Chapter XCIX: The Attempts of an Impossible Reconciliation
After the Cardinals realized that I had never intended to harm them and that I wished for us to be as close as we once were, we embraced and proceeded to the liturgical service that evening to pray for Pope Alexander VI. I don't know if I'll be able to do anything after four days, but I will certainly try.
"Brother Antonio, you should stand next to Cardinal Cesare, don't you think?" Cardinal Sforza said to me.
Although I considered doing so, I couldn't appear as dependent on him as I was before, so I thought of making him become dependent on me instead. The first step was to refuse to stand next to him that evening. When he noticed this, Cesare began pleading with me to stand beside him, but I directly refused.
"Antonio, if you want to discuss our past, we can do so after the ceremony. I don't want us to argue at a time like this, not during a moment for my father. Stand next to me, and everything will be fine!"