Chapter 5 - The Truth Daniel Left Behind
By sunrise, the estate looked like a crime scene disguised as a palace.
Police vehicles filled the south drive.
Federal agents interviewed guests.
My lawyers occupied three rooms.
My security team counted traitors.
And Nora sat beside me in the medical room while a doctor stitched my arm.
“You didn’t need to push me away,” she said.
I looked at her.
“He had a gun.”
“So did you.”
“You are not trained.”
“You noticed that?”
“Your grip remains terrible.”
For the first time all night, she smiled properly.
Then the door opened.
Marco entered with a boy beside him.
Seven years old.
Brown hair.
Serious expression.
Daniel’s eyes.
I stood too quickly.
The doctor cursed.
“Sit down.”
I ignored him.
Ethan looked at Nora.
“Mom!”
She crossed the room and dropped to her knees.
Ethan ran into her arms.
She held him so tightly the boy squeaked.
“Mom, I can’t breathe.”
“Good.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t care.”
Marco looked at me.
“There’s no doubt.”
“No.”
Ethan noticed me.
He whispered to Nora.
“Is that the scary guy from the news?”
Marco coughed to hide a laugh.
I raised an eyebrow.
Nora looked embarrassed.
“What news?”
Ethan shrugged.
“Grandma watches TV.”
I crouched despite the doctor’s glare.
“I’m Luca.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
“You have buildings.”
“That’s unfortunately true.”
“And Mom says rich people shouldn’t brag.”
Nora closed her eyes.
“Ethan.”
“What?”
I smiled.
“Your mother is right.”
The boy studied my face.
“Are you my uncle?”
The room became quiet.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Your father was my younger brother.”
Ethan looked at Nora.
“You said Dad didn’t have family.”
Nora’s eyes filled.
“I thought his family didn’t want us.”
Ethan considered this.
Then looked at me.
“Did you?”
I swallowed.
“I didn’t know you existed.”
“Oh.”
He stared at my bandage.
“Did somebody shoot you?”
“No.”
Nora stared at me.
I amended, “Not in a way you need to worry about.”
Ethan nodded.
“Mom lies like that too.”
Marco turned away, shoulders shaking.
I liked the boy immediately.
Later, after Ethan ate breakfast with Nora in the kitchen, Marco joined me in my father’s study.
The evidence had expanded.
Carmine’s financial records connected him to Daniel’s murder, bribery, extortion, and the armed assault.
But one final envelope remained unopened.
Daniel’s handwriting covered the front.
LUCA.
My hands stopped.
Marco saw the name.
“I’ll leave.”
“No.”
I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
Luca,
If you’re reading this, something went wrong.
I’m leaving New York with Nora.
Father knows.
Carmine knows.
I don’t trust either of them.
Nora is pregnant.
I haven’t told her I know yet because she keeps hiding the pregnancy test in a flour tin like I’m blind.
Despite myself, I laughed.
Marco looked at me.
“What?”
“Daniel.”
I continued.
If anything happens to me, protect them.
Not because they belong to the family.
Because they are my family.
And Luca—
Don’t become Dad.
The letter ended there.
I sat down.
For several minutes, neither Marco nor I spoke.
Finally he said, “He knew.”
“Yes.”
“He knew Nora was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“And he trusted you.”
I folded the letter carefully.
“I failed him.”
Marco shook his head.
“No. You were lied to.”
“I spent eight years sitting beside the man who killed him.”
“You also spent eight years believing Daniel died in a war.”
I looked toward the window.
“I destroyed an entire rival organization over that lie.”
Marco’s face hardened.
“That is on Carmine too.”
“No.”
I turned.
“That part is on me.”
Marco said nothing.
For once, I did not want absolution.
I wanted change.
Later that morning, I found Nora preparing to leave.
Two suitcases stood beside the service entrance.
“What are you doing?”
She looked surprised.
“Leaving.”
“Why?”
“The gala is over.”
“You nearly died.”
“So did you.”
“You uncovered my brother’s murder.”
“That was why I came.”
“You saved seven hundred people by getting me out before the attack started.”
“That’s generous.”
“It’s accurate.”
Nora zipped the suitcase.
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“I know.”
“Then let Ethan and me go home.”
I looked at her.
“Do you want to?”
She hesitated.
“Yes.”
It was a lie.
A bad one.
“Nora.”
“What?”
“You said people treat housekeepers like furniture.”
“They do.”
“I didn’t.”
“Not once you had a gun in your back.”
“An unconventional introduction.”
She laughed despite herself.
Then became serious.
“I don’t belong here, Luca.”
“Neither did Daniel.”
“He was born here.”
“He hated half of it.”
She looked toward the kitchen, where Ethan was arguing with Marco about pancakes.
“What exactly are you asking?”
“I don’t know yet.”
That answer surprised both of us.
May you like
So I gave her the only honest one I had.
“I’m asking you not to disappear before I figure it out.”
