He Chose My Copy I Became The Law Chapter 08
“The old fisherman eventually fell ill and died, and every lead disappeared with him. We reopened the case last year. Only then did we discover that your blood type and birthmark matched records from an old Ravenport orphanage.”
Standing before the portrait, I raised my hand and let my fingertips graze the chilled frame.
“How… were they killed?”
“It happened along the coast twenty years ago.” Cesare crossed to the towering windows and stared into the silent olive grove beyond them.
“For an entire year, the Six Houses massacred one another for control of the coastal smuggling routes. There were almost enough corpses to block the sewers. At the time, your father served as Chief Consigliere to the Commission. He attended the sit-down by himself.”
“His enemies poisoned his wine. He was aware of it.”
“Even so, he remained seated across from all six bosses and composed a twenty-year peace accord one line at a time, then signed his name. After forming the final letter, he cast aside the pen, smiled at them, and said, ‘The rules matter more than one life.'”
“Your mother waited for him in the car outside.” Cesare’s fingers clenched around the window frame.
“He never came out. She held the little blanket you had left behind when they sent you away, and the following morning, she took the very same poison.”
“Do not condemn her. Only their deaths could guarantee that you remained safe.”
Silence filled the room so completely that each tick of the wall clock rang through it.
“Valentina.” Cesare faced me again, his expression deeply solemn.
“Two roads now lie before you. On the first, our Family converts every asset held in trust under your father’s name into cash and hands the entire amount to you. You take it, settle anywhere in Europe, assume a new identity, and lead a quiet life.”
“On the second,” he said after a pause, “you remain here and claim the high-backed mahogany chair your father left vacant.”
My answer came without hesitation.
“I choose the second road.”
Cesare studied me for several seconds before profound satisfaction settled over his face. “Good.”
“Welcome home, daughter of the Consigliere.”Â