CHAPTER 12 — THE PRICE OF TRUTH
Prosecutor Shaw hid them inside a federal safe house.
Tomas survived surgery.
Mrs. Bell recovered the documents Elena had hidden in the chapel.
Together, the records revealed the full extent of Carlo’s operation.
He had diverted medicine, smuggled weapons through charity shipments, purchased judges, and arranged Elena’s death.
The truck driver had never fallen asleep.
His family had been paid.
Two days after the crash, the driver disappeared.
Matteo stared at the evidence for hours.
Then he signed an agreement to testify.
Shaw watched him carefully.
“You understand what this means?”
“Yes.”
“You will lose your companies.”
“Yes.”
“You may lose your freedom.”
“Yes.”
“Men will come after you for the rest of your life.”
Matteo looked through the glass wall.
Liana sat on the floor with Nico, stacking wooden blocks. The baby knocked them down and laughed.
“I have spent my life making other people afraid,” Matteo said. “It is time I learned to live with fear.”
That evening, Liana found him alone on the rooftop.
The city lights shone in the distance.
“You’re going to prison,” she said.
“Possibly.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked away.
“You should.”
“I know.”
“I want to hate you.”
“I know.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because I have no defense.”
Liana’s voice trembled.
“Samuel died because men working under your name chose money over a child’s life.”
“Yes.”
“And now Nico sleeps because I hold him.”
Matteo closed his eyes.
“I would understand if you left.”
“That is the problem.”
He looked at her.
“I don’t want to leave him.”
“Nico loves you.”
“I don’t want to leave you either.”
The truth frightened them both.
Matteo stepped closer but did not touch her.
“You deserve a good man.”
“Then become one.”
“I cannot erase what I was.”
“No. But you can decide what you are next.”
For the first time, Liana reached for him.
Her hand rested against his face.
Matteo leaned into her touch as though no one had touched him gently in years.
Then an alarm sounded inside the safe house.
Shaw’s agents shouted.
The power failed.
Emergency lights flashed red.
Matteo pulled Liana behind him.
A gunshot came from the lower floor.
Carlo’s voice echoed through the building’s speakers.
“Nephew, did you truly believe the government could protect what belongs to our family?”
Liana ran toward Nico’s room.
The crib was empty.
On the floor lay a white rose.
And beside it was a phone displaying a live video.
Carlo held Nico in his arms.
May you like
The baby was crying.
“Bring me Elena’s ledger,” Carlo said, “or the child who changed you will disappear exactly as his mother did.”
