Page 141 of Hidden Memories

Enzo leans against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, his dark eyes unreadable behind his Clark Kent glasses. Rio is at the far end of the room, also near the window, his stance casual but alert, sleeves rolled up exposing all those tattoos one might not expect from the CEO of one of America’s fastest-growing tech companies. The twins are so different yet so alike in looking for answers out in the landscape.

Even though Santi’s warmth radiates, I’m close enough to feel it, for some reason, I can’t shake the idea that there’s still a chasm between us—one I’m not sure how to cross. We’re here together, yes, but what comes next could change everything. If this case doesn’t close soon, can I put Owen’s foster application at risk? What would Santi and I even do? Remain friends until this is all finally put right?

The thought of me not having him after losing him once makes my heart sink. Not when I’ve come this far.

“All right,” Ava starts, her fingers flying over her keyboard.

She’s not one for pleasantries when it comes to her work. She’s so young and yet so commanding in her element.

“Let’s get to it. The evidence Paul brought forward to the FBI wasn’t just useful; it was a bombshell. Financial records, backdoor communications, blackmail… You name it, Nic’s empire is in shambles because of it.”

Relief runs through me. For all his faults, my father did something right. Finally. Too bad that relief is tempered byyears of disappointment and anger that also still simmers beneath the surface.

“So Nic’s going down?” Tension is coiled around Santi’s every word.

Ava glances up, her eyes sharp. “Nic’s cracked. The pressure from the evidence, plus the FBI’s interrogation, forced his hand. He’s taken a plea bargain.”

“What does that mean?” I ask. “For us? And the threat Nic left…”

Enzo steps forward, arms folded across his chest. “He’s cooperating fully with the FBI in exchange for a reduced sentence. He’s exposed the ’Ndrangheta’s operations. Names, locations, financial pipelines… everything.”

“He turned on the ’Ndrangheta?” Santi asks.

“He doesn’t have a choice thanks to the additional evidence and a few other links we’ve exposed here at GhostEye,” Ava replies. “The FBI’s making sure he’s protected, but let’s be real—for a reduced sentence he’ll have to burn every bridge he has. He’ll need to offer significant intel.”

Enzo leans on the table. “The ’Ndrangheta will be scrambling now. When this kind of thing happens, an organization needs to scatter. They’ll be more focused on cleaning up their mess.” A beat. “And finding someone who will take care of Nic in prison.”

Rio still stares out the window. “Karma is a bitch.”

Enzo pulls together his eyebrows as though he agrees with his brother. “While the ’Ndrangheta stays out of sight they won’t be worried about coming after Kat. Also, they’ll know you don’t have anything else; intimidation won’t serve any purpose. I’d think you’re off their radar. At least for now.”

The words should be reassuring. They should let me breathe easier. But criminals like the ’Ndrangheta havenever been predictable. They spend decades learning how to slither through the cracks of justice, rebuilding their power from the shadows. And I know one thing for sure—monsters don’t disappear just because the lights are on.

Ava reaches out and touches my arm reassuringly. “We’ll get them before they have a chance to emerge. We’re working on it with the FBI. Truly, what your dad brought to the table has made a huge impact on the speed of this investigation.”

“So what will happen to Paul?” Santi’s words are softer now, for my benefit, I’m sure.

He knows, want to or not, I can’t untangle my heart from my own father. He matters to me more than I want to admit.

Rio shoves off from the wall he leans on and wanders over. “Paul’s in a complicated spot. The FBI recognizes his cooperation, but his hands aren’t clean. The deals Nic made? They happened under Paul’s company. Even if he claims ignorance, he’s responsible for creating an environment where it could all happen.”

“Right. So what happens to him?” I need to know.

“He’ll likely face charges,” Rio says bluntly. “But his cooperation—and the fact that he brought the evidence directly to the FBI—will work in his favor. He’ll get a lighter sentence, probably probation if he’s lucky. But his career? I’d bet on that being over.”

I nod slowly, a million questions filling my heart, tightening my chest. I should feel satisfied. Vindicated. But all I feel is an ache that doesn’t have a name. I don’t know who my father is to me anymore. He was once my oppressor but he’s trying to change… isn’t he? Still, he’s no hero despite playing a huge role and bringing this to a close.

My father is a flawed man who made too manywrong choices. It’s almost as if he’s in purgatory, being cleansed of his sins with fire.

I wonder what he sees when he looks at me now. A daughter? A disappointment? Or just another consequence of his choices?

“He did the right thing in the end,” I say, more to myself than anyone else.

“Barely,” Enzo drapes his arm around the back of Ava’s chair. “If he’d stepped in sooner, none of this would have happened.”

And Enzo doesn’t even know about what my father did to Santi all those years ago. No matter how relieved I am that his information led to this hopefully being resolved swiftly, I will never forgive him for what he did to us.

Santi’s hand moves to mine, his fingers brushing against my knuckles, offering me silent comfort.

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