Chapter 4 - THE NIGHT BEFORE SICILY

Elise stared at Paolo.

“What happened the night before Sicily?”

Carmela smiled like a woman who had finally found a weapon.

Paolo knew that smile.

He had grown up watching her use it on judges, businessmen, relatives, anyone who stood between her and what she wanted.

“Elise,” he said, “I can explain.”

“That sentence never makes anybody feel better.”

Talia wiped blood from the corner of her lip.

Carmela folded her arms.

“Go ahead, son. Explain.”

Paolo looked at Elise.

“I met with Victor.”

Her expression tightened.

“Why?”

“Because I found evidence someone was stealing from the family companies.”

“How much?”

“Almost forty million.”

Talia stared.

“What?”

Paolo nodded.

“Money was disappearing through shell companies.”

Carmela laughed softly.

“And you said nothing.”

“I wanted proof.”

Elise stepped closer.

“What does that have to do with Sicily?”

“I told Victor I believed someone in the family was involved.”

Carmela’s smile vanished.

“And I gave him forty-eight hours to tell me who.”

Elise understood first.

“You trusted the wrong man.”

“Yes.”

“And the next day you were shot.”

“Yes.”

She closed her eyes.

“God.”

Paolo continued.

“Before I left, I changed my will.”

Carmela’s entire body stiffened.

Talia whispered, “Changed it how?”

Paolo looked at his mother.

“If I died, Elise got controlling interest in every legitimate Ventresca company.”

Elise stared at him.

“You never told me.”

“I didn’t think I would die.”

Carmela snapped.

“You handed generations of our family’s work to an outsider.”

Paolo’s face went cold.

“My wife is not an outsider.”

“She wasn’t born Ventresca.”

“Ava was.”

“You let that woman control—”

Paolo slammed his hand onto the desk.

Ava flinched.

He immediately regretted it.

He lowered his voice.

“Do not call her that woman again.”

Carmela’s mouth tightened.

Paolo turned to Marco.

“Take Ava downstairs. Darius stays with Elise.”

“No,” Ava whispered.

Paolo crouched.

“I need you to go with Uncle Marco for a little bit.”

“Are you leaving again?”

The question destroyed him.

He pulled her into his arms.

“No.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

He watched Marco carry her away.

When the door closed, Paolo faced his mother again.

“You thought I died. Then you discovered Elise inherited control.”

Carmela said nothing.

“So you isolated her.”

Silence.

“You froze her money.”

Silence.

“You convinced her she was unstable.”

Silence.

“You tried to take Ava.”

Carmela lifted her chin.

“I protected what belongs to this family.”

Elise suddenly crossed the room and slapped her.

Carmela staggered.

Everyone froze.

Elise’s hand trembled.

“For six months, you made my daughter cry herself to sleep because she thought her father was dead.”

Carmela stared at her.

Then smiled.

“You still don’t understand.”

“What?”

“Paolo wasn’t the only person who was supposed to disappear.”

Elise went completely still.

Paolo’s blood ran cold.

“What did you say?”

Carmela looked directly at Elise.

“The accident on River Road three months ago?”

Elise’s face drained.

Her car had gone through a guardrail.

She survived because a delivery truck stopped before she slid into the river.

Police called it brake failure.

Paolo took one step toward his mother.

“Was that you?”

Carmela did not answer.

But Talia did.

“Mom told Victor to make it look like an accident.”

Elise covered her mouth.

Paolo’s voice came out almost too calm.

“You tried to kill my wife.”

Carmela looked at him.

“No.”

Paolo waited.

Carmela smiled faintly.

“I only gave the order.”

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