Chapter 8 - REBUILDING FROM THE ASHES
Three months after the trial concluded, the cold winter had given way to the soft light of early spring.
The Varric estate, once a dark fortress of secrets and fear, was undergoing a transformation. Matteo had ordered the immediate liquidation of several corporate assets connected to his sister's corrupt holdings. A significant portion of the funds was redirected into the Leo and Nico Foundation—a charitable organization established to monitor private hospitals and protect low-income mothers from systemic medical exploitation.
At Saint Jude's Cemetery, under a bright April sun, a small, private memorial was held.
A sleek granite headstone had been placed over a quiet plot near the ancient oak trees. It bore the name Nico Varric—Matteo's biological son, who had finally been laid to rest with the dignity and peace he was denied in life.
Matteo stood beside the grave, dressed in a dark suit, holding a bouquet of white lilies. Beside him stood Liana, holding ten-month-old Leo, who was happily babbling and playing with a bright yellow ribbon on his coat.
Matteo knelt beside the headstone, placing the flowers gently against the marble. "Rest now, my son," he whispered softly. "Your father knows the truth. You will never be forgotten."
He stood up and turned to Liana. "I spent my whole life thinking that power meant controlling everything around me," Matteo said, looking at Leo, who reached out his small hand toward Matteo's face. Matteo gently caught the boy's tiny fingers. "I was blind to what truly mattered."
"You did what was right, Matteo," Liana said softly. "You chose the truth over your family's pride."
"I couldn't have done it without you, Liana," Matteo replied, his blue eyes softening as he looked at her. "You brought light into a house that had been dark for generations."
"What will you do now?" Liana asked, looking over the quiet green hills of the cemetery. "The city still views you as a powerful man."
"I am stepping down as active chairman of Varric Enterprises," Matteo announced, a quiet smile playing at the edges of his lips. "Arthur Pendelton is taking over the legal trust. I intend to spend my time managing the foundation—and ensuring that no child is ever treated as a pawn again."
He looked at Liana with earnest sincerity. "I want you and Leo to stay at the estate. Not as employees. Not as guests. But as family."
May you like
Liana looked down at Leo, who gave a cheerful laugh and rested his head against her collar. The pain of the past months would never fully disappear, but for the first time since that gray day at the hospital, she felt a profound, warmth taking root in her heart.
"We would like that, Matteo," Liana said quietly. "We would like that very much."
