Chapter 2 - The Silent Interrogation
The cinematic tension in the grand dining room spiked to an absolute, suffocating peak.
Dante physically staggered backward, his expensive leather shoes scraping against the polished marble floor. A single drop of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
"She's a child, Vincent," Dante laughed nervously, his voice cracking as he desperately tried to maintain his charming facade. "Kids have wild imaginations. Clara probably just misplaced some silverware and the girl made up a story. Right, Clara?"
Dante shot a vicious, threatening glare directly at the young housekeeper.
Clara shrank back against the wall, clutching her white apron. She was hyperventilating, completely paralyzed by the sheer, unadulterated terror of the man in the navy suit.
Vincent didn't look at his brother. He didn't yell. The legendary mafia boss simply stood up to his full, towering height. His broad shoulders completely blocked Clara from Dante's line of sight.
"I didn't ask you, Dante," Vincent whispered. His voice was incredibly low, completely devoid of any human emotion, and it sucked all the oxygen out of the massive room.
Vincent turned around and looked down at the trembling maid. He didn't loom over her. He kept his distance, ensuring she didn't feel trapped by him.
"Clara," Vincent said softly, his gray eyes piercing straight through her fear. "You are standing in my house. You are under my roof. Nothing in this world can hurt you while I am standing here. Tell me what my brother makes you hide."
Clara burst into heavy, agonizing tears. The suffocating weight of the secret she had been carrying finally broke her.
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"I... I had to do it," Clara sobbed, sliding down the wall until she was kneeling on the floor. "He told me if I didn't hide the packages, child services would come and take Ellie away forever. He said he had the judges on his payroll."
👉 Vincent realized his own flesh and blood had blackmailed an innocent mother, but the actual secret was far worse.
