Chapter 17
The meeting took place in Dr. Price’s office.
Not the Romano estate.
Not Javier’s apartment.
Not a family restaurant where older relatives could wander in and turn apology into reunion.
Javier entered last.
He looked older than Leo remembered.
Not dramatically.
Just smaller somehow.
No tailored three-piece suit.
No family pin.
No men waiting outside.
The first thing Leo noticed was that Javier remained standing.
“Can I sit?”
Leo almost laughed.
“You don’t need my permission.”
Javier looked at him.
“I wanted it anyway.”
Leo nodded toward the chair.
Javier sat.
Dr. Price reminded them that Leo could end the meeting at any time.
Then Leo asked his question immediately.
“If your project hadn’t lost its investor, would you have told Dad about Clara?”
Javier’s face changed.
He had probably prepared for questions about the lawn.
Not that one.
“I want to say yes.”
“That usually means no.”
Javier looked down.
“Probably not immediately.”
Leo’s jaw tightened.
“Why?”
“Because exposing Clara would have destroyed your father’s engagement. It would have caused investigations. I would have told myself I needed more proof.”
“You already knew she forged the loan.”
“Yes.”
“So you had proof.”
“Yes.”
“Then what were you waiting for?”
Javier exhaled.
“A version where I didn’t have to be the person who blew up the family.”
Leo stared at him.
“Then your project failed.”
“Yes.”
“And suddenly the stolen money helped you.”
“Yes.”
“So you became part of it.”
“Yes.”
Leo leaned back.
Dante listened from the adjoining room.
He hated every answer.
He also respected that Javier was not editing them.
Leo asked:
“Did you think I was going to tell Dad about the envelope?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you just let me?”
“Because by then the loan was in default. I knew investigators would find the altered reports too.”
“So you hurt me to protect yourself.”
“Yes.”
“And Mia?”
“She tried to reach you. I pushed her.”
“She was seven.”
“I know.”
“You didn’t even need anything from her.”
“No.”
The room became quiet.
Javier’s eyes filled.
Leo did not comfort him.
After a moment, Javier said:
“There’s something I need you to know.”
Leo’s expression hardened.
“If it starts with ‘but,’ don’t.”
“It doesn’t.”
Javier swallowed.
“You were right not to give me the envelope.”
Leo looked almost irritated.
“I know.”
Javier nodded.
“Good.”
That answer surprised Leo.
Adults often expected children to receive moral validation as a gift.
Leo no longer needed Javier to tell him he had been right.
He had known for years.
The meeting lasted thirty-two minutes.
At the end Javier asked nothing.
No second meeting.
No handshake.
No photograph.
He stood.
“Thank you for hearing me.”
Leo looked at him.
“I’m not forgiving you today.”
“I understand.”
“I might never.”
“I understand.”
“Stop saying that like you’re passing a test.”
Javier froze.
Then nodded once.
“You’re right.”
Leo left.
Dante met him in the hallway.
“How was it?”
“Bad.”
“Do you regret going?”
“No.”
Those two answers fit together.
On the drive home Leo watched trees pass the window.
Finally he said:
“He’s different.”
“Maybe.”
“You don’t believe him?”
“I believe he answered honestly today.”
“That’s not the same.”
“No.”
Leo smiled slightly.
“You and Claire ruined simple answers for me.”
“You’re welcome.”
When they reached home, Mia waited near the stairs.
She pretended she had not been waiting.
Leo handed her nothing.
Told her nothing.
She had asked not to be included.
Later that night she knocked on his bedroom door.
“What did he say about me?”
Leo looked at her.
“You said you didn’t want anything.”
“I changed my mind about one thing.”
He considered the boundary.
Then answered only what belonged to her.
“He said he pushed you because you tried to help me. He said it was wrong.”
Mia stared at the floor.
“Did he cry?”
“A little.”
“Good.”
Leo laughed.
Mia did too.
Then she became serious.
“I still don’t want to see him.”
May you like
“You don’t have to.”
For the first time, she believed her brother meant it without wishing she would change.
