PART 10 – The Confrontation with Stefano
Three days after the meeting at headquarters, I received a call from my lawyer in Milan. Stefano had tried to flee head over heels abroad via Linate airport, but had been intercepted by federal police at passport control. His father-in-law's real estate company had been completely paralyzed by a raid from the tax authorities and financial intelligence unit. The power he thought he had vanished in a few hours like snow in the sun.
That afternoon I stood in the Milan police station, together with Luca who waited in the hallway to support me.
When Stefano was led in by an officer, he looked defeated. His expensive tailored suit was creased, his hair was messy, and the arrogant, cold look he had always worn was entirely replaced by a mix of panic and pure hatred when he saw me standing at the counter.
"Elena!" he snarled, making an attempt to storm toward me, but immediately held back by the handcuffs and the officers around him. "Are you happy with this? Did you intentionally set me up here with that pilot? You're destroying everything!"
I stood completely still. I looked at the man with whom I had shared my life for years, the man I thought I knew everything about. But what I saw was no longer a powerful enemy; he was a pathetic, frightened man who had fallen victim to his own boundless greed and arrogance.
"No, Stefano," I said with a voice sounding frighteningly calm and clear. "You destroyed yourself. I only wanted my peace and the safety of our daughter. You were the one who decided to wage war."
He began to shout and wave his arms, but the officers resolutely pulled him toward the interrogation room. The heavy steel door fell shut with a dull thud.
The Stefano chapter was closed for good.
When I stepped outside into the fresh air of Milan, I saw Luca sitting on a stone bench in the square in front of the police station. He looked up, stood up immediately, and walked toward me. There was no longer any tension in his posture; only a deep, well-deserved peace.
"Is it over?" he asked softly, gently brushing a lock of hair from my face.
"It's over," I sighed deeply, closing my eyes and feeling the warmth of the afternoon sun on my face. "I'm free. And Vittoria is too."
Luca smiled. He took my hand and firmly wove his fingers with mine. "Good. And now... it's time to start over somewhere. Without shadows."
But just when we thought we had all the time in the world to think about our future, my phone rang in my bag. An unknown number.
