Chapter 131: Chapter-131. (Matteo: The Don).
The storm was finally beginning to settle.
As Nicole promised, he did exactly what he said he would. Within a week, my name was scrubbed clean from every possible news outlet.
The articles that had accused me, the blog posts that twisted my story, and the videos that used my face for clicks were all gone.
He used his contacts, his significant influences, and probably a few threats as well, because by the time he was done, it was as if Elena Kingsley Morris, the traitor, had never committed such a thing.
He even planted seeds of suspicion that Dave and I were ever truly married. My family wanted to take this situation to their advantage.
Hence, they disclosed the info, but now are facing doubtful questions about whether it was the truth or did they really used the situation to their convenience.
For the first time in months, I could look at my reflection without feeling like the whole world was sneering back at me, but peace didn’t mean freedom.
It just meant I finally had space to breathe.
And for now, that breathing space came from Sophie and Edward’s home.
They had insisted I stay with them for a while, especially after everything that had happened with Dave.
I didn’t argue.
I needed a change of environment. A quiet corner where I could think without drowning in memories.
Their house was warm, lively, and most importantly, safe.
It was different from the life I had known before. The sound of little Emma’s laughter filled the living room every morning.
She would run around barefoot, following Edward with her stuffed bunny, her curly hair bouncing with every step.
Her happiness had a way of melting the stiffness in my chest.
Sophie would hum in the kitchen, her hands covered in flour, while Edward would sneak up behind her, pretending to steal a cookie or wrap his arms around her waist.
She would roll her eyes, but she never truly stopped him.
Watching them was like watching sunlight dance across water...imperfect, but real.
Even so, beneath all that warmth, there was a quiet tension I could not ignore.
Ever since Edward revealed who he truly was, Sophie had been caught between two worlds.
One of love and another of fear.
It was not like she did not trust him. It was that she knew the kind of world he came from.
To clear the confusion, Edward was not just Sophie’s fiancé or a normal person. He was Edward Romano, the cousin, or rather cousin, of Matteo Romano.
The name "Romano" didn’t just carry weight. It carried danger.
Real danger.
Edward had once been meant to inherit everything. All the power, the influence, and the blood-soaked empire that came with it, but eventually, life had its other plans.
He was only twelve when everything he knew was taken from him. His father was shot in broad daylight, and that very night, their house was set ablaze.
His mother dragged him out through the back door, barefoot and bleeding, as their family name burned in the flames behind them.
From that day onward, they ran.
His mother made him swear one thing: that he would never become what his father was.
That he would build his own life apart from their past life, even if it meant hiding.
Edward kept that promise for years. He changed his last name, built a quiet existence, met Sophie, and created the kind of life that didn’t need violence to feel powerful.
But when his mother passed away two years ago, the shadows came knocking again. The Romanos wanted their heir back.
They wanted him.
He refused, of course.
He didn’t want to return to that world, didn’t want to include Sophie in his cruel and bloody legacy.
That was when Matteo stepped in. The family’s golden son and Edward’s savior in more ways than one.
Matteo offered to take Edward’s place as head of the Romano family. It wasn’t for greed. It was to protect him.
Edward was still the legal heir, but Matteo became the one standing in the line of fire.
The negotiator, the decision-maker, the face of the Romano Empire.
And now, Edward wanted to transform what was once a criminal network into something legitimate, like luxury hotels, restaurants, and other high-end ventures that could actually create value instead of destruction.
But change was never easy. Especially not when bloodlines and oaths were involved.
One evening, after dinner, Sophie and I sat out on the balcony while Emma slept inside.
The night air was cool and smelled faintly of jasmine. The city lights glittered like distant stars, and for the first time in a while, I felt... still.
Sophie sipped her tea, lost in thought, before finally speaking. "You know what’s funny, Elena? I should be happy. We are finally free from financial worries. We don’t have to stress about bills, rent, or the next paycheck. Edward’s doing well... we are secure."
She paused, looking down at her mug. "And yet... I am scared."
I tilted my head with confusion, though I knew what was coming up, "Scared of what?"
She gave a nervous laugh as she shook her head, "That money changes people. That power changes people. What if this... all of this," she gestured vaguely at the night sky, "gets into his head? What if he wants more? What if he gets drawn back into that world?"
Her voice cracked at the end, and for a moment, I saw the fear beneath her usual calm smile.
I thought about what she said before answering. "You are not wrong to feel that way," I said gently.
"That world eats people alive, but Edward’s not the same man his father was. You know that."
She nodded weakly. "I do. It’s just... the fear doesn’t listen to reason, you know? Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, thinking...what if tomorrow he decides to go back? What if he gets... killed?" Her voice almost came like a whisper in the end.
Her words hit something deep in me. The fear of losing someone you love, not to death, but to distance, to change, to silence.
I said softly, "Sophie, you can’t fight that fear by keeping it inside. You have to tell him. Be honest with him before it turns into something that builds between you."
She turned to look at me, frowning slightly. "How do you always sound so calm about these things?"
I smiled faintly. "Because I have already learned what happens when you don’t say what you feel."
Her brows drew together. "You mean... Dave?"
I didn’t need to answer. She already knew.
For a moment, I stared at the skyline, remembering the nights when I waited for Dave to come home, the way he would walk past me with that blank expression, the way his silence had carved holes in me I could never fill.
I said quietly, "Sometimes, it’s not the fights that destroy a relationship. It’s the silence. The distance. The questions that go unanswered for too long."
Sophie placed her cup down, eyes softening. "You really loved him, didn’t you?"
I gave a small nod. "I did. Enough to burn for him."
She hesitated before asking, "And now?"
I exhaled slowly. "Now? I don’t love him anymore, but I also don’t hate him. He’s just... part of the lesson."
Sophie looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t. Maybe she knew there was nothing left to say.
We sat there in silence, two women bound by love, fear, and the ghosts of choices we couldn’t undo.
Then, suddenly, my phone started to buzz.
The sound startled both of us. It was late, almost midnight.
Sophie frowned. "Who’s calling you at this hour?"
I reached for my phone, the screen lighting up in the dark.
When I saw the name, I froze.
Matteo.
For a second, I froze, reliving the conversation we had that day.
Matteo: The Don.
Sophie leaned closer, her eyes widening. "Elena... that Matteo? As in Edward’s cousin? God, you chose the right name by the way," She said with a chuckle, making me smile in return.
I nodded slowly, staring at the screen.
"But why is he calling you?" she whispered, clearly startled. I took in a deep breath, as I spoke ut, "There were things I asked him to do?"
"Like what exactly?" I bit my lips, not wanting to answer her questions, and she understood quickly. She stood up and excused herself, "I think Emma would have woken up now, you attend the call."
With this, she went inside, making me thank her for understanding nd giving space. Then I looked at my phone, still ringing, when I finally picked up.
Before I could say even a hello, his high-authoritative voice echoed through the phone, "You will have to come here. I will send my car. Things need to be discussed."
"Fine," was all I could say.