Chapter 17
Vanessa sat behind thick glass.
“You came.”
“One question.”
She waited.
“Why Sophia?”
Her eyes dropped.
“I was looking for Marco’s cat.”
“You photographed her daycare.”
“Yes.”
“You used Elena’s code.”
“Yes.”
“You watched a three-year-old.”
Vanessa swallowed.
“I thought Elena knew where the ledger was.”
“Did you ever plan to hurt Sophia?”
“No.”
Dante held her gaze.
She added, “My father would have.”
That was the closest thing to honesty he had heard from her.
“Why marry me?”
“At first? Protection.”
“And later?”
She looked at him for a long moment.
“I did love you.”
“You also forged my name.”
“I know.”
“You can love someone and still choose yourself every time.”
Her eyes filled.
“Yes.”
Dante stood.
Vanessa touched the glass.
“Will you ever forgive me?”
“That isn’t my job.”
He left.
At sentencing, she received prison time for fraud, conspiracy, theft, and related offenses. Her cooperation against Vincent reduced the sentence but did not erase it.
Vincent and Carlo faced separate convictions.
Peter Salvi pleaded guilty to Marco’s murder.
The Bello network collapsed.
So did much of the old Moretti empire.
Dante sold businesses, closed fronts, and paid legitimate employees before creditors could swallow everything.
Rocco stayed.
Samuel stayed.
Elena signed her new contract after changing section four twice.
Mateo returned to school near Aunt Rosa but spent weekends at the estate.
Dante thought the worst was over.
Then a reporter published a story claiming Mateo was being groomed as “the next Moretti boss.”
Mateo read it online before anyone could stop him.
He walked into Dante’s study holding the phone.
“Is that what everyone thinks I am?”
Dante stood.
“No.”
“What do you think I am?”
Dante answered without hesitation.
“A kid.”
Mateo’s face tightened.
May you like
“Then prove it.”
And Dante realized the family name could still become a prison even without criminals inside it.
