Chapter 19 - The First Party After
A year after the gala, Isabella agreed to attend another Bellandi holiday event.
Not at Bellandi Hall.
That building had been sold.
The new event was smaller, held at a children’s arts center funded through an independent foundation Isabella helped oversee.
No capos.
No private back rooms.
No closed cameras.
Massimo arrived early and asked where he should sit.
Isabella nearly laughed.
“You’re asking?”
“I’m evolving.”
“Slowly.”
Noah ran in wearing a crooked tie.
He had grown an inch and acquired the confidence of a child who knew adults would listen when he spoke.
“Grandpa, look.”
He held up his elbow.
A red scrape crossed it.
Massimo’s chest tightened before he caught himself.
“What happened?”
“I fell off my scooter.”
“Does it hurt?”
“A little.”
“Want help?”
Noah thought about it.
“Mom already cleaned it.”
“Okay.”
The exchange lasted ten seconds.
Massimo had once believed protection meant preventing every wound.
Now he understood something harder.
Sometimes safety meant a child could show you a wound without fear of what happened next.
Isabella wore a green sleeveless dress.
No bracelets.
No carefully arranged fabric.
Nothing hidden.
A reporter near the entrance asked Massimo whether he regretted the scandal that cost him control of Bellandi Freight.
Massimo looked at Noah chasing another child between art tables.
“No.”
“Nothing?”
“I regret what made the scandal possible.”
The reporter tried another question.
Massimo walked away.
That night, Isabella stood beside him while children painted paper stars.
“Papa.”
“Yes?”
“I’m seeing someone.”
Massimo’s entire body became alert.
Isabella raised one finger.
“Careful.”
He exhaled.
“Do you want me to ask questions?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Normal-father amount.”
“I don’t know what that is.”
She laughed.
Then her expression softened.
“You’ll learn.”
Massimo nodded.
May you like
For once, the future did not feel like territory he had to control.
It felt like something his daughter was allowed to choose.
