Chapter 41 - The Call From Colorado
Elena refused.
“No.”
Carol remained silent.
Dante nodded approvingly.
Nicholas looked relieved.
Rebecca looked devastated.
They were gathered inside the sanctuary library when Carol delivered Matteo’s request.
“He says he has information about the Legacy Reserve.”
“We already dissolved it,” Elena replied.
“He says there is another account.”
“Of course he does.”
Rosa dropped into a chair.
“This family hid money like normal people hide spare keys.”
Nicholas laughed despite himself.
Rebecca didn’t.
“He may be telling the truth.”
Elena turned.
“You want me to talk to him?”
“No.”
Rebecca’s voice cracked.
“I want to.”
Everyone stared.
Dante spoke first.
“That may not be wise.”
Rebecca looked directly at him.
“I abandoned my son sixteen years ago.”
“You escaped people who wanted you dead.”
“I also escaped responsibility.”
Elena recognized the difference.
“You think speaking to Matteo fixes that?”
“No.”
Rebecca clasped her hands.
“But perhaps I owe him one truth face-to-face.”
Two days later, they traveled to Colorado.
Elena went despite initially refusing.
Not for Matteo.
For herself.
Federal regulations placed them behind reinforced glass.
Matteo entered wearing prison clothing.
Older.
Thinner.
Broken in ways Elena had once thought impossible.
He stopped when he saw Rebecca.
His face emptied.
“Mom?”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
Matteo approached the glass.
“You’re alive.”
“Yes.”
“You’re alive?”
His voice rose.
A guard shifted.
Matteo pressed both palms against the barrier.
“All these years?”
Rebecca nodded.
“You let me think you were dead.”
“You let another woman die carrying my name.”
Matteo froze.
Rebecca’s voice sharpened.
“You knew what your father did.”
“I was twenty-four!”
“You were old enough.”
“He said it was necessary!”
“And you believed him.”
Matteo looked suddenly like a frightened child trapped inside an old criminal’s body.
Then he noticed Elena.
His expression changed.
“Elena.”
She felt nothing.
That surprised her.
No fear.
No rage.
Only distance.
“How’s my son?”
Elena’s eyes hardened.
“He is not yours.”
Matteo flinched.
“He has my blood.”
“So does Nicholas.”
Matteo turned.
Nicholas stood beside Dante.
Father and son looked at each other for the first time.
Nicholas spoke calmly.
“I read your letters.”
Matteo stared.
“You came.”
“I came to tell you something.”
Nicholas stepped closer to the glass.
“You don’t get an heir.”
Matteo’s jaw tightened.
“I’m your father.”
“You’re a biological fact.”
Dante nearly smiled.
Nicholas continued.
“The Legacy Reserve is gone. I renounced control. Daniel’s interest was terminated. Rebecca cooperated with authorities.”
Matteo’s face drained.
“You gave away forty-eight million dollars?”
“We returned stolen money.”
“You idiot!”
There he was.
The old Matteo.
Even after years in prison.
Even after losing everything.
Money still revealed him.
Nicholas smiled sadly.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For proving I made the right decision.”
He stepped away.
Matteo slammed his palm against the glass.
“Wait!”
Nobody moved.
“There is more money!”
Carol looked toward Elena.
Matteo laughed desperately.
“Hundreds of millions!”
Elena felt tired.
“Keep it.”
“You don’t understand!”
“No, Matteo.”
She approached the glass for the final time.
“You don’t understand.”
He stared.
“You spent your entire life believing money was the same thing as power.”
Elena smiled faintly.
“I walked away with our son, our future, my freedom, and people who love us.”
She glanced toward Dante.
“You walked away with money hidden in accounts nobody can touch.”
Her eyes returned to Matteo.
“Tell me who won.”
Matteo had no answer.
Elena turned.
Behind her, Rebecca whispered, “Goodbye, son.”
Matteo shouted.
“Mother!”
Rebecca kept walking.
“Elena!”
Nobody turned.
“Nicholas!”
The door closed.
His voice disappeared.
Outside beneath the massive Colorado sky, Elena took a deep breath.
May you like
For once, the prison doors behind her did not feel like part of her story.
They belonged entirely to Matteo.
