Chapter 14 - HELENA’S PROMISE
My aunt Helena finally admitted Dominic’s sentence had ruled her life.
Make sure Veronica never has to beg Valerio for a place in this family.
She had heard it as command.
I heard fear.
Dominic knew my father and I dominated the family’s legitimate businesses.
He worried his daughter would become socially dependent on us after his death.
Reasonable.
Then Helena turned protection into entitlement.
San Vittore must remain Veronica’s.
The family must accommodate.
Auditors must not threaten.
Alessia must know her age and place.
Then I asked:
“Did you actually think I wanted San Vittore?”
“No.”
“Did Alessia?”
“No.”
“Then who were you defending Veronica from?”
Helena looked down.
“Being ordinary.”
There.
Old families fear ordinariness like poverty.
A daughter running a successful events company was not enough.
She had to run the Costanzo estate.
Wear the name.
Hold the ballroom.
Be remembered.
Then Helena said:
May you like
“I made her think losing one contract meant losing her father.”
That was closer to the wound.
