Chapter 47: Leonardo’s POV
Chapter 47: Leonardo’s POV
+25 BONUS
From the moment we sat down, I could tell that Claire was emotionally teeter tattering on the edge of a breakdown. She was clammy, fidgeting, hyper–focused, distant and she was silent. Not quite – silent. I hoped that seeing Matthew would stop her from tipping over the edge but I saw the way she looked at him when he was brought in wearing those chains.
Matthew didn’t know Claire had been pregnant when he mentioned about his becoming a father. I was happy for him. He finally had something positive in life. Something important enough to change him and I know Claire was happy for him.
Claire almost crumbles at the word: pregnant. I don’t think she’s made any time to cope with the loss of our son. She’s kept herself engulfed in work to avoid the thought entirely. I squeeze her thigh as Matthew talks about his growing family. As much as it hurt Claire, it hurt me as well
My actions led to Claire believing I didn’t want a child and hiding her pregnancy. My beliefs led me to accuse Claire of harming Charlotte and I shoved my pregnant wife to the ground. My impulsiveness led me to demand apologies that she shouldn’t have to give and trying to force her to stay. And my carelessness led to the loss of our child and my wife. Being a billionaire meant nothing compared to being her husband, her partner and her confidant. I would gladly put another child inside her if she’d ever allow me to. Hell, I’d give her ten if it made her happy and meant that she’d stay. But this wasn’t the time for that. I needed to help Matthew.
I get all and any possible information to start the search and think of every inconsistency along the way. It doesn’t sound like Matthew could’ve done this at all. Even his winnings from gambling were insufficient compared to how much money they found in drugs at his apartment and they were barely hidden and in random places.
If Matthew were to have done it, he would’ve hid them better seeing as he knew his apartment better than anyone and if he was selling them, his drug test would’ve came out positive for those exact substances. The skin would’ve absorbed traces every time he touched them.
I start to think about the quantity of pills as well. The bags were large and filled carelessly and no one around here could take a loss like that in inventory except for one group- the mafia.
As we wrap up our visit, I see Claire crumble and run to her again. It killed me to see her like this and I needed her to be stable if we were going to save her brother. There was nothing that would heal her in that moment and I knew how hard this was going to be for her – first hand.
