Chapter 5 - Norah’s Only Demand
Norah contacted Matteo through Rebecca Sloan six days later.
Not personally.
A letter.
Matteo sat alone in his study while Luca watched from the doorway.
The letter contained no location.
No plea.
No apology.
Matteo,
I am safe.
The baby is safe.
I have not provided information about your businesses to law enforcement. I have no desire to become part of your war with the government or anyone else.
I took money because I believed leaving without resources would put our child and me at risk. I will account for it through counsel.
I am not returning to the house.
I am not returning to the marriage.
Do not send men to find me.
Do not contact doctors.
Do not contact my friends.
Do not make threats through family.
If you want any chance of knowing your son, you will learn to speak through people who are not afraid of you.
Norah.
Matteo read the last line repeatedly.
If you want any chance of knowing your son.
Not our son.
Your son.
A possibility.
Conditional.
The most powerful man in his world had been reduced to requesting access through counsel.
His instinct was rage.
His second instinct was action.
Find the lawyer.
Follow her.
Buy someone.
Pressure someone.
Then he saw the line again.
You will learn to speak through people who are not afraid of you.
Matteo leaned back.
Luca said, “Well?”
“She thinks she can dictate whether I see my son.”
Luca crossed his arms.
“She can certainly influence it.”
“She stole millions.”
“You can raise that legally.”
Matteo looked disgusted.
“Legally.”
“Yes.”
“What do I know about family court?”
“Probably less than you should.”
Matteo almost smiled.
Almost.
He hired a family-law attorney.
A legitimate one.
Margaret Chen.
Fifty-eight.
Former prosecutor.
No fear.
She came to the estate and refused scotch.
That alone annoyed him.
She read Norah’s letter.
Then said:
“You have a problem.”
Matteo looked around his fifteen-million-dollar study.
“I have several.”
“No. In my area, you have one major problem.”
“What?”
“Your wife is afraid of you.”
“She knows I would never hurt her.”
Margaret stared.
“Does she?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did she flee while seven months pregnant?”
Silence.
“She took money.”
“That is separate.”
“She copied financial access.”
“Also separate.”
“She disappeared.”
“Because she believed openly leaving was unsafe.”
“You are accepting her version.”
“I am telling you what a judge may care about.”
Matteo’s jaw tightened.
“I keep my family safe.”
“From whom?”
“Everyone.”
Margaret leaned forward.
“And who keeps them safe from you?”
The question insulted him.
Then disturbed him.
“I never hit her.”
Margaret did not blink.
“That is an extremely low standard to present proudly.”
Luca turned away so Matteo would not see the hint of amusement.
Margaret continued.
“Have you threatened people in her presence?”
Silence.
“Have armed men guarded the home?”
“Yes.”
“Does she understand what happens to people who cross you?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever told her she could take your child and leave whenever she wanted?”
Matteo frowned.
“Why would I say that?”
“Exactly.”
Then Margaret explained something Matteo hated.
If he wanted meaningful contact before the birth, he needed to establish predictability.
No private investigators.
No unannounced arrival.
No security men contacting Norah.
No threats.
No financial retaliation.
Communications through counsel.
Voluntary disclosure of certain legitimate resources.
Agreement that the child would not be exposed to criminal associates.
Matteo laughed.
“You think I’m signing that?”
Margaret closed her folder.
“Then enjoy photographs.”
He stared.
She stood.
“I don’t work for men who want legal advice only when it sounds like permission.”
Luca smiled openly now.
Matteo ignored him.
“Sit down.”
Margaret did.
Three hours later, Matteo signed the first interim agreement.
Not everything Norah requested.
Enough.
Contact through attorneys.
No search.
No threats.
No removal of funds from legitimate accounts Norah might need for medical care.
No attempt to interfere with her treatment.
Then came the question of the twenty percent.
Norah’s lawyers proposed putting the transferred money into escrow.
A substantial amount would remain available for living expenses, medical costs, security, and legal representation.
Ownership could be resolved later.
Matteo hated it.
Then Margaret said:
“If you freeze everything, you confirm her fear that money is how you control her.”
He signed.
That night, Matteo walked into the nursery.
It had been finished months earlier.
Dark green walls.
Walnut crib.
A rocking chair Norah chose.
He had mocked the price.
Then paid it without looking.
On the shelf sat a silver frame.
Ultrasound image.
Twenty-two weeks.
He picked it up.
His son.
Not an heir.
Not yet.
Just a small profile.
Matteo sat in the rocking chair.
For the first time since Norah disappeared, he cried.
Not loudly.
No one heard.
The following morning, Margaret called.
“Norah agreed to a video call.”
Matteo stood so fast the chair moved.
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“With her?”
“Yes.”
“And the baby?”
Margaret paused.
“She is still pregnant, Matteo.”
He closed his eyes.
“I know.”
At eight, the encrypted call connected.
Norah appeared on screen.
Different room.
Plain wall.
Hair tied back.
No diamonds.
No makeup.
Pregnant.
Alive.
Matteo could not speak.
Norah looked at him.
“Hello.”
His throat tightened.
“You look tired.”
Her expression almost changed.
“Pregnancy.”
He nodded.
Silence.
Then:
“Come home.”
Norah closed her eyes.
Not in fear.
Disappointment.
“Matteo.”
“I can protect you.”
“That is the problem.”
He stared.
“I don’t need you to protect me from leaving you.”
His face hardened.
Then softened.
“What do you want?”
Norah rested one hand on her stomach.
“A life where our son never learns that fear is the same thing as respect.”
Matteo could not answer.
She continued.
“If you want to be his father, become someone he does not need protection from.”
The call ended twenty minutes later.
Matteo remained staring at the black screen long after she disappeared.
May you like
For the first time in his life, love had given him an order he could not enforce.
He could only choose whether to obey it.
