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I close my eyes, taking a breath, trying to find the strength I’ve been holding onto for so long. The resolve hits me like a wave, and with a tremble in my chest, I open my eyes again, meeting Matteo’s gaze.

“Take the shot,” I whisper, my voice barely audible but heavy with finality.

The room falls into a heavy silence. Both men turn to me—Giacomo’s smile full of disbelief, Matteo’s face twisted in pain as he shakes his head.

“Take the shot, Matteo,” I repeat, the tears slipping down my cheeks, hot against my skin. “Take it.”

If this is how it ends, then so be it. I hope he knows that whatever happens, I don’t blame him.

“Maria…” His voice cracks.

“Take the shot,” I say again, my heart breaking with every word. I lock eyes with him, the man I’ve fallen in love with, the man I’ve given every part of me to. “I will be okay.”

“You heard her, Davacalli. Take the shot. See what happens.” Giacomo presses the gun tighter into my temple, his smile widening. “I dare you.”

The tension in the room is unbearable, thick with impending tragedy, the air charged with the promise of a decision that will change everything.

40

MATTEO

The room is heavy with tension, the silence suffocating. The air feels thick, like it’s holding its breath, waiting for the next move to shatter the stillness. The weight of the gun in my hand is a stark contrast to the weight of everything I’ve lost.

Then, the door behind me bursts open—and in walks my son with his gun raised, pointed directly at Giacomo, his face set with grim determination.

“Put the gun down, Giacomo,” he says, voice cold and unwavering. “You lost.”

The sight of him, standing tall and unwavering, is a shock to my system. I thought I’d lost him forever. I never expected him to turn on his own father. But here he is—standing side by side with me.

I don’t have time to revel in this newfound victory. My eyes lock on my wife—her tear-stained face the one thing that grounds me.

“You’re a fool, Giacomo,” Daniele spits, his voice laced with bitterness. “You thought you could control everything, that I’d be your puppet. But you were wrong.”

Giacomo’s face twists in fury, his eyes blazing with rage. “You think I’m the fool? You, who couldn’t even obey the laws of our world? You’re a disappointment—a weak shadow of what I made you. You betrayed everything I taught you, everything I gave you. You were nothing but a weak boy, just like your mother.”

The words hit Daniele like a slap, but he doesn’t flinch. He’s grown into a man, not just in stature but in resolve. His grip on the gun tightens as he steps forward, his eyes never leaving Giacomo.

“I did what was right,” Daniele retorts, his voice low but steady. “You’re the one who lost your way—so consumed by rage and pride, it led to your own downfall.”

I can see the fury burning in Giacomo’s eyes. “You want to die for this, boy? You think your little rebellion matters? You’re nothing but the scum beneath my feet. “

Daniele’s eyes flash with something cold, something sharp. “I’m not your little boy.”

The room is on the edge of breaking, and just as the silence becomes unbearable, Giacomo’s voice slices through the tension—dripping with venom.

“You want to kill me, huh? You want to end it here? Then lower your weapons, or I swear to God—I’ll kill her.”

My heart stops. My breath catches in my throat, but I refuse to lower my gun.

The tension between the three of us thickens—each of us waiting for the other to make a move.

“Do it,” Giacomo sneers. “Take the shot, boys. Let’s see who’s faster.”

The weight of his words hangs in the air. The room seems to tilt as if gravity no longer works in our favor.

My thoughts are a whirlwind. My gun is steady, but I can feel my control slipping.

One wrong move, and everything will shatter.