Chapter 7 - Santorini Was Never Paradise
Harper Sinclair returned to Boston furious.
She had expected Matteo to contact her after several days.
He did not.
A week passed.
Then two.
The credit card he had given her remained active, but the silence became unbearable.
Harper had never expected Matteo to leave Norah.
That was not the arrangement.
She wanted excitement, access, luxury.
Matteo wanted escape.
Neither called it love.
Then Santorini changed everything.
The moment Norah disappeared, Harper became irrelevant.
That insult hurt more than losing Matteo.
So she began talking.
Not publicly at first.
Friends.
Stylists.
A former boyfriend.
Pieces of information passed through Boston nightlife.
Matteo’s travel.
His moods.
Restaurants.
Cars.
Which properties he used.
Most was harmless.
Some was not.
Victor Salvi noticed.
Victor also noticed Matteo was considering leaving the organization.
So he made a calculation.
If Matteo wanted to surrender power, somebody would take it.
Victor preferred that somebody be him.
Harper became useful.
He approached her through an intermediary.
Harper thought the man represented a journalist willing to pay for information.
She talked.
Victor listened.
Neither understood that federal investigators were already listening to several people around them.
Meanwhile, Matteo met with attorneys.
The conversation was grim.
“You don’t simply resign from a criminal organization,” attorney Philip Grant said.
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
Matteo leaned forward.
“I want legitimate assets separated.”
“Possible.”
“Employees who aren’t involved protected.”
“Potentially.”
“I want my family insulated.”
Grant removed his glasses.
“That’s harder.”
“What would cooperation look like?”
The attorney stared.
Matteo Rossi asking about cooperation was almost unimaginable.
“You’re considering becoming an informant?”
“No.”
“Then define cooperation.”
“I’m considering ending operations I control and accepting whatever legal exposure follows.”
Grant leaned back.
“Why?”
Matteo did not hesitate.
“My daughter.”
Grant studied him.
“I’ve represented men who found religion, cancer, betrayal, and fear. A daughter is new.”
Matteo almost smiled.
“She isn’t even born yet.”
“Children are efficient.”
Matteo’s phone buzzed.
Evelyn Vale.
He stood immediately.
“Excuse me.”
He answered in the hall.
“Is she okay?”
“Yes.”
The question had become automatic.
Evelyn said, “Norah wants to speak with you.”
Matteo stopped breathing.
“When?”
“Now.”
A second line connected.
Then silence.
“Norah?”
Her voice came quietly.
“Hi.”
Matteo gripped the phone.
He had heard gunshots with less impact.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Sofia?”
“Also fine.”
He closed his eyes.
“I’m glad.”
Silence.
Matteo refused to fill it.
Norah finally said, “Evelyn told me you stopped looking.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“You asked me to.”
Another silence.
The answer was so simple that it almost hurt.
Norah said, “The old you wouldn’t have.”
“I know.”
“Are you angry?”
“Yes.”
“At me?”
Matteo considered.
“No.”
“Then what?”
“Myself.”
Norah exhaled.
“I’m filing the divorce papers next week.”
Matteo’s chest tightened.
“I expected that.”
“You’ll receive them through your attorney.”
“Okay.”
“You’re not going to fight?”
“No.”
Her voice became suspicious.
“Why?”
“Because you want a divorce.”
“That never stopped you from fighting anything before.”
He almost laughed.
“You’re right.”
“Matteo…”
“I don’t want to trap you into staying married to prove I changed.”
Norah said nothing.
He continued.
“If you come back because I blocked the door, you didn’t come back.”
Something caught in Norah’s throat.
Matteo heard it.
He nearly asked where she was.
Instead he said, “Do you have everything you need medically?”
“Yes.”
“Money?”
“Yes.”
“Security?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Norah surprised him.
“You sound different.”
“I’m trying to be.”
“Why?”
Matteo looked through the hallway windows.
“Because Keller says if I’m changing only to get you back, then I haven’t changed.”
“Keller?”
“My therapist.”
Norah laughed.
A genuine laugh.
Matteo smiled before he could stop himself.
“You have a therapist?”
“I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“No.”
Her laughter softened.
For ten seconds, they sounded married again.
Then silence returned.
Norah said, “I should go.”
“Okay.”
“Matteo?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t hate you.”
His eyes closed.
“I know.”
“You don’t.”
“No.”
His voice became rough.
“I hoped.”
Norah swallowed.
“I hate what happened to us.”
“So do I.”
“I hate that you made me feel stupid.”
“You weren’t.”
“I was.”
“No.”
For the first time, Matteo interrupted firmly.
“You trusted your husband. That was supposed to be safe.”
Norah stopped speaking.
Matteo’s throat tightened.
“I made it unsafe.”
She whispered, “Yes.”
He forced himself to accept the word.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
The call ended.
Matteo remained in the hallway for several minutes.
When he returned, Grant studied him.
“Wife?”
“Yes.”
“How bad?”
“She’s divorcing me.”
Grant waited.
Matteo sat.
“And I’m going to let her.”
That evening, Harper received a message from an unknown number.
Mr. Salvi appreciates your assistance.
She stared at it.
A second message arrived.
He would like to meet personally.
Harper’s stomach tightened.
She suddenly understood the man she had been speaking with was not a journalist.
She called Matteo.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
She sent a message.
I think I made a mistake.
Matteo did not see it until midnight.
By then, Harper had already agreed to meet Victor.
And Victor had decided the easiest way to prevent Matteo from dismantling the organization was to create a crisis large enough to force the old Matteo Rossi back into power.
He simply needed the right target.
A pregnant wife nobody could locate would have been ideal.
But if Victor could not reach Norah, he could reach the next best thing.
May you like
Her attorney.
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