The Secret One

by Cardello, Ruth

  A noise behind her brought her attention to the doorway, where a frail older woman made her way toward her. “Mrs. Corisi.”

  Abby took a step toward her. “Thank you for seeing me. Please call me Abby.”

  The woman stopped a foot in front of her, gave her a head-to-toe perusal, and said, “I’d rather not. You may call me ‘Your Royal Highness.’”

  “Of course.” Abby nearly coughed in amused surprise. Delinda Westerly had had a reputation for being starched and formal before she’d married King Tadeas of Vandorra. Although the king had officially stepped down for his son, Magnus, to rule . . . no one dared tell her that she wasn’t actually the queen anymore. Thankfully, their mutual friend, Alessandro, had prepped Abby well on how to handle her. She curtsied. “I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me.”

  “Yes, well, before you thank me a third time, I only agreed to meet with you because Alessandro is one of my dearest friends.” She turned to one of her house staff, who was hovering in the doorway, and said, “Please bring us some tea and a tray of something light. I doubt our guest will be staying very long.” Her attention returned to Abby. “Now, let’s take a seat so you can tell me what it is you think I can help you with.”

  Abby sat across from the woman and smoothed her hands down the front of her dress. She wasn’t normally intimidated by anyone. Her social circle was full of people who thought they were powerful, but few wielded the influence of this woman. As it had for Dominic, that power had brought her both loyal friends as well as enemies. Hopefully that experience would make her a sympathetic ear, because Abby needed her help. “It’s regarding my husband.”

  “I’m far from a fan of the man.”

  That much Abby knew. If another option had been available, she would have leaped at it. “I am. I love him more than I ever thought I could love anyone. I’m not blind to who he was before he met me, but for over ten years he has been a good husband—a loving father to our daughter. His companies are socially and economically responsible.”

  Delinda gave her a long look before saying, “My dear, at my age I find dancing around a topic a tedious waste of my time. You would not be in my home if I didn’t know exactly who Dominic Corisi is and how he conducts himself.”

  Her staffer appeared at the door and discreetly rolled a tea tray into the room. He poured a cup for both of them, asked if they required anything more, then made a polite retreat.

  Abby picked up her tea but didn’t take a sip. Seeking out the help of someone who wasn’t invested in the outcome but could be trusted had made sense when Alessandro had suggested it. She wasn’t sure anymore.

  To Dominic, involving anyone in his business might feel like a betrayal.

  Everyone brought some baggage from their childhood into adulthood; Dominic owned his. He’d been open with her about how his violent childhood had lit an ugly rage within him that he suppressed but that not even her love had extinguished. He kept that side of himself hidden away from her and their child. His own father had beaten him brutally, but in all the time she’d been married to him, Dominic had not so much as raised his voice to her. Their daughter, Judy, thought her father was the sweetest, most mild mannered of men.

  Abby feared she might one day lose him to his dark side. She cleared her throat. “It has recently come to my attention that my husband is buying up properties in Montalcino, Italy.”

  “And?”

  She swallowed hard. “It began after he went there to see his family. He’s been pulling away from me ever since that trip.” Abby gripped her hands in her lap. “I need to know why he’s investing so much into that town.”

  “You think he’s found another woman?”

  Abby gasped. “No, that’s not what this is about.” That would almost be easier.

  Delinda tapped her nails on the arm of her chair. “Clearly this is a difficult time for your family. Have you considered couples counseling?”

  “I’m not here for advice—I need your help,” Abby said with a firmness she hoped would prevail.

  “I’m still at a loss for how, though I sympathize.”

  Deep breath. Just do it. “If I were in trouble, Dominic would move heaven and earth to save me. My heart tells me he’s about to do something he’ll regret. He’s hurt. He’s angry. He needs someone on his side who can stop him before he goes too far.”

  After a long moment, Delinda said, “I’m sorry; I know enough about your husband to agree that you have every reason to be concerned. What you might need to face, my dear, is that a leopard cannot change its spots. If it’s protection from him you require, I could set something up for you, but that’s as involved as I’ll agree to be.”

  Abby shook her head. “Alessandro said if anyone could understand this side of Dominic, it would be you.”

  “I have no idea why he would have said that.”

  “He said you know what it’s like to hold anger, to make mistakes because of it, and that those mistakes nearly cost you your family.”

  “I shall have to speak to Alessandro regarding how freely he discusses my private matters.”

  Delinda’s wall wasn’t coming down. It was time for Abby to play her ace. “He said no matter what you did, he never gave up on you. I won’t give up on Dominic. This isn’t just about stopping him. I want to help him through it, to show him there’s a better way. I’d normally use our own resources, but our people are loyal to him, and I don’t want them to feel they need to choose a side.” Nothing? Alessandro said if all else failed—“I also need someone who isn’t intimidated by him.”

  A spark lit in Delinda’s eyes. “Trust me, I am not afraid of your husband.”

  Thank you, Alessandro. You were right about the size of her ego. I hope you’re also right about what’s in her heart. A lot of people would love to see my husband fail. Dominic doesn’t need another challenge—he needs a guardian angel. “That’s why I’m here. I realize you have no reason to care about what happens to me or my family, but Alessandro has been like a father to Dominic and me. He said he considers you a second mother. That makes us family.”

  “Does it?” Delinda made a delicate grunt of doubt. “Did Alessandro suggest you say that?”

  Abby smiled. “He did.” Like Dominic, Delinda respected blunt honesty.

  Delinda sighed. “Alessandro is the reason my family is back in my life. If he loves Dominic, and he says he does, there must be something in your husband I haven’t yet seen.” She studied Abby’s face carefully. “Has he truly been good to you?”

  Abby blinked back tears of gratitude as she realized that she might just have found the ally she’d sought. “So good. With me, he’s the man he always should have been. Kind. Attentive. Loyal. Supportive. He’s taught me as much about love as I have him.”

  “But?”

  To help her, to help Dominic, Delinda would need to know the demon within him. “He survived things no one should have had to. Did you know his father, Antonio Corisi?”

  “By reputation alone, and his wasn’t a pleasant one. For a long time it was believed he murdered his wife, a horrific circumstance that surprised no one. The shock came when she resurfaced.”

  Although Abby had found it in her heart to love her mother-in-law for her husband’s sake, what Rosella had done remained incomprehensible to Abby. “She left Dominic and his sister with a man she was so afraid of she faked her own death—fearing if he ever found her, he would kill her. She only resurfaced after Antonio died. Can you imagine what it was like to be left at the mercy of such a man while not knowing what happened to your mother? Dominic searched for Rosella, here and in her hometown of Montalcino. His family there hid her even from him, let him believe she was dead. Later, when he found out she was alive . . . he had to reconcile that with the fact that his family in Italy had always known and never told him. That does something to a person.”

  In a much more subdued tone, Delinda said, “I imagine it would.”

  “Dominic let his mother back into his li
fe. He has done his best to move on. Last year, however, our daughter had a school project that involved making a family tree. She started asking questions, and when no one wanted to answer them, she went looking for the answers herself. Dominic returned to Italy hopeful and with an open heart. His mother was back. He was ready to reach out to the family that had chosen her safety over his even when he was still a child.” Abby sniffed as a wave of emotion forced her to take a moment before continuing. “I don’t know what they said to him, but it’s tearing apart the man I love. People look at Dominic and think he’s invincible—too hardened to feel pain. That’s not who he is. He’s just a man who thought he’d finally meet his grandmother, only to discover he is somehow still not good enough to be allowed to.”

  “And you believe that’s connected to why he’s buying up property in that town? To what end?”

  Abby shook her head. “I wish I knew. As soon as he involved Alethea Stone, I feared it was going nowhere good.”

  Delinda nodded slowly. “I know her well. I had hoped being a mother would calm her ways.”

  “This time it’s not her fault. I doubt she was given much of a choice.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because I know her. I wouldn’t be aware of any of this if she didn’t want me to. Whatever they’re doing, she feels it’s wrong, and she wants me to stop it. Will you help me?”

  There was a long pause, and then Delinda said, “What would you have me do?”

  “Have you heard of the Romano family? They own a chain of stores in New England.”

  “The name sounds vaguely familiar.”

  “They’re actually doing very well. I’m surprised—”

  “My dear, Tadeas and I have commitments on both sides of the Atlantic. If there is something you think I should know about the family, spare the theatrics and simply say it.”

  “Camilla Romano is Rosella’s sister. Basil Romano, her husband, is also from Montalcino. Why have I never heard of them? Dominic has family who live in New England, driving distance from us; why wouldn’t they reach out to him?”

  “Perhaps they haven’t seen the side of him you have?” Delinda’s voice had a chill to it.

  Abby scrambled to draw her back to her side. “Maybe, but it has to be more than that. Alethea left their name on a sticky note in my makeup bag. Don’t you see? They must be the key to fixing this.”

  “As would having a good long conversation with your husband.”

  “You think I haven’t tried? In the ideal world that would be the answer. But guess what? Happily ever after is hard work. I came to you because Alessandro said you would understand that, in the end, all that matters is family. Yours. Mine. Dominic’s. Please. Find out anything you can about the Romanos. I would, but Dominic would instantly know what I was up to. Help me stop Dominic before he does something he’ll regret.”

  “He won’t be happy with either of us.”

  “Not at first, no. But since he can’t hear me right now, I’ll need to show him how much I love him.”

  Delinda nodded and pulled out her phone. “Tadeas? Cancel our water bungalow in the Maldives; we may be heading over to Italy, but first . . . where are the Romanos?” She met Abby’s eyes.

  “Connecticut.”

  “We need to go to Connecticut. I hear there is a family there who would benefit from a little royal intervention.” She chuckled. “Of course I do. Why become a royal if one isn’t going to have some fun with it?” She blushed. “Well, yes, there’s that, as well. I still have company with me, but I’ll call you as soon as she leaves. Abigail Corisi. You’ll like her. She’s surprisingly articulate.” In response to something he said, she laughed again. “She asked to see me, not the other way around. You’re so bad.” She held the phone away from her face. “I don’t know how I survived eighty-plus years without you reminding me to behave. Yes. Yes. I love you as well. See you in a little bit.”

  After ending the call, Delinda shook her head at the phone, even though she was still smiling. “Husbands.”

  “They’re worth fighting for.” Abby’s throat tightened with emotion. Nothing mattered more than family, and the woman before her had just agreed to help save hers.

  Delinda lowered her phone. Her expression became more serious. “The good ones certainly are. Dominic is one lucky man.”

  “Thank you, Delinda,” Abby said as if she’d been given permission to call her by her first name. A decade with Dominic hadn’t made Abby meek. The opposite, in fact. A weak man tried to control his wife. Dominic had always encouraged Abby to value her own voice and said her strong will was part of why he’d fallen for her in the first place.

  She prayed he’d feel the same when all of this was said and done.

  Delinda wagged a finger at Abby, but her smile returned. “Well, okay, then. Don’t just sit there sipping tea. What will your role be in all this?”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHRISTOF

  Entering Southwick, Massachusetts

  I could have gone around the town. Neither of my older brothers would have chosen the thirty-five-mile-an-hour route home, but I preferred getting to know an area, and that didn’t happen by sticking to the highways.

  So far the place didn’t look much different than any of the small surrounding New England towns. The narrow road was lined by trees on both sides, as well as the occasional rock formation that had been sliced away.

  I drove past homes with large yards that opened up to grassy hills and fields. Still nothing impressive, or at least not relevant as far as my reason for being on the road that day. I was scouting out store chains interested in working with the Romano Superstores, a role I’d recently taken on for my family’s business. The days of our company entering a market, demolishing the competition, and celebrating the win were over. Our new mission statement was to use our buying power to partner with smaller chains, stabilize them, implement mutually profitable changes, and move on. Philanthropy as part of a business plan? Our competitors had thought it foolhardy, but the world was changing, and it was time more companies began working together for the greater good.

  My phone announced my mother was calling. I answered via voice command. “Hi, Mom. I’m driving. What do you need?”

  “How was your meeting?”

  I smiled because she’d used the same tone when I was much younger and she’d asked how my day at school had gone. Even though I wasn’t her youngest boy, she often treated me as if I were.

  “It was good. Complicated. The area has a lot of promise. The owner of the regional chain is eager to work with us. I have some number crunching to do before I make my suggestion to Sebastian. The market isn’t growing at a rate to justify our involvement.” In other words, there might not be any profit in it for us. As the eldest Romano son, Sebastian was acting CEO, though, and the final decision would be his.

  “Are they in a difficult spot?”

  “They soon could be. They’re slowly losing ground. I’d give them four more viable years before they close. We could turn that around, but it would take some major changes on their part and a substantial time investment on ours. If we break even, it would be nice to see them succeed. The family has done a lot for their community. More than they could afford to, but after seeing where their stores are located, I understand why they can’t turn a blind eye. It would be nice if we didn’t either.”

  Approval rang in my mother’s voice. “Have I told you how proud I am of all my sons? When I think about Romano Superstores starting with the one convenience store your father and I ran on our own—it’s still so difficult to believe what you boys have made it into.”

  “Dad would say it’s also unnecessary.” To make my mother laugh, I did an impression of my father’s voice. “Back in Italy, all I had was one store, homemade wine, and my family, and I was happy.”

  My mother laughed, as I’d known she would. “He was. We all were.” After a moment she added, “Do you miss working in the office? I know you had a good c
ircle of friends there.”

  “Mom, it’s fine.”

  “I didn’t say it wasn’t. I’m asking how you feel about the change.”

  “I’m where I need to be. Sebastian’s priority is to stay closer to home with Heather and Ava. He’s earned the right to. Mauricio too. I’ve never seen him happier than he is designing prosthetics with Wren. Now that she’s pregnant, he doesn’t have time to do double duty. It made sense for me to step up and take over project evaluation.”

  “Well, start learning to delegate now, because Gian is going into medicine and won’t be there to take over when you start your own family.”

  I coughed on that. “Mom, that’s not something either of us will have to worry about for a very long time.”

  “You’re not getting any younger, Christof.”

  We’d had this talk before. I knew how to shut it down. “You’re right; I’ll get right on proposing to Amanda. Or Katherine. Or Adeline. Any one of them should be fine.”

  “I wouldn’t know—you’ve never introduced me to them.”

  “And what does that tell you?”

  My mother clucked. “That you’re dating too many women.”

  “And they’re dating just as many men. That’s how things work nowadays. This isn’t the old country, Mom.”

  “Are you trying to raise my blood pressure?”

  I chuckled. Maybe a little. I could also be sweet, though. “If I ever do meet the right one, you’ll be the first to know. I promise. But for now I’m happy with my life the way it is.”

  She sighed. “It’s a mother’s job to worry for her babies.”

  I could have protested. No matter how old any of us got, she’d never stopped calling us her babies. It was impossible to resent the term, though, because my brothers and I had amazing parents who loved us unconditionally.

  Just as important, our parents were as good to each other as they were to us. That was probably why I didn’t rush into serious relationships. I wasn’t at all tempted to settle for less than the healthy partnership my parents had.