Chapter 3 - Matteo’s Lie
I did not go home.
I went back to Bellinis.
The restaurant was dark.
Mr. Bellini opened the side door in pajama pants, slippers, and a wool coat thrown over his shirt.
“You came here?”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“That was not permission to look guilty.”
He stepped aside.
I entered.
The dining room still smelled faintly like garlic and pine cleaner.
The same table I had wiped the night before stood beneath the window.
Twenty-four hours earlier I had no family.
Now I had a possible dead sister, a niece who had emotionally blackmailed me into Christmas breakfast, and a man named Matteo who may have helped keep us apart.
Mr. Bellini made coffee.
I did not want coffee.
I drank it anyway.
“Start at the beginning.”
He sat.
Five years earlier, Elena Romano came into the restaurant.
Alone.
Not as Gabriel Romano’s wife exactly.
As a woman with a photocopied case record and tired eyes.
She showed Sal Bellini a photograph of five-year-old Lillian Mercer.
Asked whether he knew anyone in neighborhood foster networks.
Why him?
Because Bellini’s sister had been a caseworker decades earlier.
Sal asked around.
Months passed.
Then I applied for a job.
Lily Carter.
Birth date matched.
Place of birth matched.
Old scar matched a note in the file.
He called Elena.
“She cried,” he said.
My eyes filled.
“What did she say?”
“‘Don’t tell her yet.’”
I stared.
“What?”
“She wanted to confirm before approaching.”
“That makes sense.”
“She sent someone.”
“Who?”
“Matteo.”
My hand tightened around the coffee cup.
“He came here?”
“Yes.”
“Did I see him?”
“No. He sat outside. Watched you leave after shift.”
“That is deeply creepy.”
“Yes.”
“What did he do?”
“He took a photo.”
“Then?”
“Three days later, he called.”
Mr. Bellini looked ashamed.
“He said you were not Lillian.”
“Why?”
“He said their investigator found adoption records in Pennsylvania and dental records that did not match.”
“Did you ask for proof?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because he was Matteo Romano.”
Not Romano.
I frowned.
“What is his last name?”
“DeLuca.”
Right.
Ava called him Matteo because children did not care about surnames.
Sal continued.
“People do not usually challenge men like him.”
“Because Gabriel is dangerous?”
“Because Matteo is.”
I thought of his calm face beside the sedan.
His careful distance.
His dry humor.
Danger did not always look dramatic.
“What happened next?”
“Elena died four months later.”
“And you never told Gabriel?”
“I tried.”
“How?”
“Called his office. Sent a letter.”
“To whom?”
“Security.”
“Matteo.”
“Probably.”
My anger sharpened.
“So every route went through him.”
“Yes.”
I stood.
“I’m going to ask him.”
“Tonight?”
“Yes.”
“Lily.”
“What?”
“Do not go alone.”
I laughed.
“Who exactly do you suggest? The Christmas police?”
He did not laugh.
“I’ll call Gabriel.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because if Matteo lied, I want to hear him explain before his boss enters the room.”
“Gabriel is not just his boss.”
“What is he?”
Sal hesitated.
“Family.”
I hated that word already.
Matteo had grown up around the Romanos.
His father was Gabriel’s father’s closest lieutenant.
After Ava was born, Elena trusted Matteo too.
He became security.
Driver.
Uncle without the title.
If he betrayed Elena, the damage ran deep.
I called him.
He answered.
“Miss Carter.”
“You told Elena I wasn’t her sister.”
Silence.
Then:
“Where are you?”
“That is not an answer.”
“Where are you?”
“Bellinis.”
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“I am already moving.”
The line ended.
I looked at Sal.
“He’s coming.”
“Good.”
“Why good?”
“Because I’m old enough not to be impressed anymore.”
Ten minutes later, Matteo entered.
No black sedan visible.
Snow on his shoulders.
He looked at Sal.
Then me.
His eyes went to the red journal on the table.
“You read it.”
“Yes.”
He closed his eyes.
There.
Guilt.
Not surprise.
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
The clean admission enraged me more.
“Why?”
“To protect you.”
I laughed.
Of course.
Always protection.
“From whom?”
He sat.
“Elena’s family.”
“She was my family.”
“Not her.”
“Then who?”
“Gabriel’s.”
My stomach tightened.
“Gabriel wanted me hidden?”
“No.”
“Did he know?”
“No.”
“Then explain.”
Matteo looked at Sal.
“Leave.”
Sal laughed.
“No.”
Matteo’s eyes hardened.
I slammed my palm on the table.
“He stays.”
Matteo looked at me.
Then nodded.
“Fine.”
He took off his coat.
“Elena found you.”
“Yes.”
“I confirmed it.”
“So you knew.”
“Yes.”
“Then fabricated Pennsylvania records.”
“Yes.”
My skin burned.
“Why?”
“Because three days before I came here, someone broke into Elena’s office.”
I stopped.
“What did they take?”
“Only her Lily file.”
“What?”
“Nothing else.”
Sal leaned forward.
“Did police investigate?”
“No report.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Elena refused.”
“Of course.”
Matteo looked ashamed.
“She believed someone in Gabriel’s family opposed finding you.”
“Why would anyone care?”
“Succession.”
I laughed.
“Try again without sounding like a medieval accountant.”
He almost smiled.
Did not.
“Elena’s marriage to Gabriel changed inheritance structures. After Ava’s birth, most personal assets passed to Ava through trusts. But Elena also held voting interests in the Romano Foundation.”
“And me?”
“You were her closest blood relative.”
“So?”
“If Elena died before finalizing certain trust revisions, a surviving sibling could have standing.”
My mouth went dry.
“I was worth something.”
“Legally.”
“Money.”
“Influence.”
“There it is.”
Matteo continued.
“Elena had cancer. She was ill. Once someone realized she found you, you became relevant.”
“Who?”
“We did not know.”
“So you decided I was safer if Elena thought I was someone else.”
“Yes.”
“You broke her heart.”
“Yes.”
“You broke mine before I even knew.”
“Yes.”
His voice remained steady.
No defense.
That helped almost nothing.
“Did Elena ever suspect?”
“No.”
“Did Gabriel?”
“No.”
“Does he know now?”
“No.”
I stood.
“Call him.”
Matteo’s face changed.
“Lily.”
“Call him.”
“He is with Ava.”
“Good. He can put the phone on speaker.”
Matteo did not move.
I took out my phone.
“I’ll do it.”
He reached.
Not for the phone.
Then stopped himself.
“Wait.”
“No.”
“There is more.”
Of course.
“What?”
“Elena changed the trust before she died.”
“So I have no claim.”
“Correct.”
“Then why keep lying?”
Matteo looked at the floor.
“Because by then the threat had become personal.”
“Who?”
“I found a note.”
“What note?”
“On my windshield.”
He took a photograph from his wallet.
Old.
Folded.
A printed line:
IF THE GIRL BECOMES FAMILY, SHE BECOMES LEVERAGE.
My skin went cold.
“When?”
“Two weeks after Elena’s funeral.”
“You kept this in your wallet for four years.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To remember why I did it.”
“No.”
He looked up.
“To justify it.”
That landed.
He accepted it.
Sal said quietly, “You should have told Gabriel.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Matteo’s face changed.
Fear.
“The note used wording from Gabriel’s father.”
I frowned.
“His father is alive?”
“No. Died six years ago.”
“Then?”
“Someone inside the family records had access to old correspondence.”
I sat.
“So you thought an insider threatened me.”
“Yes.”
“Did you investigate?”
“For years.”
“Find anyone?”
“Possibilities.”
“Names.”
He hesitated.
I stared.
“Matteo.”
“Gabriel’s uncle Paolo.”
“Who was at breakfast?”
“Yes.”
I remembered a thickset man who cheated at cards according to Ava.
“Why him?”
“He opposed Elena’s control of the foundation. He also had access to old trust records.”
“Anyone else?”
“Gabriel’s cousin Stefano.”
“Also breakfast?”
“Yes.”
“This is becoming a terrible holiday.”
Matteo continued.
“And Rosa.”
The silver-haired woman.
The one who recognized me.
I stared.
“Aunt Rosa?”
“She had access.”
“Do you suspect her?”
“No.”
“Then why name her?”
“Because access is a fact.”
Good.
I was learning.
“Did any of them know you lied to Elena?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“One person.”
“Who?”
“Elena’s lawyer.”
“What happened to him?”
“Dead.”
I closed my eyes.
“Natural causes?”
“Yes.”
“Actually?”
“Heart attack. Hospital. Witnesses.”
“Thank you for one ordinary death.”
Sal made a sound that might have been a laugh.
I called Gabriel.
He answered immediately.
“Lily?”
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Is Ava there?”
“Yes.”
“Put me on speaker.”
A pause.
“Okay.”
Ava shouted, “Hi!”
My heart hurt.
“Hi, Ava.”
Gabriel said, “What happened?”
I looked at Matteo.
He looked like a man waiting for a verdict.
“Matteo lied to Elena about finding me.”
Silence.
Then Gabriel said, “What?”
Ava whispered, “Dad?”
Gabriel’s voice changed.
“Matteo is with you?”
“Yes.”
“Put him on.”
“No.”
Another silence.
“Lily.”
“He talks after I finish.”
Gabriel exhaled.
“Okay.”
I told him.
Everything.
The search.
The fabricated Pennsylvania adoption.
The stolen file.
The note.
The names.
Gabriel did not interrupt.
At the end, he said one word.
“Matteo.”
Matteo leaned toward the phone.
“Yes.”
“Is it true?”
“Yes.”
The line went quiet.
I had never heard silence feel violent before.
Then Gabriel said, “Come home.”
Matteo closed his eyes.
“No.”
I looked at him.
Gabriel’s voice became colder.
“That was not a request.”
Matteo looked at me.
I hated the hierarchy in that moment.
“You don’t get to order him either.”
Gabriel went quiet.
I continued.
“He did something wrong because he thought he was protecting me. If you make this about obedience, you learn nothing.”
Sal stared at me.
Matteo stared at me.
Gabriel said, after a long pause, “You’re right.”
I sat back.
Ava whispered, “Is everyone mad?”
My heart broke.
“No, sweetheart.”
“That sounds like yes.”
“It is complicated.”
“Christmas is ruined?”
“No.”
“Promise?”
I almost said yes automatically.
Then stopped.
“I promise we can still eat cookies.”
She accepted that.
Gabriel told her to go upstairs with Rosa.
I heard footsteps.
Then his voice changed.
“Matteo.”
“Yes.”
“I want every file.”
“You’ll have them.”
“No missing pieces.”
“No.”
“No private decisions.”
Matteo looked at me.
“No.”
Then Gabriel said, “Lily.”
“Yes?”
“You should have been told.”
“I know.”
“Elena should have been told.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Good.”
He almost laughed.
Then he said, “Come tomorrow. Not for breakfast. For facts.”
I looked at Matteo.
He nodded.
“I’ll come.”
We ended the call.
Sal poured more coffee.
Matteo stood to leave.
I stopped him.
“Why did Ava find me last night?”
He looked confused.
“What?”
“She walked into Bellinis.”
“Yes.”
“Why was she on that street?”
Matteo’s face changed.
I stood.
“You said she was with you.”
“Yes.”
“Why there?”
Silence.
“Matteo.”
He looked toward Sal.
Then me.
“Because Elena left Ava a Christmas list.”
My heart started pounding.
“What list?”
“Things to do when she was old enough.”
“What was on it?”
He swallowed.
“Number seven.”
“Say it.”
“Visit Bellinis on Christmas Eve.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because Elena wrote: ‘If Sal ever found Lily, this is where she might be.’”
The room went silent.
Ava had not wandered into my restaurant by accident.
Her dead mother had sent her there years in advance.
Matteo had known the list existed.
May you like
He had brought Ava to the street.
And somehow, despite every lie he told to keep me away, he had allowed a seven-year-old child to walk twenty feet toward the truth.
