
Why?
To hide someone else.
Who?
Adrian answered.
“Luca.”
Sebastian turned.
His head of security stood near the chapel door.
Luca DeLuca.
The man who had protected Sebastian for twelve years.
May you like
Adrian whispered:
“Luca is Salvatore’s son.”
