Chapter 13 - Vittorio's Last Decision
Vittorio stepped into the room.
“I know you want to kill me.”
I looked at him.
“I haven't decided what I want.”
He nodded.
“Fair.”
He reached into his coat.
Elena screamed.
But Vittorio slowly pulled out a small envelope.
He placed it on the floor.
“This is everything.”
“What?”
“Names. Accounts. Locations.”
He looked at Isabella.
“She doesn't know all of it.”
Isabella stared at him.
“You betrayed me.”
“No.”
Vittorio looked at her.
“I betrayed everyone.”
He admitted that he had given Lorenzo information.
He had believed it would protect his mother.
But when he discovered Isabella planned to take Mia, he had tried to stop them.
He had secretly sent Elena's final location to Clara.
He had helped recover the USB.
And he had sabotaged Lorenzo's escape route.
“I should have told you.”
“Yes.”
“I was afraid.”
“I know.”
He swallowed.
“But I am done being afraid.”
He turned to Isabella.
“You used all of us.”
Isabella looked away.
The confrontation ended without a gunshot.
Because Elena stepped between us.
“Enough.”
She looked at me.
“This family has lost too much to revenge.”
I lowered my weapon.
Isabella surrendered.
The evidence inside the envelope led investigators to the remaining members of the network.
Lorenzo was arrested two days later.
Several shell companies were frozen.
The Winter Ledger became the key evidence connecting the old crimes to the new operation.
And Vittorio?
He turned himself in.
He accepted responsibility for what he had done.
Before leaving, he asked to see me alone.
“I don't expect forgiveness.”
“You won't get it today.”
He nodded.
“I understand.”
“But you did save Mia.”
He looked down.
“That doesn't erase what I did.”
“No.”
I paused.
“But it matters.”
He left.
Elena stood beside me.
Mia slept upstairs.
For the first time in weeks, the house was quiet.
Elena took my hand.
“It's over.”
I looked toward the staircase.
“No.”
I smiled faintly.
May you like
“Now we get to start again.”
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