Chapter 7 - THE MAN WHO CAME WITHOUT BODYGUARDS
A year after Dominic’s arrest, Matteo faced the last serious challenge from the old Santoro structure.
Three senior men opposed permanent closure of illicit port routes.
They demanded sit-down.
Matteo agreed.
Public private room in legitimate restaurant.
No weapons inside.
One licensed security outside.
Nico disliked.
Good.
The men argued that Santoro influence was collapsing.
Rivals taking fees.
Unions ignoring calls.
Politicians less responsive.
“You’re turning us into a company.”
One spat.
Matteo answered:
“That’s the idea.”
“You think your father would approve?”
“My father helped my uncle fake his death.”
Silence.
“Stop using him as scripture.”
Then old capo Lorenzo Vieri said:
“You’re doing this because of woman.”
There.
Elena.
Matteo stared.
“No.”
“She put shame in your head.”
“No.”
“She made you soft.”
“No.”
He leaned forward.
“My mother started this before Elena worked in my house.”
“Caroline refused alliance.”
“Victor told truth.”
“Dominic exposed what secrecy costs.”
“And I decided.”
Important.
Elena not moral savior.
Then:
“If you need a woman to blame every time a man changes his mind, you are too fragile to sit at this table.”
No response.
Two men left organization.
One stayed under legitimate business terms.
No coup.
No shooting.
Just fracture.
Matteo lost money.
Influence.
Some protection.
He accepted.
At same time, Dominic’s case moved.
Old murder charge difficult after decades.
But conspiracy, financial crimes, identity fraud, obstruction strong.
Victor testified about warehouse.
Painful.
Caroline testified about blackmail.
Matteo about stolen archive.
Elena only testified to what she saw: photograph, Caroline burning photos, key missing, maintenance man.
Nothing inflated.
She hated courtroom attention.
After, Matteo waited outside.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want driver?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Then her shoe heel broke.
She looked.
He tried not to laugh.
“Do not.”
“I said nothing.”
“You thought it.”
“Yes.”
She took shoes off.
Walked to taxi in stockings.
Matteo followed carrying nothing because she refused.
Normal.
Then relationship grew.
Not secret.
But private.
Caroline called once:
“So?”
“So what?”
“Is he less annoying?”
“No.”
“Liar.”
Elena smiled.
Eventually Matteo met Teo’s school counselor after college applications? Teo now seventeen. Not father role. Good.
He offered no recommendation.
Teo earned scholarship.
Matteo attended graduation only after invited by Teo himself.
Big moment.
“Are you coming?”
Teo asked.
Matteo pretended casual.
“If you want.”
“Yeah.”
“Just don’t bring six guys.”
“Two?”
“One.”
“Fine.”
Elena watched.
Warmth.
Then Sofia’s old Queens apartment needed clearing finally because Elena decided sell? Her mother owned small apartment; yes. She and Teo cleared seventeen boxes.
Matteo came to help after asking.
No staff.
He carried boxes.
Badly.
In one, Elena found mother’s apron.
Similar to her Santoro uniform.
Pocket inside.
Another Polaroid.
Lucia and Sofia laughing.
Back:
SHE THINKS MEN ARE BAD AT LOOKING UNDER LININGS. SHE IS CORRECT. — SOFIA
Elena laughed until she cried.
Matteo sat on floor.
“My mother liked yours.”
“Apparently.”
Then he asked:
“Do you think they planned us too?”
Elena glared.
He held hands.
“Joke.”
“Terrible.”
“I know.”
No fate.
Important.
Then he became serious.
“I love you.”
Elena froze.
He looked terrified.
Good.
“I’m not asking anything.”
She swallowed.
“Why now?”
“Because I’ve known for months.”
“And I’m tired of secrecy becoming habit.”
That line fit story.
She looked at him.
“I love you too.”
He exhaled.
Then:
“But.”
He groaned.
“Of course.”
“But if we ever marry, it is not family merger.”
“No.”
“Not alliance.”
“No.”
“No estate expectation.”
“No.”
“My job remains mine.”
“Yes.”
“And Teo is not recruited into anything.”
“Absolutely.”
She smiled.
“Then maybe someday.”
Matteo looked.
“Someday?”
“Yes.”
He nodded.
For a feared man, he had become remarkably patient.
Then six months later he proposed.
Not in ballroom.
Not family table.
Queens apartment now empty except boxes.
He knelt? At 39 physically fine. Could. But user maybe likes cinematic. Yet simple.
He held ring.
“Elena Torres.”
She smiled.
“No speeches about destiny.”
He sighed.
“You’ve ruined entire first paragraph.”
“Good.”
“Will you marry me because you choose to?”
There.
“Yes.”
Simple.
Teo walked in carrying tape dispenser.
Saw.
“Absolutely not.”
May you like
They laughed.
Family.
