Page 26 of Angelo

Alessandro relayed the message to Benedetto.

Her grandfather's face darkened with disapproval. Benedetto muttered under his breath, "Mi aspettavo di più da te."I expected more from you.

Alessandro coughed. "He is a little... disappointed."

His translation was far too kind.

Elyse smiled warily at her grandfather. "I said—no more for today. But there will definitely be a next time. It's clear to me that I didn't prepare enough to take on a player like you. I'll practice more, though, so, hopefully, in time, it'll take you twice as long to beat me."

Alessandro continued to act as the go-between for the rest of Elyse's exchange with her grandfather, translating her words into Italian and Benedetto's words into English.

"Hai intenzione di perdere di nuovo con me? La prossima volta?"You intend to lose to me again? Next time?

"Yes," Elyse replied, "but I won't stop trying until I win."

Benedetto eyed her intently. "Non so se sono d'accordo con la tua strategia."I don't know if I agree with your strategy.

Elyse felt uneasy under the weight of his stare. "How come?"

Benedetto explained, "Possiamo permetterci di perdere molte volte negli scacchi, ma abbiamo solo una possibilità di vincere nella vita. I perdenti muoiono in Cosa Nostra."We can afford to lose many times in chess, but we only have one chance to win in life. Losers die in Cosa Nostra.

"True," Elyse agreed, "but I don't live my life the way I play chess. Games are just games. In real life, though, I know the difference between what I can afford to lose and what must be done.No matter the cost."

"E cosa pensi debba essere ottenuto a tutti i costi?"And what do you think must be achieved at all costs?

What was the answer that Benedetto wanted to hear? After a few moments of deliberation, Elyse answered, "Stability between our clans, so that everyone knows their place. It is the only way our businesses won't suffer losses."

Her grandfather's face finally broke into a shrewd smile. "Mi sento allo stesso modo, nipote. Per me tutto è un mezzo per un fine. Solo la linea di fondo è importante."I feel the same way, granddaughter. For me, everything is a means to an end. Only the bottom line matters.

"I'm glad we agree on something," mumbled Elyse.

He remarked rather unexpectedly, "Continuo a vedere tracce di Gianna in te, ma ora vedo che non sei per niente la figlia di mia figlia."I keep seeing traces of Gianna in you, but I see now that you're not my daughters' daughter at all.

Elyse's face fell. Had she failed to win over her grandfather's approval? She berated herself for speaking her mind. She should've let Alessandro do all of the talking. Now, their partnership wouldn't be as strong. Her grandfather was old school, after all, traditional-minded, like Vincenzo, men of a generation who believed that women ought to be seen and not heard.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled in an attempt to backpedal a little and remedy the error in her judgment, "what I meant to say was—"

Benedetto interrupted her quietly, "Vuoi sapere come è morta tua madre?"Do you want to know how your mother died?

Her heart stopped for a moment. She hadn't expected her grandfather to bring up this tragedy on his own. From the corner of her eye, Elyse noticed Alessandro's face growing stiff with shock as well. Her husband was eyeing Benedetto with uncertainty. He appeared to be as caught off guard as she felt.

Curiosity unfurled beside a sense of dread. Elyse nodded with a slightly dazed and fearful expression. "Please tell me.”

"Suicidio," came her grandfather's emotionless reply.

6

Suicide?

A sharp ache struck her chest. Elyse was no stranger to patients who'd chosen death to escape their pain. She'd tried to save quite a few of them back in the emergency room. Sometimes, Elyse was able to revive them. Other times, she failed despite her best efforts. Every life that she'd lost was devastating. But to learn that the woman who gave her life had ended her own?Mierda. It cut even deeper. Torrents of emotion rattled through Elyse. Tears blurred her vision. Her lashes fluttered as she blinked them away.

God rest her mother's soul.

The sorrow was laced with confusion, though. She wondered what prompted her grandfather to bring it up. Cautiously, Elyse mumbled, "I hope she's in a better place now."

"Solo Dio lo sa,"came Benedetto's gruff reply.Only God knows.

In somber tones, Alessandro offered,"Possa riposare in pace." May she rest in peace.

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