Chapter 2 - “She Said You’d Be Mad at Me”
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Carmine carried Leo upstairs.
He did not question him in the garage.
He did not demand answers.
He changed his son into dry pajamas.
Wrapped him in a blanket.
Brought him warm milk.
Only when Leo stopped shaking did Carmine sit beside him.
“Buddy.”
Leo looked up.
“Did Helena make you wash the car before today?”
A pause.
Leo nodded.
Carmine’s stomach tightened.
“How many times?”
Leo held up three fingers.
Then another finger.
He didn’t know the number.
That hurt more.
Carmine kept his voice gentle.
“What did she say?”
Leo stared into his cup.
“She said I make messes.”
“What messes?”
“The vase.”
“What vase?”
Leo shrugged.
“And shoes.”
“What shoes?”
Another shrug.
Then—
“She said Daddy gets mad when things cost money.”
Carmine went still.
“I never said that.”
Leo looked frightened.
“She said you would.”
Carmine reached for him.
“Look at me.”
Leo slowly did.
“I will never be angry because you tell me the truth.”
His little face crumpled.
“She said you’d send me away.”
Carmine felt something inside him break.
He hugged Leo tightly.
“No.”
“She said little boys who break things go somewhere else.”
“No.”
Carmine pulled back.
“You are my son. Nothing you break changes that.”
Leo whispered—
“I didn’t break the car.”
“I know.”
That sentence brought the first relief Carmine had seen in his face.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Helena tried to leave.
Security stopped her.
Not physically.
Politely.
“Mr. Bellucci asked that you remain available.”
Helena’s lawyer was already on the phone.
That told Carmine she knew the problem was bigger than a scratched Bentley.
He returned to the garage office.
The security supervisor introduced himself as Frank Delaney.
“You said Helena knew.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Frank pulled up another clip.
10:18 a.m.
Four minutes after the cart hit the Bentley.
Helena entered.
She inspected the scratch.
Then looked directly at the disabled maintenance cart.
She even photographed it.
Carmine stared.
“So she knew before Leo came in.”
“Yes.”
“What happened next?”
Frank hesitated.
“That’s where it gets strange.”
He opened the access log.
At 10:24, Helena entered the garage security system.
Administrator access.
At 10:26, she attempted to delete the footage.
Carmine looked at Frank.
“Attempted?”
“Our system keeps an off-site backup.”
“Did she know that?”
“I don’t think so.”
Carmine leaned back.
Helena hadn’t simply lied.
She had tried to erase proof.
Then Frank opened another file.
A service incident report.
Damage caused by:
LEO BELLUCCI.
Estimated repair:
$46,800.
Submitted at 10:31 a.m.
Six minutes before Leo even entered the garage.
May you like
👉 Helena had filed paperwork blaming Leo before the child arrived—which meant the accusation had been prepared before there was anything to accuse him of.
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