Chapter 6 - SHE WALKED AWAY FROM THE MAFIA KING
By Friday morning, Martin Harrow’s plan had begun collapsing.
Financial auditors discovered irregularities across several jointly managed companies.
Silas Creed disappeared for eighteen hours, then surrendered through an attorney after learning investigators possessed Owen’s files.
He did not confess to killing Owen.
He did, however, admit the attack that night had been intended to frighten him into surrendering evidence.
Something had gone wrong.
A car had struck a barrier during the confrontation.
Owen had died before reaching the hospital.
Martin Harrow had spent three years helping bury the truth under money and loyalty.
Roman listened to the statement once.
Then turned it off.
“You don’t want to hear the rest?” Elliot asked.
“I’ve spent three years wanting a villain simple enough to hate.”
Roman looked through the hospital window where Mara was walking slowly with a nurse.
“The truth is uglier.”
Owen had been threatened.
Silas had participated.
Martin had paid.
But Roman’s brother had also chosen to meet them alone because he thought exposing the conspiracy himself would protect Roman.
Everyone had made choices.
Some criminal.
Some arrogant.
Some loving.
Some fatal.
No single revelation made the dead return.
That afternoon, investigators took Celeste away for formal questioning regarding the forged medical document, unlawful access to private records, and the medication she admitted giving Mara without consent.
Roman watched from the end of the hallway.
Celeste looked back once.
Months earlier he might have seen beauty.
Now he saw consequence.
She disappeared into the elevator.
Mara stood beside him.
“You loved her?” she asked.
Roman looked surprised.
“No.”
“You let her sleep in our wing.”
“Yes.”
“You took her to dinners.”
“Yes.”
“You believed her before me.”
His voice fell.
“Yes.”
Mara looked straight ahead.
“Sometimes betrayal doesn’t need sex.”
Roman absorbed that.
“I know.”
“No. You know now.”
He nodded.
“You’re right.”
Mara returned to her room.
He did not follow until she said he could.
She was discharged six days later.
Roman expected her to return home.
She didn’t.
When his driver brought the car around, Mara gave him an address in Brooklyn.
Roman looked at her.
“That’s your sister’s apartment.”
“Yes.”
“You’re not coming home?”
“No.”
The word nearly broke him.
Mara looked through the open car door.
“I need somewhere that doesn’t remind me of being watched.”
“I can leave the house.”
“This isn’t about where you sleep.”
“Mara—”
“You keep trying to solve emotional damage with geography.”
He closed his mouth.
She took a breath.
“I don’t know whether I still want this marriage.”
Roman’s eyes lowered.
“I understand.”
“No, you don’t. And neither do I.”
She touched her stomach.
“I loved you through everything because I thought loyalty meant staying. I’m starting to think sometimes loyalty to yourself means leaving long enough to hear your own thoughts.”
Roman nodded slowly.
“What do you need from me?”
“A husband who doesn’t make me responsible for teaching him how to be decent.”
His face tightened.
“And financially?”
“I have money.”
“You never used your accounts.”
“Because every time I bought something, somebody reported it to you.”
Roman looked ashamed.
“I didn’t know that.”
“That sentence has done enough work in our marriage.”
He winced.
Mara softened only slightly.
“I’m not trying to punish you.”
“I know.”
“I need distance.”
“You’ll have it.”
“And the baby appointments?”
Roman waited.
“What would you like?”
Mara looked at him for a long moment.
“You can come.”
His eyes filled.
She continued before hope could mislead him.
“That is not forgiveness.”
“I know.”
“That is not me coming home.”
“I know.”
“It means you’re her father.”
Roman nodded.
“That’s enough.”
Mara got into the car.
Roman closed the door.
May you like
For the first time since she had met him, the most powerful man in her world stood on a sidewalk unable to command the thing he wanted.
She thought that might be good for him.
