Chapter 5
Helena looked at the letter in my hand.
For the first time since I had known her, she did not pretend to be offended.
She looked afraid.
“Where did you find that?” she asked.
I stood and placed myself between her and Leo.
“In my son’s room.”
“That box should have been thrown away.”
My voice dropped.
“Why?”
“It keeps him attached to pain.”
“No. It kept him attached to truth.”
She glanced toward the hall.
Matteo was already there.
Rocco behind him.
No exit.
Helena lifted both hands slowly.
“Carmine, Sofia was paranoid. She hated me because she knew you trusted me.”
“She wrote your name before I trusted you.”
Her eyes hardened.
“She wrote many names.”
“Did she write yours because you killed her?”
Leo gasped.
Helena stared at me.
Then she smiled.
Small.
Cruel.
“You always did need a dead woman to tell you what was in front of your face.”
Something inside me went quiet.
Very quiet.
I turned to Matteo.
“Take Leo to Camila.”
Leo grabbed my sleeve.
“No.”
I crouched.
“My sister will keep you safe. I need to handle this.”
His eyes filled.
“Promise you won’t disappear.”
The word cut me.
Disappear.
That was what Helena had planted in him.
I kissed his forehead.
“I promise.”
Matteo led him out.
When his footsteps faded, I faced Helena.
She crossed her arms.
“What now? You threaten me? Break things? Prove what everyone already thinks you are?”
“No.”
I held up Sofia’s letter.
“I prove what you are.”
Her face tightened.
“You have no idea what Sofia found.”
“Then tell me.”
She laughed once.
“If I go down, your whole family goes with me.”
“My son is my family.”
“You say that now.”
Then my phone rang.
Camila.
I answered.
Her voice was panicked.
“Carmine, Leo just opened another envelope.”
“What envelope?”
“The one Sofia left for him.”
My heart stopped.
Camila whispered, “It says Helena was never after you.”
May you like
“Then who?”
“Leo.”
