Don't Trust the Father of My Child의 모든 챕터: 챕터 31 - 챕터 40

He answered as he pulled out a chair for her.I walked toward where Nicola was waiting. I was relieved Dario's wife didn't know my name. I was ashamed even of feeling relieved.◇Outside the hospital, Nicola was on the phone with his father.He ended the call when he saw me. He held two cans of coffee. He opened one and slipped the other into his pocket."You're not going home, are you?"I shook my head."Let's go to a hotel. Book a room in your own name.""Does your father know?""If you mean my father, he's listening to me right now and cursing."He opened the car door. I stopped before getting in."If something I've asked you for is going to be used in your business deals again, tell me first."Nicola looked at me, his hand resting on the car door."When I'm making a deal, I'll explain it in terms you can understand.""Put that promise on the record, too."He started to smile, then stopped."All right."The hotel wasn't far from the hospital. It wasn't the one where Ethan kept his

He looked at me."To get my brother's name off those books. To find the person who shot him.""And after that?"Ethan turned toward the window. Across the street, I could see the windows of the hotel rooms. Someone was shaking out a white sheet."I haven't thought beyond that yet."I tried to decide whether he looked as though he was lying. Instead, I saw his tired eyes and the bandage above his eyebrow. Looking at his face made me feel cruel for continuing to press him. But if I dropped the questions now, I'd blame myself later."I'll give you my records. Only the parts we reviewed today. Tell me before you pass them on to anyone else.""Rocco won't accept those terms.""I'm not giving them to Rocco."Ethan looked at me. I took out the file again and placed it before him. He pressed a fingertip against a corner without opening it."If we want Vito at the negotiating table, we'll eventually have to show the other side.""Then we'll talk about it when the time comes. I don't want to ha

"Why shouldn't I come home?"My mother slipped the hand she'd released into her handbag. I thought she was about to take something out, but she brought out nothing."Your father is angry.""When isn't he?""Today is different."I looked at the window behind her. Luca had already gone outside. He'd told me what he'd seen, then returned to driving my father's car. It frightened me, belatedly, that I hadn't told him to abandon everything and leave immediately."Come with me, Mom."She raised her head."Come to the hotel. Tell Father you're not going back tonight."She stared at my face for so long that I couldn't bear it and hurried on."I have enough money to book a room for you, too."Her mouth moved. I couldn't tell whether she'd tried to smile. She started to touch my collar, then stopped."I have things to do.""What things?""At home."Those words again. I lowered my hands. Even seeing that I was angry, my mother prepared to leave. She said goodbye to the other women, picked up her

My company account was shut down that evening.The login failed twice before a message told me to contact the administrator. I didn't try again. I didn't call my father, either.I spread the files across my desk: statements from my own accounts and personal records I had every right to keep. There was much more still at the company. But I couldn't sign whatever conditions Father offered just to get them back.I asked Bianchi what a company could demand from someone it had dismissed. He said we should confirm whether I'd actually received notice first. A threat to abolish my job wasn't the same as completing the proper procedure. I forwarded Ethan's exact words to him as well.Once, I would have called my father's secretary about something like this. The secretary would prepare the documents, and I would read and sign them later. All the conveniences I'd taken for granted were things I now had to learn to do for myself.Ethan called."Have you eaten dinner?""Not yet.""I'm downstairs.

"He was angry with me. I never asked whether he was afraid."Ethan turned toward me."If you're afraid of me, tell me now. You don't have to stay beside me for the documents. I can return the copies I hold through Bianchi."I looked at my hands on my knees. My palms ached though I wasn't holding anything."I don't know yet."He nodded."Then let's leave it unanswered for now."For a moment I was angry. Then I was simply tired. I was afraid of how long I might be left not knowing. If I had to prove that everyone was perfectly safe before taking another step, I'd be sitting on this bench forever.But I couldn't simply follow a heart that had already decided to trust him, either.We watched the sea for a long time. A passing dog sniffed my shoes. Its owner apologized and tugged the leash. I told them it was fine. Ethan almost laughed, then stopped himself.I hated feeling as though I had to give him permission even to smile. I had never wanted to become his judge."I want you to tell me,