Chapter 10
The heavy oak doors of the grand ballroom were finally thrown open. The bright, cheerful sunlight poured into the room, a stark and jarring contrast to the absolute devastation that had just occurred within its walls.
Marcella Bellandi stumbled out of the estate, her ruined wedding gown dragging behind her. She wept uncontrollably, stripped of her wealth, her status, and her family, walking alone down the long, manicured driveway. The bodyguards dragged the unconscious Leo Vance out shortly after, tossing him unceremoniously into the back of a waiting transport van to be returned to his father with a terrifying message.
The remaining guests were quietly and efficiently escorted off the property by Rafe’s security team. No one spoke a word. They had witnessed the absolute, terrifying power of the Bellandi patriarch, and none of them dared to draw his attention.
The ballroom was finally empty, save for Nico, Rafe, and little Vivia.
The chaotic mess of broken crystal and spilled champagne covered the marble floor, but the room was perfectly silent.
Nico walked over to where Vivia stood. The six-year-old girl was still holding onto the tattered, torn dress of her late mother, her small fingers clutching the fabric like a lifeline. Nico knelt down on one knee, ignoring the shards of glass on the floor, and brought himself down to her eye level.
"I'm sorry, Vivia," Nico whispered, his voice cracking slightly with the immense weight of his grief and his love for his child. "I am so sorry I didn't listen to you. I am so sorry I let them hurt you."
Vivia looked at him, her bright hazel eyes wide and trusting. She let go of the dress with one hand and reached out, gently touching his fair, rosy cheek.
"It's okay, Daddy," Vivia said softly, her American accent pure and sweet. "Mommy said you would protect me. And you did."
Nico pulled her into a fierce, protective embrace, burying his face into her shoulder. He held her tight, feeling the steady, reassuring beat of her small heart against his chest. He had lost his wife, he had banished his sister, and he had executed a purge within his own ranks. But he still had his daughter, and he would burn the entire world down before he let anyone harm her again.
"Boss," Rafe’s voice broke the silence, hushed and urgent.
Nico slowly pulled back from his daughter, though he kept his arm wrapped securely around her waist. He looked up at his head of security. "What is it, Rafe?"
Rafe was staring at the bright screen of the laptop, his face pale and tense.
"There's a third folder on the USB drive, Nico," Rafe said, turning the laptop slightly so Nico could see the screen. "It was hidden behind a secondary firewall. I just managed to crack it."
Nico stood up, his protective instincts instantly flaring back to life. "What does it say?"
"It's a list of names, Boss," Rafe replied, his voice barely a whisper. "Names of federal agents, rival bosses, and politicians. But there's a note attached at the bottom. It says the mole wasn't acting alone."
Nico’s eyes narrowed as he read the glowing text on the screen. The conspiracy went far deeper than a greedy sister and a corrupt CFO. The entire syndicate had been infiltrated from the top down.
"What are your orders, Nico?" Rafe asked, his hand dropping to his weapon.
May you like
Nico looked at his daughter, then back at the glowing screen. The battle was over, but the war had just begun.
"Lock down the estate," Nico commanded, his voice cold and lethal. "Nobody sleeps tonight."
