Chapter 10 - OCTAVIA SPEAKS
Octavia requested to speak with Rosalie.
Not Vito.
That mattered.
Rosalie said yes.
Vito did not.
They argued.
“It’s my decision.”
“She pushed you down stairs.”
“Yes.”
“You just gave birth.”
“I’m aware.”
“No.”
Rosalie stared.
Vito stopped.
Protection becoming control.
Again.
He exhaled.
“Your decision.”
“Thank you.”
Neutral law office.
Rosalie.
Grace.
Octavia.
No Vito.
Octavia looked smaller without gowns and trustees.
Rosalie sat opposite.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Octavia said:
“I thought you were taking everything.”
Rosalie answered:
“I never asked for your shares.”
“I know.”
“No, you know now.”
Octavia looked down.
“My mother spent her entire life telling me our branch survived because she held those votes.”
“And?”
“When you became pregnant, I saw numbers.”
“Not a baby.”
Octavia’s eyes filled.
“No.”
Rosalie waited.
Octavia continued.
“I saw seventy million leaving my control.”
“Not your ownership.”
“I know.”
“Now.”
“Yes.”
Rosalie leaned back.
“Why threaten me?”
“I wanted delay.”
“Why create letters?”
“To prove danger.”
“Why access my medical schedule?”
“To know timing.”
“Why challenge paternity?”
Octavia began crying.
“To buy seventy-two hours.”
There.
No moral excuse.
Pure strategy.
Rosalie’s expression hardened.
“And the shove?”
Silence.
“I saw the message on your phone.”
Octavia nodded.
“You asked what it meant.”
“Yes.”
“I panicked.”
“You grabbed me.”
“Yes.”
“I was eight months pregnant.”
“I know.”
“You shoved me near stairs.”
Octavia cried harder.
“Yes.”
Rosalie did not comfort her.
Good.
“Did you want Leo harmed?”
“No.”
Immediate.
Evidence supported that.
Rosalie believed her.
“That almost makes it worse.”
Octavia looked up.
“Why?”
“Because you didn’t have to hate him to endanger him.”
Silence.
“You only had to care more about control.”
Octavia closed her eyes.
That was the truth.
Then she said:
“I’m sorry.”
Rosalie replied:
“I believe you regret it.”
Not forgiveness.
Not rejection.
Accurate.
Octavia asked:
“Will you tell Vito I said—”
“No.”
Octavia stopped.
“You tell him through counsel if you need to.”
Boundary.
Rosalie continued.
“And Camille?”
Octavia’s face broke.
“She won’t speak to me.”
“She may someday.”
“I lied to her.”
“Yes.”
“I made her think your son would take her future.”
“Yes.”
“What do I do?”
Rosalie thought.
“Stop asking other people to repair what you damaged.”
Octavia nodded slowly.
The meeting ended.
Rosalie returned home.
Vito waited.
“Well?”
“She’s sorry.”
“Do you forgive her?”
Rosalie glared.
“You sound like a reporter.”
“Sorry.”
She sat.
“I understand her better.”
“And?”
“I still don’t want her near Leo.”
“Good.”
Rosalie smiled.
“You wanted that answer.”
“Yes.”
“Control issues.”
“Yes.”
At least he admitted it.
Weeks later, Octavia accepted a legal resolution involving restitution, governance bans, and consequences connected to fabricated threats and the assault incident.
No theatrical destruction.
She retained personal wealth not tied to misconduct.
Lost trust authority.
Lost status.
Lost access.
Most painfully, temporarily lost Camille’s trust.
May you like
That consequence no court imposed.
The family did.
