Eva Brooks carefully settled an ornate brass candlestick onto the carved walnut sideboard, the heavy metal making a faint tap against the wood

Thomas wept openly, his broad shoulders shaking as he knelt on the ornate rug. The opulent surroundings of the billiards room felt entirely disconnected from the brutal reality of the interrogation. The warm golden light cascading from the fixtures illuminated the absolute despair on the traitor's face.

"I was in debt, Boss!" Thomas pleaded, his voice cracking violently. "The underground casinos took everything I had. Celeste found out. She said she would clear my markers if I just gave her the patrol schedules and looked the other way for ten minutes! You have to believe me, I didn't want to hurt Miles!"

Victor stood up slowly, towering over the broken man. His angular face was carved from stone, devoid of any mercy or hesitation. He casually adjusted his wristwatch, the gold glinting in the light.

"Do you expect me to accept your gambling debts as a valid excuse for treason against my family?" Victor asked, his deep, measured voice echoing in the large room.

"Please, Victor! I have a wife!" Thomas begged, straining against the zip-ties binding his wrists. "I'll do anything! I'll take a bullet for you! Just give me a chance to make it right!"

"Did you give my brother a chance when you allowed that woman to lock him in a lightless tomb?" Victor asked, stepping back to create a physical distance between himself and the filth of betrayal.

Thomas choked on his own sobs, realizing there was no negotiation. The mafia code was absolute.

"What is the penalty for treason in the Hawthorne family, Marcus?" Victor asked, turning his head slightly toward his lieutenant, though he already knew the answer.

"Death, Boss," Marcus replied, his face entirely unreadable.

"Will you ensure his wife receives a stipend to cover her living expenses, but explain that her husband died a coward?" Victor asked quietly.

"It will be done," Marcus nodded.

"And will you clean this mess from my floors before the sun rises?" Victor asked, turning his back on Thomas completely.

He did not stay to watch the execution. He walked out of the billiards room, the heavy oak doors closing behind him just before a single, suppressed gunshot echoed through the thick wood. The finality of the sound settled heavily in the corridor, a grim reminder of the absolute authority Victor wielded.

Victor made his way back up the grand staircase, his mind already shifting to the next massive problem. The Wren family. Celeste was the favored daughter of a powerful southern boss. Her imprisonment in his basement was an act of war.

He walked back into his private study. Eva was waiting exactly where he had left her, sitting in the leather armchair. She stood up instantly when he entered, her expressive eyes searching his face for any sign of injury.

"Is it done?" Eva asked softly, her delicate features tight with anxiety.

"Did you doubt that I would handle the threat?" Victor asked, walking over to his mahogany desk and pouring two glasses of amber liquid from a crystal decanter. He handed one to Eva.