Chapter 10
Nolan tried to blame Warren.
I stopped him.
“My father started it.”
“Yes.”
“He pressured Celeste.”
“Yes.”
“He told me the Savellis would never accept us without leverage.”
“Maybe.”
“He made the plan.”
I leaned forward.
“And he has been dead two years.”
Silence.
“What did you do after?”
Nolan looked away.
Good question.
Warren’s death should have ended the conspiracy.
Instead Nolan kept his position.
Celeste kept the relationship.
Arthur remained banished.
The false orders remained treated as Domenico’s wishes.
“Why didn’t you tell me then?”
Nolan’s jaw tightened.
“Because by then everything was working.”
There.
Perfect.
Success became justification again.
“What was working?”
“I was useful.”
“Yes.”
“Celeste loved you.”
Maybe.
“The family was stable.”
Yes.
“So?”
I stared.
“So you decided truth would only cause damage.”
He nodded slowly.
That was it.
Not greed anymore.
Preservation.
A lie becomes harder to confess after people build good things on top of it.
That made sense.
Still wrong.
“You had two years.”
“I know.”
“Arthur was still branded a thief.”
“I know.”
“June thought I ignored her.”
His face changed.
“I know.”
“Sal lost four years of authority because of a dead man’s fake command.”
“Yes.”
“And you kept your pin.”
He looked at it.
Then removed it himself.
Good.
Placed it on the table.
No drama.
I respected that more than excuses.
“I don’t expect it back.”
“Good.”
He winced.
Then:
“Did you ever think I deserved it?”
I looked at him.
“Yes.”
His eyes lifted.
“You were good at the work.”
That almost broke him.
“Then why does this feel worse?”
“Because you could have had something real.”
Silence.
He nodded.
That was the tragedy.
Nolan did not steal because he was incapable.
May you like
He stole because somebody convinced him earning would take too long.
Power taken early often destroys the satisfaction of ever knowing whether you deserved it.
