Chapter 12 - BIANCA’S APOLOGY
Bianca came to the estate after two weeks.
No reporters.
No family council.
Just her.
Elena agreed to meet.
I stayed.
Matteo remained upstairs.
Not because Bianca was dangerous.
Because this conversation did not need a baby used as emotional evidence.
Bianca sat across from Elena.
“I wanted to hold him.”
Elena said nothing.
“I wanted you to trust me.”
Still nothing.
“I wanted Mom’s fantasy to be true in the smallest possible way.”
Elena finally spoke.
“What does that mean?”
“That you’d let me matter to them.”
“You were their aunt.”
“I know.”
“Was that not enough?”
Bianca looked down.
“No.”
There.
Honest.
Then:
“I knew she wanted to pressure you. I did not know she had tampered with the band.”
“I believe that.”
Bianca cried.
Elena’s voice stayed flat.
“That does not make you innocent.”
“I know.”
“You blocked me socially, not physically. You let her put my baby in your arms so I would have to argue in front of everyone.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted me embarrassed.”
“Yes.”
There.
Then Bianca said:
“I am sorry.”
Elena nodded once.
No hug.
No:
We’re sisters now.
Nothing cheap.
Then I apologized for accusing Bianca of stealing Matteo.
Elena looked at me.
“You did that?”
Bianca laughed bitterly.
“He did.”
Elena stared.
I explained.
Dominic overheard.
Family rumor.
Correction.
My wife’s disappointment was worse than Bianca’s anger.
“You still think being furious makes your first sentence important.”
I knew exactly what she meant.
The slap.
The accusation.
Both.
I said:
“Yes.”
Not proud.
Accurate.
Then Bianca asked:
“Can I ever see the babies?”
Elena answered:
“Eventually.”
No date.
No schedule.
No entitlement.
Bianca nodded.
May you like
That was the beginning of repair.
Not completion.
