Chapter 14 - Roman’s Last Order
The house looked smaller than Roman remembered.
He stood outside the iron gates for almost a minute without moving.
Sadie watched him.
Seventeen Hawthorne Drive was not a mansion by modern standards, though it had once seemed enormous to a thirteen-year-old boy.
Stone walls.
Dark shutters.
Overgrown garden.
Victor had kept it untouched.
A mausoleum disguised as real estate.
“You okay?” Sadie asked.
“No.”
She appreciated the answer.
Roman opened the gate.
Inside, dust covered the entrance hall.
A grandfather clock stood silent.
Roman touched the staircase railing.
“I used to slide down this.”
Sadie raised an eyebrow.
“You?”
“I was fun once.”
“I require evidence.”
His smile faded as memories returned.
“My mother died here.”
Sadie had known Roman’s mother died when he was eleven.
“Cancer?”
“Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
Roman looked at her.
“Please don’t ruin every childhood fact in one week.”
Despite everything, Sadie laughed.
The sound echoed.
Roman smiled.
Then they searched.
Victor said Rebecca’s recording was inside Anthony’s old house.
Where?
Roman led her upstairs.
His father’s study remained almost untouched.
Desk.
Books.
A photograph of young Roman with Anthony.
Sadie picked it up.
Roman was smiling.
Wild hair.
Missing front tooth.
He looked ordinary.
“It’s weird.”
“What?”
“Seeing evidence you were a child.”
Roman leaned against the desk.
“I was born thirty-five.”
She smiled.
They checked drawers.
Nothing.
Then Sadie noticed a red spine among the books.
The Count of Monte Cristo.
Her pulse jumped.
Roman saw it.
“Your mother’s book?”
“No.”
Different copy.
Sadie pulled it out.
The center had been carved.
Inside was a cassette tape.
She laughed softly.
“Daniel learned the trick somewhere.”
Roman found an old player.
Rebecca’s voice filled the study.
“Nora, if you ever hear this, I owe you an apology.”
Sadie sat.
Roman moved toward the door.
She looked at him.
“Stay.”
He stopped.
Then sat several feet away.
Rebecca explained she knew she was dying.
She had hidden the key with Nora because Victor never paid attention to children unless he could use them.
Daniel knew.
Evelyn knew.
Anthony knew.
Rebecca’s voice trembled.
“I wanted you to have an ordinary life.”
Sadie’s eyes filled.
“That was my mistake. There is no ordinary life built on secrets.”
Roman watched her silently.
Rebecca continued.
Then came the part about Roman.
“If Anthony’s son ever enters your life, do not judge him only by his father, and do not forgive him only because of his father.”
Roman looked down.
“People are responsible for what they choose after they learn the truth.”
Sadie breathed slowly.
Rebecca seemed to speak directly across decades.
“Love does not require you to surrender judgment.”
Sadie glanced at Roman.
“Forgiveness does not require reunion.”
His jaw tightened.
“And if someone truly loves you, they will never ask you to become smaller so they can feel safer.”
Sadie closed her eyes.
Every argument.
Every bodyguard.
Every controlled choice.
Roman heard it too.
The recording continued.
“Nora, choose the life that lets you recognize yourself.”
Then Rebecca said goodbye.
Sadie cried quietly.
Roman remained silent.
When the tape ended, he stood.
“I’m going to leave.”
She wiped her face.
“Why?”
“You should have this moment.”
“Stay.”
Roman looked surprised.
Sadie held out her hand.
After a pause, he took it.
No ownership.
No pulling.
Just warmth.
They sat together.
Eventually Sadie asked, “What’s your last order?”
Roman frowned.
“My what?”
“You’ve spent half your life giving orders.”
He thought.
“I don’t know.”
“Make it a good one.”
Roman looked around his childhood study.
Then he took out his phone and called his attorney.
“Sell every remaining legal holding that depends on Vale organization contracts.”
Sadie listened.
Roman continued.
“Set aside money for employee transitions.”
Pause.
“Yes.”
Another pause.
“No offshore transfers.”
He glanced toward Sadie.
“Everything transparent.”
He ended the call.
“That’s not an order,” she said.
“What is it?”
“A beginning.”
Roman looked at her.
“My last order should probably be dramatic.”
“You do enjoy theater.”
He thought again.
Then called Tommy’s attorney.
“Tell Tommy I’m paying his legal fees.”
Sadie raised an eyebrow.
Roman said, “Not to avoid accountability.”
She relaxed.
“To make sure he gets competent representation.”
He ended the call.
Then called one final person.
Arthur.
Sadie laughed.
Roman ignored her.
“Arthur.”
Pause.
“No, nothing is wrong.”
Pause.
“Stop apologizing.”
Sadie covered her mouth.
Roman sighed.
“I want you to offer Sadie her job back.”
Sadie’s eyes widened.
Roman continued.
“If she wants it.”
Pause.
“No, don’t fire anyone.”
Pause.
“Yes. Goodbye.”
He ended the call.
Sadie stared.
“You called my manager?”
“Former manager.”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“You asked for a last order.”
“That was terrible.”
Roman smiled.
“Fine.”
He looked at her.
“No more orders.”
Sadie’s expression softened.
“Ever?”
“Let’s not become unrealistic.”
She laughed.
Then his phone rang.
Sloan.
Roman answered.
His face changed.
“What?”
Sadie’s smile disappeared.
Roman listened.
Then looked at her.
“Victor escaped transport.”
Sadie stood.
“How?”
“Vehicle ambush.”
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“Where is he?”
“They don’t know.”
Roman went still.
Then he looked toward the old house windows.
Sadie understood.
Victor had one unfinished obsession.
Northstar was gone.
His empire exposed.
His influence collapsing.
Only two people remained who represented his defeat.
Roman.
And Nora.
A sound came from downstairs.
The front door.
Roman moved toward the study entrance.
Sadie caught his hand.
“No old Roman.”
He nodded.
Together they approached the staircase.
Victor Hale stood in the foyer.
Alone.
No entourage.
No perfect suit.
A stolen coat hung from his shoulders.
He looked twenty years older than he had at Lombardi’s.
In his hand was no gun.
Only an old photograph of Anthony Vale.
Roman stared.
Victor looked up.
“Home.”
Roman’s voice was flat.
“This was never yours.”
Victor smiled sadly.
“I know.”
Sadie descended beside Roman.
Victor looked at her.
“Rebecca’s daughter.”
“Nora.”
“Yes.”
Victor nodded.
“No more Sadie?”
Sadie thought about it.
“Both.”
Victor seemed to understand.
Outside, distant sirens approached.
Victor heard them.
“I don’t have long.”
Roman remained still.
“Why are you here?”
Victor looked around.
“Because this is where everything began.”
Roman’s jaw tightened.
Victor continued.
“I wanted to see whether anything remained.”
“Of what?”
“Us.”
Roman stared.
“There was never an us.”
Victor flinched.
For the first time, genuinely.
“I raised you.”
“You manufactured dependence.”
“I loved you.”
Roman’s expression cracked.
“That’s the worst part.”
Victor looked down.
Roman continued.
“I think you believe that.”
Victor’s eyes filled unexpectedly.
Sadie watched two men separated by decades of manipulation.
“I gave you a kingdom,” Victor whispered.
Roman shook his head.
“You gave me a cage large enough to mistake for one.”
Sirens grew louder.
Victor closed his eyes.
Then he reached inside his coat.
Roman stepped in front of Sadie.
Victor removed no weapon.
Only a second cassette.
He tossed it onto the floor.
“Anthony’s final recording.”
Roman stared.
“I never listened.”
“Why?”
Victor smiled bitterly.
“Cowardice.”
Police lights appeared through the windows.
Victor held up his hands.
Roman looked at the tape.
Then at Victor.
The man who killed his father.
Controlled his youth.
Built his empire.
Destroyed Daniel.
Nearly destroyed Nora.
Roman could have attacked him.
Instead he stepped aside.
Police rushed through the door.
Victor was arrested.
Again.
This time he did not resist.
As agents led him away, he looked back at Roman.
“Was I ever your father?”
Roman’s face tightened.
Then he answered.
“No.”
Victor nodded.
Painfully.
“Goodbye, Roman.”
He disappeared outside.
Sadie looked at the cassette on the floor.
Roman did not pick it up.
“Don’t you want to hear it?”
“Yes.”
“Then why aren’t you?”
Roman looked at her.
“Because for once, I don’t need the dead to tell me who I should become.”
Sadie felt tears sting her eyes.
Roman reached for her hand.
Stopped.
Waited.
She closed the distance herself.
And for the first time since she had run from him three years ago, Nora Callahan held Roman Vale’s hand because she wanted to.
But wanting him was not the same as choosing a future with him.
That choice still waited.
May you like
And Roman’s sentencing was approaching.
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