Page 150

I’ve always been independent. I never needed to be coddled. I stood well on my own.

But in this moment, I curl into him like the little girl who always found safety in her father’s arms.

“You are far too strong for your own good,” my father mutters into my hair.

“I need to be, Papá. He needs me. I can’t leave him right now.”

When I pull away, I see something flash in my father’s eyes—a mixture of regret and sorrow swirling in the deep waters of his gaze.

“What is it, Papá?”

He doesn’t respond at first. The tension between us thickens with every second that passes.

“Papá?” My stomach churns as I search his face.

He sighs. “Maria, I need to tell you something.”

I frown. “Tell me what?”

He pauses, gathering the courage to continue. “Maria… I can’t carry this any longer. You need to know what really happened the night Matteo shot Antonio.”

“We already know what happened, Papá.”

He shakes his head. “There’s more to the story, cara mia. Far more that I need you to prepare yourself for.”

Dread seeps into my bones, oozing from the marrow into my bloodstream. “What do you mean there’s more?”

A heavy silence falls between us before Papá finally fills it.

“Your brother, cara… he was working with Giacomo.” His mouth moves, but the words don’t register at first. “I know it’s hard to accept, but it’s the truth. He wanted to be part of this world—this blood and war.”

The disappointment in his voice cuts deep. My father tried for years to distance us from this life. He ran to Italy to give us a chance at something different—something normal. A life untouched by violence and legacy.

“He chose to live by the code.” The words escape my lips in a whisper of disbelief. “But… I don’t understand.”

“Antonio was sent to kill Matteo. That was his mission. The day he died… Matteo was ambushed. Giacomo orchestrated it—and Antonio led the charge.”

I stare at my father, stunned. The words reach my ears, but my mind struggles to make sense of them.

“Papá… are you saying…”

He nods slowly, grief shadowing his expression. “Yes, Maria. He chose the traitor’s side. Manipulated by Giacomo’s lies—just like Daniele. Antonio organized the ambush at the warehouse. He wanted to be fully immersed in this life. He wanted to make a name for himself.”

He pauses, voice shaking.

“I didn’t tell you because I was ashamed. We’re the ones who need forgiveness. He tried to kill the man who’s done more forthis family than most ever will—a man we owe far more than we admit.” His voice dropped lower.

“Antonio fed Matteo false information about a stolen shipment worth millions—it was a trap. Matteo was the real target. And Antonio… he didn’t hesitate to follow Giacomo’s orders.”

I stand frozen, my mind racing.

“After Antonio’s death, I requested an autopsy. The report said he died from suffocation. The gunshot wound was superficial. He would’ve survived with just a scar if he hadn’t been suffocated. I started digging. One of Antonio’s men came to me—he found footage from that day. It showed what really happened.”

His voice breaks slightly.

“Antonio attacked Matteo from behind. In the struggle, Matteo didn’t even know it was him. The shot went off by accident—they were fighting over the gun. When Matteo saw Antonio’s face, he panicked. He and Daniele rushed out to get help to take him to the hospital. He was alive.”

“But someone else was there. A shadow approached. Antonio was weak from the wound… and he was suffocated. By the time Matteo returned, Antonio was dead. He thought he’d died from the bullet.”