Page 126 of Righteous Deceit
I rub my eyes. “I can’t tell you off the top of my head. I spent a long time finding the right words. I thought it was what you wanted.”
He hands me the envelope. “Luckily, I have it handy. Go on, read it. Tell me what you couldn’t say to me in person.”
“I tried to speak to you in person.” I take the envelope reluctantly, staring at him.
He stares back. “Not hard enough. How many times were you at your brother’s obnoxious fucking mansion over the past seven days, Sia?”
I choose my silence.
A lot. Awholefucking lot.
I know my brother. I should’ve suspected he was up to something.
I swallow loudly enough to be heard in the studio, but I tear at the sleeve and pull out the papers, all marked with stickers indicating where Diego needs to sign to end our marriage.
He’s close enough that I can hear his heavy breathing. His shoulders almost heave with the action. He’s angry, and he’s happy for me to know it.
“Read it.”
I clear my throat. “My dearest Diego. I love you.”
“No.” He stops me with sharpness in the syllable. “You don’t get to tell me you love me for the first time when you’re trying to leave me.”
He pulls the papers from my hand and throws them to the floor. “Tell me why, if you love me and you know damn fucking well that I love you, why you think we should get divorced.”
He told me he loved me before he knew the truth.
“I was trying to prot—”
“If you tell me you’re protecting me, I swear to god, Sia.”
“Youandmy brother.”
He stares at me blankly.
“You have the power to destroy Chicago, Diego. I know you owe me nothing, but I’m asking anyway. You have your freedom. I never should have caught you up in this web of deceit cast over my life. I’m sorry. I’ll walk away so you can have your life back. It’s the only thing I have left to offer you. All I’m asking is that you don’t destroy me and Salvatore.”
He moves to speak, but I cut him off.
“Please, Diego.” I stand, pushing my hands together in prayer. “I know you’re loyal. I know family is everything to you, and I know I’m asking you to turn your back on it all. But it’s just this once. Just one small untruth that I’m begging you to keep.”
“You’remy family.”
My hands drop to my sides. “What?”
“You said family is everything to me. You’re my family,tesoruccio.You.”
“Diego.”
He steps closer. “You’re the only fucking thing I need to protect in this world.”
I drop my face to hide my tears, but he lifts my chin, forcing me to look him in the eyes.
“Why are you allowed to protect and love me, but I’m not allowed to protect and love you?”
“I didn’t think…”
“You didn’t think I loved you enough to give zero fucks about how Edoardo Bianchi died? He’s dead, and the world is a better place. I wish the world knew what a fucking fighter you were at seventeen, but I understand. Telling anyone about what I now know didn’t even cross my mind.”