“What about Elena Vitale?” Marco asks. “She’s not wrong in being worried. As Umberto’s daughter, she could become a target of someone who wants to keep the truth hidden.”
"I'll protect her. Whatever this costs, whatever comes of it, Elena and those children will be safe."
Gabriella shifts next to me, her expression softening. "This is exactly why you need to take over the family. As Don, you'll have the full resources of the family behind you. The full power of La Corona. Everything you need to keep Elena safe while you uncover the truth."
"It feels wrong," I admit quietly. "Like I'm betraying him."
"The real betrayal would be letting his legacy crumble because we were too sentimental to do what needs to be done," Marco says in his blunt but accurate way. "Antonio would be the first to tell you that."
Gabriella and Marco are right. Taking my father's place, not just in practice but in title, preserves his legacy but also will give me more power to protect Elena and the kids.
"Fine," I finally say. For a moment, doubt creeps in.
Maybe I should let this go.
The only one who seems to care about my innocence is me.
At the same time, if Aldo’s ghost still haunts me and frightens Elena, it’s time to put him and his allies to rest.
ELENA
The house is silent after the kids leave. No footsteps thundering down the hallway, no squabbles over toys, no demands for snacks. Just me, alone with my thoughts. And they're all about Luca.
I pick up stray socks and forgotten action figures while considering finding a way to avoid Luca’s return.
It wouldn’t be hard. I’ve mastered the art of avoiding Luca. I could make arrangements to go out and not be here when he arrives. One call and I'd be free tonight.
Free from what, though? Not from thoughts of him. Not from the way my heart welled with emotion when he sat at my kitchen table, teaching my children… our children… Italian words.
God help me, I still love him. After everything, after all this time, he’s still deep in my heart. I truly felt like I’d made peace with my decisions and moved on.
But it’s clear I haven’t.
Since Dad went to prison, I've been surviving, not living. Going through motions.
Mother. Provider. Protector.
The parts of me that had loved Luca didn’t disappear. They were simply locked away, and seeing him again, it’s like he’s picked the lock, opening the part of me I can’t afford to have opened.
The danger isn't just external. It's not just about who might still be loyal to Dom's father or what secrets might surface.
The real danger is inside me. The part that wants to tell Luca everything.
The part that imagines his face when he learns about the triplets.
The part that dreams of what could have been… what could be.
I drop my hands knowing I’m just tormenting myself looking for answers that can make this all right.
But there are no answers.
As long as Luca plans to clear his name, which I can’t hold against him, the children need to be protected.
I pick up my phone, scrolling to Dom's number. He should know about Luca’s plan to investigate my father’s arrest and murder.
He should probably know about the kids and their relationship to Luca. Dom trusted me with his secret belief about his father. Maybe it’s time I trust him.
But in the end, I toss my phone aside and return to my chores. I grab the vacuum, but the steady hum does little to drown out the thoughts of Luca.
