Chapter 5 - The Unraveling
Vincent’s face drained of all color. He gripped the edge of the mahogany table so hard his knuckles turned white.
"L-Lorenzo?" Vincent stammered, the smooth facade completely collapsing. "How... you were supposed to be..."
"Tied to an iron chair in my own cellar?" Lorenzo finished for him, walking slowly toward the head of the table. "Surrounded by your men, betrayed by my most trusted adviser? Yes, Vincent. I was. But you made one critical mistake."
Vincent swallowed hard, trying desperately to regain his composure. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You forgot that a house built on loyalty cannot be dismantled by greed," Lorenzo said, stopping right beside Vincent’s chair. He reached into his pocket and dropped a crumpled piece of metal onto the table—the crushed fragment of his father’s pocket watch that had stopped the bullet. "You also forgot that some debts cannot be paid with money."
Daniel Cross, standing near the security console by the wall, tapped his keyboard. Instantly, the massive projector screen behind the table flickered to life. It displayed the financial records from the Swiss bank account, the wire transfers, and audio recordings of Vincent conspiring with Viktor Vance.
The capos erupted into furious murmurs. Paulie Marino stood up, his face dark with rage.
"You sold us out to the Bratva, Vincent?" Paulie roared, resting his massive hands on the table. "You traded the family for a payout?"
Vincent looked around the room, realizing every escape route was blocked by Marcus and Anthony. Desperation flickered in his eyes. He lunged toward his jacket pocket, reaching for a hidden pistol.
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Before his fingers could even graze the holster, Anthony Graves moved with blinding speed. Anthony swept Vincent’s legs out from under him, slamming him onto the marble floor with a resounding crash and pinning him down with a heavy knee to his back.
"Keep your hands where we can see them, Vincent," Anthony said calmly.
