In ‘The Lying Life of Adults’, Giovanna learns that both her father, André, and her aunt, Vittoria, have their own versions of how and why they grew apart.
Giovanna’s perception of her aunt, Vittoria, changes when she meets her for the very first time. André made her out to be a monster, but she is unlike any of that.
Spending more time with her led Giovanna to learn what really happened between her father and her aunt. The one name that keeps popping up during these conversations is Enzo.
Vittoria loved Enzo, and he became the driving force behind the rift that grew between the siblings. According to Vittoria, André can’t stand someone who is better than him.
Whoever crosses him, he erases them. That’s how he erased Vittoria from his life and Enzo from hers.
When Vittoria took Giovanna to Enzo’s grave, she told her about the fight over their parents’ property that saw them go their separate ways. The same fight also led her to lose Enzo.
Vittoria’s version of her fight with André
Once André became a big man and got settled down, he asked for his share of the property where Vittoria was living. It belonged to their parents, and he insisted on selling it.
At that time, Vittoria was still struggling. She didn’t have a place to stay. Their arguments over the house went on forever. When they failed to agree on a solution, Enzo intervened.
Enzo tried to explain to André that his sister can’t afford to buy out his share. André didn’t pay heed to Enzo’s explanations. He asked him to stay out of this.
Enzo then offered to buy the house in order to help Vittoria. André, in return, further insulted Enzo and his profession, claiming that he can’t have that much money, and if he does, then he must be into some shady business.
Enzo couldn’t let that go. He threatened to shoot André if he spoke another word out of his mouth against him.
André, adamant that he wants to shut Enzo’s mouth, went directly to Enzo’s wife, Margherita, to tell her about her husband’s affair with Vittoria.
Enzo’s wife forgave him, but Enzo couldn’t bear the pain of losing Vittoria. A few months later, he passed away.
Vittoria couldn’t die from the same pain of being away from Enzo. She loved Enzo, his children, and his wife, Margherita. At the same time, her hatred for André grew. This hatred kept her alive.
André’s version of the fight
Back home, Giovanna asked André about this same fight. He blamed Enzo for their falling out. André believed that Enzo was trying to steal their parents’ house using Vittoria.
Enzo was a father of three, and he needed it. Vittoria would have been left with nothing. André saw Enzo as a criminal who was wearing the uniform of a police officer.
André claims that, in order to stop Enzo from ruining Vittoria, he had no option but to tell his wife about his affair with Vittoria.
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