Chapter 4 - THE MAN WHO CALLED HER COLLATERAL
Roman moved Morgana to another property.
She hated it.
Not because the house was unpleasant.
Because it felt like being relocated again.
“I'm not staying hidden forever.”
“No.”
“How long?”
“Until we know where Enzo is.”
Morgana folded her arms.
“You've been looking for him for years.”
“Yes.”
“So I could be eighty.”
Roman almost smiled.
“You argue like Teresa.”
“Then listen faster.”
The new house belonged to Roman’s sister, Sofia, who lived in Boston most of the year.
Smaller.
Quiet.
No armed men inside.
Morgana chose the bedroom herself.
Roman stayed elsewhere.
That mattered.
The next morning, she received a call from her diner manager.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good. I hate fake answers.”
Morgana smiled.
She explained she needed several days off.
Her manager said:
“Take them.”
“No guilt.
No threat.
No Jason demanding her paycheck.
Morgana cried after hanging up.
Roman found her at the kitchen table.
He did not ask why.
Instead he placed a folder down.
“Jason’s financial history.”
She looked at it.
“Do I want this?”
“No.”
“Then why bring it?”
“Because you asked what he did with the twenty-five thousand.”
Morgana opened it.
Old cash purchase.
A used truck.
Gambling deposits.
Then nothing.
Elena's life had been traded for a truck and cards.
Morgana closed the folder.
“I hate him.”
Roman sat opposite her.
“You’re allowed.”
“Do you hate Enzo?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you kill him years ago?”
Roman’s expression changed.
“Because I tried once.”
She stared.
“What happened?”
“My father stopped me.”
“Antonio?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before he died.”
Roman had discovered Enzo stealing from one of the family businesses.
At seventeen, furious and stupid, he took a gun to Enzo’s warehouse.
Antonio found him.
Took the weapon away.
Then said:
If you kill a man because he taught you anger, he still chooses who you become.
Morgana thought about that.
“What happened to your father?”
Roman looked down.
“Officially?”
“Yes.”
“Shot during a robbery.”
“And unofficially?”
“I think Enzo arranged it.”
“Proof?”
“Not enough.”
The ledger changed that.
Payments around Antonio’s death linked Enzo to two men later tied to the shooting.
Not conclusive.
But useful.
Morgana whispered:
“So this isn't just my family.”
“No.”
“That's why you took Jason's debt personally.”
“Yes.”
Roman had suspected Jason held information about Enzo and Antonio.
He did not know Elena’s ledger still existed.
He especially did not know Morgana had carried the key’s clue in her mother’s photograph her entire life.
“Why didn't you tell me everything the first night?”
Roman answered immediately.
“Because I thought information was something I had the right to manage for you.”
Morgana stared.
“And now?”
“I’m learning otherwise.”
“Slowly.”
“Yes.”
That afternoon, a black sedan appeared outside.
Security intercepted it.
Not Enzo.
Jason.
He had returned.
Alone.
Morgana watched through the window as Roman's men searched him.
Then Jason shouted:
“Morgana!”
Her entire body reacted.
Old fear.
Immediate.
Embarrassing.
Roman saw.
“You don't have to see him.”
“I know.”
“Do you want to?”
She thought.
“Yes.”
They met in a glass sunroom.
Security outside.
Door open.
Morgana chose the chair nearest the exit.
Jason looked terrible.
Unshaven.
Sweating.
“Morgana, thank God.”
She said nothing.
“Baby, you don't understand what these people—”
“Don't call me baby.”
He stopped.
Roman stood at the far side of the room.
Jason looked at him.
“You did this.”
Roman remained silent.
Morgana asked:
“Did you tell Enzo where Mom was?”
Jason’s face collapsed.
There.
Answer before words.
“Morgana.”
“Did you?”
“I was scared.”
“Yes or no?”
“He said he only wanted the books.”
“Yes or no?”
Jason started crying.
“I didn't know they were going to kill her.”
Morgana stopped breathing.
There it was.
Not everything.
Enough.
“You told him.”
“I needed money.”
Roman’s hands curled.
Morgana saw.
She raised one finger.
Not for Jason.
For Roman.
Stay.
He did.
Jason continued.
“I had debts.”
“You always have debts.”
“I thought Elena would give him the ledger.”
“She was leaving you.”
Jason’s face changed.
Anger appeared.
Even now.
“She was taking you.”
“She was my mother.”
“She was destroying the family!”
Morgana laughed.
“You sold me for forty thousand dollars.”
“That was different.”
“How?”
“I knew Roman wouldn't hurt you.”
Roman’s expression became murderous.
Morgana felt something colder.
“You knew?”
Jason realized what he had said.
Morgana leaned forward.
“You knew Roman wouldn't hurt me?”
Jason looked away.
“Enzo told me.”
Silence.
Roman stepped closer.
“What did Enzo tell you?”
Jason swallowed.
“That you'd take her.”
“Why?”
“He said blood makes men sentimental.”
Roman’s face changed.
Morgana frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Jason stared at the floor.
“Your mother saved Roman once.”
Roman froze.
“What?”
Even he didn't know.
Jason laughed weakly.
“Elena didn't tell you everything.”
Morgana’s skin prickled.
“Tell me.”
Jason shook his head.
“Not here.”
Roman’s voice became dangerous.
“Jason.”
“She hid something else.”
“What?”
Jason looked directly at Morgana.
“Your real birth certificate.”
Everything stopped.
Morgana stared.
“What are you talking about?”
Jason started crying harder.
“You’re not my biological daughter.”
Silence swallowed the room.
Roman said nothing.
Morgana felt detached from her body.
Jason continued.
“Elena was pregnant when I met her.”
“No.”
“She told everyone you were mine.”
“No.”
“I raised you.”
“You hit me.”
He flinched.
“I was still your father.”
“No.”
For once, the word came easily.
“Who?”
Jason wiped his face.
“I don't know.”
“You're lying.”
“I swear.”
Then Roman said quietly:
“I think I do.”
Morgana turned.
His face had gone pale.
“Who?”
Roman looked at the ledger.
Then at Morgana.
“My brother.”
The room disappeared.
Roman had never mentioned a brother.
Because his brother, Gabriel Costa, had died twenty-two years earlier.
Two years before Morgana was born.
At least according to every family record Roman had ever known.
May you like
And suddenly Elena’s secret was not only about money, murder or betrayal.
It was about Morgana herself.
