The Man Who Came Back
Chapter 06 - The Man Who Came Back
Marco did not enter the estate that night.
He simply sat in the car for several minutes before driving away.
That frightened Dante more than an attack would have.
“He wants us to know he's here,” Dante said.
Leah folded her arms.
“Then let him know I saw him.”
“No.”
She turned.
“There it is again.”
“What?”
“You deciding what I am allowed to do.”
Dante looked exhausted.
“I am trying to keep you alive.”
“And I'm trying to live.”
The words landed harder than she expected.
Adrian quietly left them alone.
For the next three days, Leah stayed at Elena's apartment in Manhattan. She found herself sleeping badly and waking before dawn, expecting the Raviieri estate to appear outside the window.
It did not.
Dante called once.
She didn't answer.
He sent no message afterward.
That hurt more.
Elena noticed.
“You wanted him to call again.”
“I wanted him to respect what I said.”
“Those aren't always the same thing.”
Leah stared out the window.
“Do you think he loves me?”
Elena was silent.
Finally she said, “I think Dante has spent years being terrified of what loving you would cost.”
Leah looked at her.
“And you?”
“What about me?”
“Why were you with him that night?”
Elena smiled sadly.
“Because he asked me to come.”
Leah felt something tighten.
“Why?”
“To make you jealous.”
Leah stared.
Elena shook her head.
“He wanted to see whether you cared.”
“That is cruel.”
“Yes.”
“Why would you help him?”
“Because I thought you two needed someone to force the truth into the room.”
Leah almost laughed.
“You made everything worse.”
“I know.”
That afternoon, Adrian arrived with another envelope.
Inside was a bank statement.
Leah's mother's name appeared on an account she had never known existed.
The account had been opened six months before Leah was born.
And every year, on Leah's birthday, money had been deposited.
The sender was listed as B. Raviieri.
But Bianca had never told Leah.
The final deposit had been made two weeks before Bianca died.
Leah stared at the number.
It was enough money to change her life.
She looked at Adrian.
“Why would Bianca secretly pay into an account for me?”
Adrian's face tightened.
“Because it wasn't really for you.”
“What does that mean?”
He pointed to the account's beneficiary.
Leah read the name.
Her mother's.
Her mother had been alive when the account was opened.
But the records said she had died twelve years earlier.
May you like
The date was wrong.
By four years.
