Chapter 9 - The Last Secret
The federal subpoena arrived forty-eight hours after the engagement.
Alexander was accused of authorizing three murders committed during the war following Matteo’s death.
Sophia read the documents in silence.
Alexander stood beside the window.
“Did you?”
He did not answer immediately.
That frightened her.
“Alexander.”
“I gave orders.”
Her stomach dropped.
“Which orders?”
“To find the men responsible.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
He turned.
“I was not a good man after Matteo died.”
Sophia said nothing.
“I believed Serrano ordered the ambush. I wanted everyone involved brought to me.”
“Alive?”
“When possible.”
She closed her eyes.
This was the part of loving Alexander nobody could romanticize away.
He had a past.
Real blood.
Real consequences.
“What happened to them?”
“Two died resisting my men. One disappeared.”
“And Carlo says you ordered executions.”
“Yes.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
Sophia looked directly at him.
“Then we fight it.”
Alexander stared.
“That simple?”
“No. Nothing about you has ever been simple.”
His expression almost softened.
“But I’m not marrying a fantasy,” she continued. “If you committed crimes, you face them. If Carlo is lying, we prove it.”
Alexander nodded.
The case depended on one witness.
Malcolm Price.
He claimed Alexander personally ordered the murders.
Dominic insisted Malcolm was lying.
But testimony alone would not save Alexander.
They needed evidence.
Sophia found it where she had found almost everything that mattered.
In the calendar.
Six years earlier, on the nights of two alleged murders, Alexander had appointments.
One was with a cardiologist.
The other was a charity board dinner.
But the third date was blank.
Sophia searched archived emails.
Nothing.
Phone records.
Nothing.
Then Gabriel walked into her office carrying Matteo’s old flash drive.
“Aunt Sophia?”
She froze at the title.
Gabriel looked embarrassed.
“Is that okay?”
Sophia hugged him.
“More than okay.”
He handed her the drive.
“I found another folder.”
It was password protected.
The password was four digits.
Sophia knew immediately.
The wrong time on Matteo’s clock.
Four minutes fast.
She entered the corrected time.
The folder opened.
Inside were audio files recorded by Matteo while investigating Carlo.
The final recording was dated two days before his death.
Carlo’s voice.
Malcolm’s voice.
And another man.
Victor Serrano.
They discussed the plan to kill Alexander and Matteo.
Then Carlo mentioned three men who knew too much.
The same three murders now being blamed on Alexander.
“Remove them after the meeting,” Carlo said.
Sophia stopped the recording.
Alexander stared at the screen.
Carlo had ordered the murders before Matteo was even dead.
They had proof.
But the final audio contained something else.
Matteo’s voice.
A private message.
“Alex, if you find this, I’m sorry.”
Alexander sat.
Matteo continued.
“I know what you’ll do if they kill me. You’ll burn everything down because anger is easier for you than grief.”
Alexander looked away.
Sophia took his hand.
“But if Elena and our baby survive, don’t give them an empire built on fear. Give them something better.”
Gabriel stood silently in the doorway.
Alexander covered his mouth.
His brother had asked him six years earlier to become the man he was only now choosing to be.
The evidence destroyed Carlo’s deal.
Malcolm recanted when confronted with the recording.
The federal case against Alexander collapsed.
But Alexander did something nobody expected.
He still testified.
Against Carlo.
Against former associates.
Against parts of his own organization.
Chicago newspapers called it the end of the Moretti criminal empire.
Alexander called it Tuesday.
Sophia knew better.
It was freedom.
Three months later, Carlo Moretti was convicted on conspiracy, racketeering, and murder charges.
Alexander walked out of the courthouse holding Sophia’s hand.
Reporters surrounded them.
“Mr. Moretti! Are you leaving Chicago?”
“Ms. Bennett, is the wedding still happening?”
“Mr. Moretti, do you regret cooperating?”
Alexander stopped.
Sophia expected him to ignore them.
Instead, he faced the cameras.
“I regret that it took losing my brother to understand what loyalty actually means.”
The crowd quieted.
Then a reporter shouted, “What happens to the Moretti empire now?”
Alexander looked at Sophia.
“It becomes a business.”
Sophia smiled.
That evening they returned to the penthouse.
No guards crowded the hall anymore.
No urgent meetings waited.
Alexander poured two glasses of whiskey.
Sophia took his away.
“You have a fitting tomorrow.”
“A fitting?”
“For the wedding.”
“I own suits.”
“You do not own the suit you are wearing to marry me.”
“I own forty-three suits.”
“And somehow none of them are correct.”
He stared.
She smiled sweetly.
“Empires need good teeth. Husbands need good tailoring.”
Alexander laughed.
He pulled her gently against him.
“When?”
“When what?”
“When did you decide you were actually going to marry me?”
Sophia pretended to think.
“Probably after you stopped having me followed.”
“That was very recently.”
“Exactly.”
He kissed her forehead.
Then his phone rang.
Dominic.
Alexander ignored it.
It rang again.
Sophia frowned.
“Answer.”
Alexander did.
Dominic sounded breathless.
“Boss.”
“What?”
“You need to come downstairs.”
“Why?”
A pause.
“You’re not going to believe me.”
Alexander and Sophia exchanged looks.
They took the elevator.
In the lobby stood Elena.
Gabriel.
Dominic.
And an elderly priest.
Sophia blinked.
Alexander stared.
“What is happening?”
Gabriel grinned.
“Mom found Dad’s letter.”
Elena held out an envelope.
Matteo’s handwriting covered the front.
FOR ALEXANDER — ON THE DAY YOU FINALLY STOP BEING AN IDIOT.
Alexander closed his eyes.
“That sounds like him.”
Inside was one final letter.
Alexander read silently.
Then laughed.
Then cried.
Sophia had never seen him do both at once.
“What does it say?”
Alexander handed it to her.
The final paragraph was simple.
Someday you’ll meet someone who isn’t afraid of you. You’ll probably argue with her. You’ll definitely try to tell her what to do. If she stays long enough to teach you that love isn’t obedience, marry her before she realizes she can do better.
Sophia looked up.
Dominic was openly crying.
“I’m not crying,” he announced.
Nobody had asked.
Gabriel grinned.
Alexander looked at Sophia.
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“My brother appears to have given instructions.”
Sophia folded the letter.
“For once, Alexander…”
May you like
She kissed him.
“…you should follow them.”
