Chapter 14 - THE FIVE MILLION DOLLAR LIE

Paolo placed the bank transfer on the table.

Luca stared at it.

Five million dollars.

Paid from a Victor-controlled account.

Three days after Sicily.

“Explain.”

Luca sat slowly.

Elise stood near the door.

Marco remained behind Paolo.

Luca rubbed his face.

“I was wondering when you’d find that.”

Paolo laughed without humor.

“That’s not an answer.”

“The money wasn’t payment.”

“What was it?”

“Insurance.”

“For who?”

“You.”

Paolo leaned closer.

“Try again.”

Luca looked him in the eyes.

“I took Renato’s money to make him believe I switched sides.”

Paolo stared.

“I needed access.”

“You could have told me.”

“You were unconscious.”

“After I woke up.”

“I didn’t know who you trusted.”

“Apparently not you.”

Luca flinched.

Paolo continued.

“You staged evidence.”

“Yes.”

“You disappeared.”

“Yes.”

“You left Elise alone.”

“I was trying to keep her alive.”

Elise stepped forward.

“By letting me believe my husband was dead?”

Luca turned toward her.

“I didn’t know Carmela had gone that far.”

“You knew she was manipulating me.”

“Yes.”

“And you said nothing.”

“I was being followed.”

“You had six months.”

Luca looked ashamed.

“I know.”

Paolo slid another page forward.

“Where is the money?”

“Untouched.”

“Prove it.”

Luca handed Marco a set of account credentials.

Marco checked.

“Full amount is there.”

Paolo remained silent.

Luca stood.

“You want to know the truth?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you were going to die.”

Paolo stared at him.

Luca’s voice cracked.

“When I saw you in that hospital, I thought there was no coming back.”

He looked at Elise.

“And I thought if Renato believed I was loyal to him, I could stay close enough to keep him from finishing the job.”

Paolo’s face remained hard.

“But?”

“But I started making decisions for you.”

Luca looked down.

“The same thing your mother did.”

Silence.

“I told myself it was necessary.”

He smiled bitterly.

“That’s how it starts, isn’t it?”

Paolo thought about Carmela.

About Renato.

About himself.

Power had always come with an excuse.

For safety.

For family.

For survival.

Paolo asked, “Did you ever betray me?”

Luca looked directly at him.

“Not to Renato.”

“That wasn’t the question.”

Luca exhaled.

“Yes.”

Elise stiffened.

Paolo’s jaw tightened.

“When?”

“The night before Sicily.”

“What did you do?”

“I told Victor you had changed your will.”

Paolo stared at him.

Luca continued.

“I thought Victor was loyal. I thought he would help protect Elise.”

Paolo laughed quietly.

“So you started it.”

Luca’s face collapsed.

“I didn’t know.”

“You gave them the motive.”

“I know.”

Paolo stepped away.

He wanted to hit him.

Instead, he walked to the window.

Elise watched him.

Luca said quietly, “If you want me gone, I’m gone.”

Paolo turned.

“No.”

Luca looked surprised.

“You’re going to testify.”

“Against Renato?”

“Against everyone.”

“Even Carmela?”

“Yes.”

“Even yourself?”

Paolo stepped closer.

“Especially yourself.”

Luca nodded slowly.

“Fair.”

Paolo looked at Marco.

“The five million?”

“Freeze it. Turn it over.”

Luca nodded.

Then he reached the door.

Paolo stopped him.

“Luca.”

He turned.

Paolo’s voice was quiet.

“You’re not family because we grew up together.”

Luca looked at him.

“You’re family if you tell me the truth when the truth hurts you.”

Luca’s eyes filled.

“I understand.”

Paolo nodded.

“Good.”

Luca left.

Elise approached.

“You okay?”

“No.”

“Good answer.”

Paolo almost smiled.

She rested her head against his shoulder.

“What happens now?”

Paolo looked around the mansion.

The portraits.

The marble.

The symbols of a legacy that had nearly destroyed them.

“Now?”

He took her hand.

“We decide what we keep.”

“And what we throw away?”

He looked toward the wall displaying generations of Ventresca men.

“All of it, if we have to.”

Then Ava ran into the room.

“Mommy! Daddy!”

She held a crayon drawing.

Three figures.

One small.

Two large.

All holding hands.

Paolo crouched.

“What’s this?”

“Our new house.”

Elise smiled.

“We have a new house?”

Ava nodded seriously.

“It doesn’t have scary people.”

Paolo looked at Elise.

She looked back.

And in that moment, they both knew.

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They were leaving the mansion.

But first Paolo had one final thing to do.