Dario Mancini is my father.
I’ve never been a Blake. I’ve tried to cling to that history, hold my grandparents’ world close.
I’m the holder of their things. The mansion. The handkerchiefs. The Jag. I’m the holder of their memories. Chats with my grandfather as he sipped whiskey in his study. The way he called me “young man,” even when I was five, in that hearty, affectionate voice. Watching my grandmother get ready in her dressing room before an event. Her wicked laugh and wispy, delicate hugs.
I’m the holder of it all. But none of it was mine. I was never truly one of them.
Disorienting pain rocks me.
Emma’s hand squeezes my arm, as if reminding me she’s here. That I’m tethered to something.
“How long have you known?” Mancini asks.
“For ten years. But I didn’t know for sure. Not until now.”
CHAPTER 40
Emma
My heart bleeds for Sebastian.And so much about his attitude toward the great director becomes clear.
“Did you know? This whole time?” he asks, his voice breaking. “Is that why I was hired onThe Family?”
Mancini shakes his head. “No! When you were younger, I never even suspected. I was only with your mother once, when Maricella and I had broken up briefly. And your mother never said a word. She was married to your father—to Peter. So I never suspected.” He frowns.
“Holy shit. I played your brother inThe Family.” Sebastian’s eyes fly back to the photo. “No wonder you cast me. What with the family resemblance and all.”
“Darling, I’ve suggested to everyone that it might be time to retire.” Maricella places a hand on Dario’s back. “Let’s sit, shall we? And chat.”
I wonder how can she be so cool. Her husband may not have cheated on her since he said they were broken up at the time, but it was close. And Sebastian is the result.
I look around to see that we’re now alone in the room. She cleared everyone out so quickly, and I never even noticed.
“Yes, yes, you’re right,” Dario says. “Young man?” he addresses Sebastian.
Sebastian sucks in a breath, then shakes his head. I turn toward the door, wondering if my presence is making things more awkward. Should I stay or go?
He grabs my hand, squeezing it tightly. His skin is dry and his grasp firm. But I feel a slight trembling in his grasp. And I realize though he seems self-possessed, there’s a lot more going on underneath the surface.
I squeeze back. A silent,I’m not leaving. I’m staying as long as you need.It’s as simple and complicated as that.
Together, we follow the older couple and take a seat opposite them on the leather couch.
“So, if you didn’t know about me when I was a kid,playing your brother on television, when did you find out?” Sebastian asks, diving straight back into it.
Dario ruffles his famously wild hair. His thick brow pulls together. “The resemblance wasn’t as pronounced at that age. But the older you got, the more I noticed your striking resemblance to my dad and to my brother. Even your mannerisms were similar. I started to wonder. I reached out to your mother more than a few times over the years, asking, trying to get more information about your birth. She always denied it. She said it was impossible because she’d already been pregnant when we were together. But I couldn’t stop wondering. I tried to reach out to you, but you know how that went. Once you turned eighteen you stopped taking my calls.” He looks into the distance. “And finally, a few months ago, I ran into your mom at an event.” He raises an eyebrow. “She was upset about something Peter had done. She’d been drinking, but she admitted she’d lied about you and that youwerelikely mine.She claimed Peter would have abandoned her if he found out the truth.”
Sebastian doesn’t respond, but I can feel the tension radiating from him as he stares a hole in the carpet.
“I’m sorry I was blind for so long,” Dario continues. “I saw the resemblance, the timing. I should have forced the issue.” He takes a deep breath. “Since I found out, I’ve wanted to talk, try to gauge if you knew. But until this weekend, you ignored all my attempts to reach out.”
“We would have welcomed you into our family,” Maricella adds, looking at her husband in an encouraging way. “Dario told me about the brief affair. We’d been on a break at the time. I was upset when it happened but accepted it. He’s also been open with me about his suspicions over the years. I’ve known you since you were a child. And loved you even back then. It would be an honor to have you as part of our family. But we understand you might need some time. That this is all a shock.”
Sebastian finally looks up. “What if the resemblance to your family is just a coincidence? My mom obviously doesn’t know the truth. And it’s not like she’s ever said a word about it when she’s been sober. She could be confused. She’s been an addict for decades now. It’s prescription medicine, but she’s an addict all the same.”
“We can do a DNA test if you want to be certain. But Maricella and I have discussed it…” Dario turns to his wife, and they clasp hands.
She smiles encouragingly, and he continues. “We want you to be part of our family. Forever. If that’s what you want.”
