Chapter 7 - The Fall of Renato Salvi
By midnight, the storm had passed, leaving behind a crisp, clear sky filled with stars. Inside the subterranean bunker, Renato Salvi sat tied to a steel chair, staring at the bank of monitors showing Marcus Doyle and his mercenary captains bound and handed over to federal authorities via anonymous tips and overwhelming evidence of treason and extortion.
The heavy steel door swung open, and Damiano walked in, followed by Enzo.
"You didn't kill them," Renato whispered, stunned. "You gave them to the feds."
"Killing Marcus would make him a martyr in his daughter's mind one day," Damiano said, sitting on the edge of a wooden table. "Instead, he will spend the rest of his natural life in a federal penitentiary for high-level conspiracy and domestic terrorism. As for the Bellandi syndicate, their financial records were attached to the anonymous tip. Their entire network is being dismantled as we speak."
Renato swallowed hard. "And what about me?"
Damiano reached into his pocket and pulled out his father’s silver pocket watch. He opened the hatch, listening to the steady tick-tick-tick.
"My father kept you around because he thought you had honor, Renato," Damiano said softly. "You betrayed this family for money and power. I won't kill you either. That would be too easy."
Damiano nodded to Enzo, who stepped forward with a set of documents.
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"You are going to sign over every asset, every account, and every shell company you’ve created over thirty years," Damiano stated. "Then you will be escorted to a small, isolated farm in northern Quebec. You will live under constant surveillance, stripped of your wealth, your name, and your influence. You will watch the world move on without you, forgotten."
Renato’s eyes widened in realization. For a man who lived for power and status, living in obscurity and powerlessness was a sentence far worse than death. Tears of bitter regret welled in his silver eyes as he took the pen.
