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“There’s only one way we can find out who he is, and that’s by luring him out,” I spoke up, attracting three pairs of eyes to focus on me. “Before we left for Manhattan, Tom had tried to kidnap Aryana. Now that the tides are turning and he’s lost his two brothers, he will become desperate and sloppy. He’ll grasp at any straws to find a way out. Let’s not forget that I’ve publicly introduced Aryana and announced that she’s carrying my baby. This will be the best opportunity to find out who the traitor is. There’s no doubt that Tom will demand the traitor to hand Aryana over so he can use her as a bargaining chip.”
After I said this, I took a deep breath and faced Aryana. “I promise that nothing is going to happen to you.”
I looked into her eyes, expecting to see fear, but to my surprise, there was nothing except trust and unwavering determination.
“I know.” That was all she said. “I know you won’t allow anything to happen to us.” She took my hand and placed it on her stomach.
“Whomever the traitor is, they betrayed you and helped kill your father, who meant everything to you. I will do this for you. He deserves to pay.” I swallowed the lump that appeared in my throat. I loved her.
I brought her into my arms, touched by what she said. I had missed her. With all the planning and war going on, we barely spoke to each other, although I knew that was not the main reason. I had avoided her to prevent my presence from forcing her to say what she wasn’t ready to say, as proven when she cleaned my wounds after I had killed Elio. Despite how we barely interacted with each other, it didn’t reduce my longing for her. It only increased.
I looked at Tony and Marcelo. They nodded their heads. We didn’t know when the traitor would act, meaning we would have to be vigilant at any cost. I supposed we could lure the traitor to make his move faster if we pretended the security around Aryana was lax.
So that was what we did.
We waited and waited for when the traitor would make his move.
We continued as normal, still plotting and fighting. Whenever I had to leave, I stationed as many men as possible around Aryana without making it obvious. Anyone approaching would only see one man stationed outside our room without knowing ten men were inside, positioned strategically, ready to jump in when needed but otherwise invisible to whoever entered.
After a week, we became skeptical when nothing happened, even doubting if Felice had told the truth even though what he had said had cleared up so many holes. In the end, our patience finally bore fruit.
With his two brothers dead, Tom no longer tried to engage us. If anything, he tried to remain lowkey as much as possible, as if he wanted to vanish off the face of the earth. But it didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to spare him. He would meet the same fate he doomed my father to—he and the traitor.
I, Tony, and Marcel were on our way to the study, a ploy to make the traitor know we weren’t near Aryana, when I felt my phone ring. I picked it up, about to ask her what had happened, when I heard the traitor’s voice.
The three of us rushed back, and my phone was placed on my ear, listening to what the defector was saying. How confident was he that he truly believed Aryana would be left alone? He didn’t bother checking for any devices that could have been recording whatever was said. It was a sign that he was in a hurry.
My anger flared when I heard how he used me in his ploy to try and get Aryana to follow him somewhere; a safe place, he said. Of course, Aryana didn’t agree and acted her part, pretending to be scared and unsure, asking what was happening and what had happened.
But with how desperate he was, there was no doubt that things would soon turn physical, and true to my belief, I could hear the traitor’s voice increase his volume. His lies turned to threats, and my insides coiled in fear that she would be safe despite the number of men hiding in the room. I wasn’t worried, but at the same time, I was.
When I heard Aryana’s shout, I increased my pace and reached my bedroom, throwing it open without care. In front of Aryana was Alfonso with five guns aimed at his head while his rifle was lowered to the ground. His face was whitened in terror as he took in the situation before looking at me.
“Why?” That was all I wanted to know. Having suspected the traitor to be Alfonso, my veins had burned with fury, but now seeing him and catching him red-handed, I felt weary.
“Why?” I repeated. “After all my father did for you?”
Immediately I said that his face turned red with anger. “After all he’s done for me? What has he done for me?” He shouted.
“Everything that should have been mine he gave to you!”
I was confused. What was he talking about?
“I had served as his right-hand man for so many years! I was loyal to him! I helped him raise the Romano family to the level it was, and how did he repay me? By planning to give you his position as the Don! All my hard work and efforts were given away to someone with the mentality of a child!”
I was baffled. I didn’t know what to think.
“I was his heir,” I stated.
“You were a child, and the fact that you got that girl pregnant during a war proved you’re not competent enough to rule over this family.” He smirked, taunting me.
I dug my nails into my fists to control my anger and prevent myself from putting a bullet in his head.
“And that was why you killed my father?” I was in disbelief and disgusted by the man
Surprisingly, his face fell with guilt, and his shoulders slumped forward.
“I never meant for him to die. He wasn’t supposed to die. I only helped Tom to cause problems for the Romano family because I wanted your father to see that I was the only one capable of bringing peace back to the family. But Luca, he became suspicious.” Alfonso gave a wiry chuckle. “I don’t know how long he had been suspicious of me, but it was long enough that he didn’t even tell me where he had hidden you and that girl. Ultimately, he became too suspicious for his good and discovered the truth. You have to understand. I couldn’t let him go! He knew the truth, but I ensured he didn’t suffer too much when he died.”
