Ava Bellini looked innocently across the table at Dominic and revealed that Grandma had told her she would have to call Uncle Dominic "Daddy" once her father was gone

The sun began its slow descent, casting long, dramatic shadows across the manicured lawns of the Bellini estate. The cinematic light shifted from bright white to a deep, golden hue. Matteo stood on the balcony overlooking the grounds, a glass of expensive bourbon in his tattooed hand. The air was cool and quiet, a stark contrast to the violence that had erupted hours before.

The heavy doors to the balcony clicked open softly.

Matteo did not turn around. "Is it handled, Marcus?"

His lead capo stepped onto the stone balcony, his dark suit immaculate. "The cleanup crew has removed Silvio’s body. The dining room has been sanitized. Dominic is secured in the lower levels, and the interrogation team has begun their preliminary work. Helena is locked in the northern guest house."

"And the mercenaries Dominic hired?" Matteo asked, taking a slow sip of the burning liquid.

"We intercepted their communications," Marcus replied, his American accent crisp and professional. "They were waiting at a staging area three miles from the main gate. When Dominic missed his check-in time, they scattered. We have teams tracking them down now. None of them will make it to the state line."

"Good," Matteo murmured.

He turned away from the balcony, walking back into the opulent master suite. "I want full audits on every capo who sat at that table today. I want their bank records pulled, their communications decrypted, and their loyalties verified. Dominic was a fool, but he may have planted seeds of doubt."

"It will be done, Boss," Marcus nodded respectfully.

"Where is Ava?" Matteo asked, the cold, authoritative tone dropping instantly, replaced by the profound warmth of a father.

"She is in her playroom, sir," Marcus answered, a faint smile touching his lips. "Maria has been reading to her. She seems entirely calm."

Matteo set his glass down on a side table. He walked down the long, carpeted hallway toward the nursery wing of the estate. He pushed open the heavy oak door gently.

Ava was sitting on a plush rug, surrounded by brightly colored building blocks. The nanny sat nearby, turning the pages of a picture book. When Ava heard the door open, she looked up, her blue eyes lighting up instantly.

"Daddy!" Ava cheered, scrambling to her feet and running across the room in her tiny flats.

Matteo dropped to one knee, catching her in a fierce, protective embrace. He buried his face in her soft hair, inhaling the innocent scent of her. The weight of the crown, the blood on his hands, the necessary evils he committed—it was all justified in this single moment.

"Are you okay, my sweet girl?" Matteo whispered softly, pulling back to look at her fair, rosy cheeks. The faint red mark from Helena’s slap had almost entirely faded.

"I'm okay, Daddy," Ava smiled, wrapping her small arms around his neck. "Are Grandma and Uncle Dominic gone?"

"They are gone," Matteo promised, his sharp eyes softening. "And they will never, ever bother you again."

Before he could say another word, his secure cell phone vibrated violently in the breast pocket of his tailored suit.

Matteo hesitated. He gently set Ava down. "Go play with your blocks, piccola. Daddy has to take a quick phone call."

He stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him. He pulled the encrypted phone from his pocket, noting the scrambled caller ID. He pressed it to his ear.

"Speak," Matteo commanded softly.

"Matteo Bellini," a distorted, mechanical voice rasped through the speaker. "You survived the dinner. Impressive. But Dominic was merely a distraction. Check your western perimeter."

The line went dead.

Matteo stood perfectly still in the quiet hallway. The cold, intimidating Mafia boss closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, the heavy burden of power settling back onto his shoulders. The purge had not been an ending. It was merely the opening move in a much larger, deadlier war.