Chapter 6 - The Father Who Came Back for His Asset
My father was arrested three days later.
He blamed me.
Naturally.
My mother blamed Arthur.
Also naturally.
But Richard Bennett had kept records.
Transfers.
Secret accounts.
Messages.
Enough evidence to make even his oldest allies abandon him.
I thought it was over.
I was wrong.
Two nights later, my mother appeared at Arthur’s house.
Alone.
She looked smaller without my father beside her.
Arthur met her in the foyer.
“You have five minutes.”
She ignored him.
“Evelyn.”
I came downstairs.
“What do you want?”
Her eyes moved around the mansion.
“You’ve done well.”
I laughed.
“Is that what you think happened?”
“Your father made mistakes.”
“He sold me.”
“He was desperate.”
“He called me damaged.”
Her expression tightened.
“We were trying to survive.”
“So was I.”
She lowered her voice.
“If you testify against him, he could spend years in prison.”
“That’s his responsibility.”
“I’m your mother.”
“Yes.”
“Then help us.”
I looked at Arthur.
He said nothing.
He would let me decide.
Just like he promised.
I turned back to my mother.
“Did you ever once ask how I felt after the doctor told me I couldn’t have children?”
She remained silent.
“Did you ever ask if I was scared?”
Nothing.
“Did you ever ask if I wanted to marry anyone?”
“Evelyn—”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You taught me exactly what family shouldn’t be.”
Her face hardened.
“And Arthur Costa taught you differently?”
A small voice came from the staircase.
“She is our family.”
Isabella stood there holding her stuffed rabbit.
Behind her were Matteo, Sofia, and Luca.
My mother stared.
Sofia walked downstairs.
“She helped me when Dad forgot Mom’s birthday.”
Matteo added, “She makes pancakes.”
Luca shrugged.
“She’s annoying.”
I looked at him.
“Thank you, Luca.”
He smiled.
“But she stays.”
Arthur looked at his children.
Then at me.
My mother understood.
There was nothing left for her to negotiate.
She walked toward the door.
Before leaving, she turned.
“You really believe this lasts?”
I answered without hesitation.
“Yes.”
The door closed.
Silence.
Then Isabella asked, “Can we have pancakes?”
“It’s ten at night.”
“So?”
Arthur looked at me.
I looked at him.
Ten minutes later, all six of us were in the kitchen.
Arthur was terrible at pancakes.
Matteo told him so.
“You run half of Chicago,” Matteo said. “How can you not flip one pancake?”
Arthur pointed the spatula at him.
“Careful.”
Sofia laughed.
Luca stole strawberries.
Isabella sat on the counter.
And I stood in the middle of it all.
A family I had never expected.
Later, after the children went upstairs, Arthur found me alone in the kitchen.
“You never answered.”
I knew exactly what he meant.
“Luca’s question?”
“Yes.”
Arthur Costa could face dangerous men without blinking.
Yet suddenly he looked uncertain.
I walked toward him.
“I love you.”
He exhaled slowly.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
“That seems unwise.”
“It probably is.”
He smiled.
Then his expression softened.
“I love you too.”
I touched his face.
“For how long?”
“Long enough that I stopped pretending this marriage was practical.”
I laughed.
He kissed my forehead.
Then he said, “There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Your doctor called.”
My smile disappeared.
“Why?”
“He wouldn’t tell me. Medical privacy.”
“Good.”
Arthur nodded.
“But he asked you to contact him.”
The next morning, I did.
May you like
What he told me changed everything again.
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