Chapter 13
By sunrise, every senior Moretti capo had heard the recordings.
Valentina did not summarize.
Did not embellish.
Thomas’s own voice did the work.
Stage the accident.
Hold Valentina.
Take the chair.
Matteo looked real.
No return.
The capos stood around the wedding ballroom while broken decorations still covered part of the terrace outside.
Thomas remained defiant.
“You think recordings make leadership?”
No one answered.
He pointed at Valentina.
“She let emotion infect every decision.”
One capo asked:
“Which decision?”
Thomas laughed.
“Ethan.”
“He’s her son.”
“Exactly.”
The capo frowned.
Thomas continued:
“She cancels meetings if he’s sick.”
“He had pneumonia.”
“There!”
Thomas looked around as if the answer proved everything.
“Listen to yourselves.”
Marcus whispered:
“They’re listening.”
Thomas turned.
Marcus did not lower his eyes.
Progress.
Thomas pointed at him.
“You attacked her.”
“Yes.”
“You tried to steal the tablet.”
“Yes.”
“You’re no better.”
Marcus swallowed.
“No.”
Good.
No self-absolution.
Thomas’s eyes narrowed.
Marcus continued:
“But being guilty doesn’t make you innocent.”
Silence.
Vanessa sat farther away in a robe after changing out of her ruined gown.
She looked at Valentina.
“What happens to me?”
Thomas answered first.
“You disappear.”
Vanessa turned.
He smiled.
“You think the Morettis will keep a bride who failed?”
Her face emptied.
Thomas continued.
“Your marriage is useless now.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You promised protection.”
Thomas laughed.
“You really believed promises made during negotiations?”
Vanessa began crying.
Thomas rolled his eyes.
“There. More tears.”
Valentina watched.
Even at the end, Thomas could not resist belittling pain.
It was almost compulsive.
She looked at Vanessa.
“You pushed my son.”
Vanessa nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“You laughed.”
“Yes.”
“You were willing to lie afterward.”
“Yes.”
No excuse.
Valentina turned to Marcus.
“You attacked me.”
“Yes.”
“You helped arrange the recovery of the tablet.”
“Yes.”
Then Leon.
“You left Matteo.”
“Yes.”
Finally Thomas.
“You ordered all of it.”
He smiled.
“I led.”
That word ended whatever remained.
Valentina looked around the room.
“No.”
Pause.
May you like
“You consumed people.”
And no capo contradicted her.
