Chapter 4 - The Man Who Wanted Lorenzo Dead
Arthur did not fire.
Instead, he slowly lowered his weapon.
“That list was designed to make you suspicious of me.”
Lorenzo said nothing.
Arthur continued.
“You think I'm the traitor because a frightened maid found paperwork with my name on it.”
Isabella stepped forward.
“You ordered the gunmen.”
Arthur smiled.
“Yes.”
The admission stunned everyone.
“But killing Lorenzo was never the whole plan.”
Lorenzo's eyes narrowed.
“What else?”
Arthur looked at Camila.
“The marriage.”
Camila stiffened.
“The wedding was supposed to create a war.”
Arthur explained that the Bianchi organization had been weakened for months. Money had disappeared. Several shipments had been intercepted. Two trusted guards had been found dead.
Every incident had been blamed on the Russo family.
Lorenzo had refused to retaliate.
That had prevented a war.
So Arthur needed something undeniable.
A massacre at Lorenzo's wedding.
Bianchi blood on one side.
Russo blood on the other.
The city would explode before anyone could discover who started it.
“And after you died,” Arthur said, “your people would demand revenge.”
Lorenzo stared at him.
“You wanted both families destroyed.”
“No.”
Arthur smiled.
“I wanted them dependent on me.”
Isabella suddenly understood.
The missing money.
The disappearing guards.
The fake attacks.
Arthur had not been preparing for a war.
He had been manufacturing fear.
Then he would become the only person both families trusted to restore order.
Lorenzo looked at Isabella.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know who I could trust.”
Arthur laughed.
“That was the correct decision.”
A gunman suddenly fired from the balcony.
The bullet struck the marble beside Isabella.
Lorenzo pushed her down.
Then the cathedral lights went out.
Total darkness.
Someone screamed.
Footsteps scattered.
May you like
When emergency lights finally came on, Arthur was gone.
So was Camila.
