Chapter 12 - THE MAN WHO GAVE UP HIS THRONE
By summer, the Castellano organization no longer resembled the empire I'd once controlled.
Several operations had been shut down.
Legitimate businesses were being restructured.
Assets were sold to satisfy legal obligations and support restitution.
Some people called me weak.
Others called me foolish.
A few said I'd lost my mind.
I didn't care.
One afternoon, a former captain came to see me.
He stood in my office wearing an expensive suit.
“Dario,” he said, “we can rebuild.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
He frowned.
“You can't just walk away.”
I smiled faintly.
“Watch me.”
He leaned forward.
“People still respect you.”
I shook my head.
“People feared me.”
He stared.
“Same thing.”
“No,” I said. “It isn't.”
After he left, I sat quietly.
The room felt larger.
Emptier.
But peaceful.
That evening, Elena visited with Giulia.
We had dinner in the garden of my smaller home.
Not the mansion.
I'd sold it.
The new house had a modest kitchen, a library, and a backyard with a lemon tree.
Giulia ran across the grass chasing butterflies.
Elena watched her.
“She likes it here.”
I smiled.
“So do I.”
She looked at me.
“You seem different.”
I laughed softly.
“I hope that's a compliment.”
“It is.”
We sat quietly.
Then Elena said:
“Dario, I need to ask you something.”
“Anything.”
“Why did you keep helping us after the investigation?”
I looked at her.
“Because I wanted to.”
She shook her head.
“That's not enough.”
I smiled sadly.
“No?”
She looked at me.
“I don't want Giulia growing up thinking she owes you something.”
My chest tightened.
I nodded.
“She doesn't.”
“And neither do I.”
I looked at her.
“Of course not.”
Elena studied me.
Then smiled faintly.
“Good.”
For the first time, I understood that Elena wasn't asking for permission to be independent.
May you like
She was telling me she already was.
And I respected her more for it.
