Chapter 4 - The Traitor's Footsteps
For the next three days, Villa Moretti became a fortress under siege from within. Alessandro kept Emma and me in the upper wing, providing us with private security, good food, and a safety we hadn't felt in three agonizing years.
I began to see a different side of Alessandro Moretti. Behind the cold exterior of the syndicate leader was a man carrying the crushing weight of an entire empire, haunted by the murder of his father and brother. And strangely enough, he showed a gentle patience toward Emma. He allowed her to draw pictures on his expensive parchment, and he never complained when she left her blue rabbit on his executive desk.
On the fourth evening, a heavy thunderstorm rolled over Milan. Lightning illuminated the tall windows of the study where Alessandro, Marco, and I were reviewing old logistics files from the docks.
"The vault contains missing financial ledgers, weapons, and the original ledgers of every bribe paid to Milan officials for thirty years," Alessandro explained, pointing to a blueprint spread out on the table. "If the Black Anchor gets inside, they destroy my family entirely. But to use the key hidden on Emma's rabbit, they need physical access to the vault scanner located fifty feet below Port 4."
Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the study burst open.
Vivian Romano stood in the threshold. She was dressed in dark, non-descript clothing, a heavy raincoat dripping wet onto the hardwood floor. In her right hand, she held a compact silver pistol aimed directly at my chest.
"Vivian," Alessandro said calmly, not making any sudden movements. "Lower the gun."
"You ruined me, Alessandro!" Vivian screamed, her eyes manic, her hair wild from the rain outside. "You humiliated me in front of all twelve families! You broke off our wedding for a dirty, penniless servant girl and her bastard child!"
"Put the gun down, Vivian," Marco ordered, reaching slowly for his holster.
"Don't move, Marco!" she shrieked, twitching the gun toward him. "I know what you're doing. You think you're so smart, Alessandro. You think you're searching for a traitor among the old capos, among Don Ricci and the dock bosses. You never looked close enough to home."
Alessandro's eyes narrowed. "It was your family."
"It was me!" Vivian laughed hysterically, a cold, bitter sound. "My father didn't organize the deal with the Black Anchor—I did! My father is an old fool who was content with his small cuts. I wanted the whole city. Three years ago, I gave the order to blow up David Bennett's boat when he refused to sell me the vault key!"
My heart stopped. The air left my lungs in a sharp gasp. She killed David. The woman standing before me had stripped my daughter of a father, torn my life to pieces, and forced us into poverty, all out of pure, unadulterated greed.
"You..." I choked out, stepping in front of Emma, who was sleeping on the small sofa in the corner. "You killed him."
"He was a nobody!" Vivian spat. "Just like you! And now, I'm taking that rabbit, opening the vault, and delivering the ledgers to the Black Anchor. They're waiting at the gates right now. Hand over the toy, Alessandro, or I put a bullet through your little maid's heart."
Alessandro took a slow, deliberate step forward, putting himself directly between Vivian's gun and me.
"You made a mistake, Vivian," Alessandro said, his voice dropping into a register that made the room freeze.
"Step back, Alessandro! I'll shoot you!"
"No, you won't," Alessandro said coldly. "Because you forgot one thing about Villa Moretti."
Before Vivian could process his words, the heavy velvet curtain behind her shifted. A shadow detached itself from the wall. Before she could pull the trigger, Marco moved with astonishing speed, striking her wrist with a iron-like backhand.
The gun clattered across the floor.
Vivian shrieked as Marco twisted her arms behind her back, pinning her against the floor.
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Alessandro didn't even flinch. He walked over, picked up the gun, engaged the safety, and tossed it onto his desk. Then he looked down at Vivian with absolute disgust.
"Take her to the basement," Alessandro commanded. "And call the guards to secure the outer perimeter. The Black Anchor is outside."
