Chapter 9 - THE LAST SECRET MATTEO BROUGHT HOMESpring arrived slowly in Chicago.
By April, the Moretti scandal had disappeared from daily headlines.
Trials continued.
Investigations expanded.
But ordinary life returned.
For Adrian, ordinary life now included waking up with a stuffed rabbit on his pillow because Emma had decided Mr. Pickles needed “a sleepover.”
He found the rabbit staring at him at six fifteen one morning.
Adrian stared back.
“This is undignified.”
Sofia stood in the doorway.
“For you or the rabbit?”
“Both.”
She smiled.
“You have a board meeting in forty minutes.”
“I know.”
“And glitter on your cheek.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Emma.”
“Emma.”
He entered the kitchen ten minutes later.
Emma sat beside Matteo eating pancakes.
Matteo had strawberry syrup on his shirt.
Adrian pointed.
“You’re thirty.”
“Thirty-one.”
“That improves nothing.”
Emma giggled.
Matteo’s recovery had been difficult.
Nine years in hiding and captivity did not disappear because the door finally opened.
He startled at locked rooms.
Hated basements.
Slept with lights on.
Sometimes vanished for hours just to prove he could.
Adrian learned not to follow.
That was harder than he expected.
One afternoon Matteo asked Adrian to drive with him.
No security.
No Marco.
Just them.
They headed south.
“Where are we going?”
“You ask too many questions.”
“I spent nine years looking for you. I’ve earned questions.”
Matteo smiled.
“Fair.”
They stopped at a cemetery.
Elena Russo’s grave.
Adrian became quiet.
Matteo carried flowers.
He stood before the stone.
For several minutes, he said nothing.
Then he whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Adrian looked away, giving him privacy.
Matteo knelt.
“She saved me twice.”
Adrian glanced back.
“You said she helped you hide.”
“That was one.”
“What was the other?”
Matteo touched the gravestone.
“The night I disappeared.”
He explained.
Lorenzo’s men had cornered him near the river.
Elena drove her car directly between their vehicles.
She got Matteo out.
Then she went back for evidence.
“She knew Dad would come after her.”
“Why would she risk that?”
“Because she said Sofia deserved to grow up in a world where men like Lorenzo didn’t get to decide everything.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Sofia had spent years believing her mother was frightened.
Elena had been terrified.
But she had acted anyway.
Matteo reached into his coat.
“I’ve been keeping something.”
He handed Adrian a small cassette tape.
“What is this?”
“Elena recorded testimony.”
Adrian stared.
“Why didn’t you give it to investigators?”
“She told me it belonged to Sofia first.”
That evening, they gathered in Adrian’s library.
Sofia sat beside Emma, who was coloring quietly.
Daniel arrived.
Benedict joined them.
Matteo placed the cassette inside an old player.
Static.
Then Elena Russo’s voice.
Sofia froze.
She had not heard her mother speak in six years.
“If Sofia ever hears this…”
Sofia covered her mouth.
“…baby, I’m sorry.”
Tears filled her eyes immediately.
“I wanted to tell you everything. But knowing would make you a target.”
Emma stopped coloring.
She looked at her mother.
Adrian reached for Sofia’s hand.
Elena continued.
“Matteo Moretti is a good man trapped inside a dangerous family. His brother Adrian may be good too. Matteo believes that. I hope he’s right.”
Adrian looked down.
“I copied Lorenzo Moretti’s records because people were losing homes. Families were being frightened into silence. I told myself it wasn’t my problem until one woman came into the office carrying a baby and asked for three more days to pay.”
Sofia began crying.
“I realized paperwork can hurt people just as surely as fists can.”
Elena described the ledgers.
The hidden compartment.
The witness fund.
Then her voice softened.
“Sofia, if something happens to me, do not spend your life chasing revenge.”
Matteo shut his eyes.
“Build something better instead.”
Sofia leaned against Adrian.
“Make a home. Raise your children. Feed people when you can. Laugh loudly. Love someone kind.”
Adrian swallowed.
“And if Adrian Moretti ever hears this…”
The entire room became still.
“…tell him he is not responsible for choosing his father.”
Adrian’s eyes burned.
“He is responsible for choosing who he becomes afterward.”
The recording clicked.
Then silence.
Nobody spoke for nearly a minute.
Emma broke it.
“Grandma talks pretty.”
Sofia laughed through tears.
“Yes.”
She pulled Emma close.
“She did.”
The recording became additional evidence in Lorenzo’s trial.
But the private portion intended for Sofia remained sealed.
Adrian never told reporters about it.
Not everything sacred needed to become public.
Two weeks later, Lorenzo requested to see Adrian.
Adrian refused.
He asked again.
Adrian refused.
A third request came through his attorney.
Lorenzo claimed he was dying.
Matteo said, “Probably manipulation.”
Daniel agreed.
Benedict said nothing.
Sofia asked Adrian what he wanted.
“I don’t know.”
“Then don’t decide based on him.”
Adrian looked at her.
“Decide based on who you want to be after he’s gone.”
So Adrian visited.
Lorenzo sat behind reinforced glass.
He looked smaller.
Cancer had been diagnosed after his arrest.
Late stage.
Adrian picked up the phone.
Lorenzo did the same.
“You came.”
“Yes.”
“Your brothers?”
“No.”
“Ungrateful.”
Adrian almost laughed.
“You still don’t understand anything.”
Lorenzo studied him.
“You gave away half the company.”
“Not half.”
“Enough.”
“Money belonged to people you hurt.”
“I created that fortune.”
“They created it.”
Lorenzo’s mouth tightened.
“The maid changed you.”
“No.”
“The child, then.”
“No.”
“What?”
Adrian looked at his father.
“They showed me I wanted to change.”
Lorenzo scoffed.
Adrian continued.
“You taught me that strength meant making people afraid to disappoint you.”
“It works.”
“For a while.”
“And your method?”
“Making people safe enough to tell me when I’m wrong.”
Lorenzo laughed.
“That’s weakness.”
“Maybe.”
Adrian smiled faintly.
“But my brothers come to dinner now.”
That silenced Lorenzo.
“You spent your entire life building a family that feared you.”
Adrian leaned closer to the glass.
“I’m building one that wants to come home.”
For the first time, Lorenzo looked wounded.
Adrian did not enjoy it.
That surprised him.
He simply felt tired.
Lorenzo said, “Do you forgive me?”
Adrian considered.
“No.”
Lorenzo flinched.
“But I’m done letting you decide who I become.”
Adrian placed the phone down.
He walked away.
Lorenzo called his name.
Adrian did not turn.
Outside, Sofia waited beside the car.
She had not asked to come.
She simply did.
“How was it?”
“Finished.”
She nodded.
Adrian looked at her.
“I want to ask you something.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It may be.”
“Adrian…”
He reached into his pocket.
Sofia immediately took a step back.
“No.”
He froze.
“I haven’t even asked.”
“If that’s a giant diamond, absolutely not.”
“It’s not giant.”
“How giant?”
Adrian reluctantly showed the ring.
Sofia stared.
“That is a satellite.”
“I was told it was tasteful.”
“By whom?”
“Matteo.”
“That should have been your first warning.”
Adrian looked genuinely uncertain.
“I can return it.”
Sofia laughed.
Then cried.
Then laughed again.
Adrian held the ring.
“I had a speech.”
“I bet it was bossy.”
“It was organized.”
“Of course it was.”
“Sofia.”
She smiled.
He became serious.
“The first night I saw your real life, I thought I needed to rescue you.”
Her smile faded slightly.
Adrian continued.
“I was wrong.”
Sofia listened.
“You rescued yourself long before I arrived. You kept Emma safe. You worked. You survived. You stood up to me even when you were sick enough to collapse.”
He took her hand.
“You didn’t need someone to save you.”
His thumb moved across her fingers.
“But I hope you’ll let me walk beside you.”
Sofia was crying openly now.
“Adrian…”
“I love you.”
He lowered himself onto one knee.
Cars passed beyond them.
A cold spring wind moved along the sidewalk.
No photographers.
No ballroom.
No audience.
“Will you marry me?”
Sofia looked at the enormous ring.
“You’re returning that.”
His face fell.
Then she smiled.
“And yes.”
Adrian stared.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
He stood so quickly he nearly dropped the ring.
Sofia laughed.
He kissed her.
Then his phone began ringing.
Matteo.
Adrian ignored it.
It rang again.
Sofia said, “Answer.”
“No.”
“Could be important.”
“It’s Matteo.”
“Exactly.”
Adrian answered.
“What?”
Matteo shouted through the phone.
“SHE SAID YES, DIDN’T SHE?”
Adrian stared at Sofia.
She started laughing.
“How do you know?”
“I hid a microphone in the car.”
Adrian’s face changed.
“You did what?”
Matteo immediately hung up.
Sofia caught Adrian before he could move toward the car.
“No murder on our engagement day.”
“He bugged my car.”
“You rescued him. This is your fault.”
Adrian stared at her.
May you like
Then smiled.
Fair.
