Chapter 19
Nolan left prison when Leo was seventeen.
His release conditions kept him away from Bellandi finances, minors without supervision, and any organizational role.
He moved into a small apartment outside the city.
No family estate.
No old office.
No capos greeting him at the door.
For three months, he contacted nobody except through attorneys.
Then Leo asked to meet.
Mia did not.
Serafina did not try to align them.
The meeting took place inside Dr. Patel’s office.
Nolan looked older.
Thinner.
He stood when Leo entered.
Then stopped himself from approaching.
“Hi.”
Leo sat.
“Hi.”
The silence became uncomfortable quickly.
Leo finally asked:
“Do you miss it?”
Nolan expected something else.
“Miss what?”
“Power.”
Nolan laughed once.
“Yes.”
Leo looked surprised.
“I thought you were supposed to say no.”
“I miss people answering immediately. I miss walking into rooms and knowing nobody would challenge me.”
“That sounds bad.”
“It was convenient.”
“Do you want it back?”
“Sometimes.”
“That doesn’t sound rehabilitated.”
Nolan smiled sadly.
“Rehabilitation is not wanting nothing bad ever again.”
Leo considered that.
“Then what is it?”
“Knowing wanting something does not give you permission.”
The sentence sounded like therapy.
It also sounded true.
Leo asked about Victor.
“Do you still talk to him?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“He still thinks everything happened because I betrayed him.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
Leo frowned.
“That sounded too easy.”
“I betrayed him after years of helping him. I also cooperated with investigators because he tried to put everything on me.”
“So both.”
“Yes.”
“Do you hate him?”
“Yes.”
“Do you love him?”
Nolan looked down.
“Yes.”
Leo became quiet.
Family had trained him to expect one answer to cancel the other.
It did not.
Then Nolan asked:
“How is Mia?”
Leo’s face hardened slightly.
“She doesn’t want contact.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t ask me to tell her anything.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were about to.”
Nolan stopped.
Then nodded.
“You’re right.”
The correction came faster now.
That mattered.
The meeting ended after forty minutes.
Leo agreed to another someday.
No schedule.
No promise.
Outside, Serafina waited.
“How was it?”
“He still misses power.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“At least he’s honest.”
“Do you?”
The question surprised her.
“Miss what?”
“Being hidden.”
Serafina understood.
For years, secret authority had protected the children from public attention.
It had also created conditions Victor exploited.
“Sometimes.”
“Why?”
“Visible power attracts people who want something.”
“Hidden power attracts people who lie about it.”
“Yes.”
Leo nodded.
“You and Nolan have more in common than you’d like.”
“That was unnecessary.”
He smiled.
At home, Mia asked whether Nolan cried.
“No.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Boring.”
Leo looked at her.
“You still don’t want to see him?”
“No.”
“Okay.”
She stared.
“You’re not going to tell me he changed?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m still figuring out what I think.”
May you like
Mia nodded.
That answer she trusted.
