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I made my way to the door, a sense of urgency propelling my movements. Enzo followed suit, his quiet presence a steady reassurance. As we descended the stairs, my mind whirled with several possible implications.
The long drive to Griselda's place was a rollercoaster of feelings for me. I couldn't shake off the worry tugging at my mind or the urgency to be there for her. When I finally reached her mother’s street, there she was, standing outside, looking more vulnerable and lost than I'd ever seen her. I could tell she was going through a storm of emotions.
I pulled up beside her. Wordlessly, she entered the car, her silence speaking volumes.
"How did it go?" I asked, not sure whether it was wise to question her now or whether she needed some space. So I waited for her to show me what she needed.
During the car ride back to our place, she opened up slowly. Her voice sounded so timid I grew concerned for her emotional wellbeing.
She began to reveal that her mother had disclosed her father's role as the leader of the Esposito family, recounting the details of her father's betrayal and subsequent expulsion from the Mancini family.
Glancing at her as I drove, I couldn't help but worry about how all this news was affecting her. I tried reading her, gauging whether she knew or at least suspected something about her father's true identity.
My own father's involvement in the events unfolded by Griselda struck me with a sharp pang. To think that my father had visited her mother and had threatened both their lives by demanding information about her father's whereabouts, was deeply disturbing.
I mentally berated myself for not taking the necessary precautions to ensure her mother's safety, realizing that I had underestimated the extent of the danger she faced. "Sorry," I blurted out, my remorse palpable.
Her reassurance that I had enough on my plate did little to ease the guilt that gnawed at me. The air hung heavy between us. Each dragged under by the current of our chaotic thoughts.
Griselda stared out the window, her expression inscrutable. I cleared my throat, breaking the heavy silence.
"How are you feeling about all this?" I asked, my voice tentative.
"I don't know," she replied softly. "It's a lot to take in."
She seemed so defeated. I wanted to console her, to say something that would make it all better, but I was just as lost in this convoluted situation. How could I even begin to ease her mind when my own was a jumbled mess?
"Yeah, it's a lot to take in," I replied softly, barely audible.
My eyes remained fixed on the road ahead. The city sounds barely made it through the thick air that sat around us. Time seemed to slow down, weighed down by all the things we couldn't put into words while we were both lost in our thoughts.
As I navigated through the streets, the dashboard screen suddenly lit up, displaying an incoming call alert. Positioned prominently at the center, just above the console, the touch-sensitive display framed in glossy black easily caught my attention. Its modern interface with vibrant colors and crisp visuals was a stark contrast to the interior of the car.
Glancing at the screen, I was surprised to see my brother's name flashing. I hadn't expected him to call, and I couldn't help but wonder what could have prompted him to do so. Swiping the screen, I answered the call, only to be met with a breathless voice and a cacophony of background noises.
"Emilio!" Carlo's voice rang out, filled with urgency and panic.
My body reacted with an immediate adrenaline spike, and I did my best to focus on the road despite the tumult. I could sense Griselda's worried gaze on me from the corner of my eye.
"Carlo, what's happening?" I asked, now really worried.
The background noise was chaotic, with shouts and gunfire filling the air in my car. I strained to hear my brother's response over the commotion. His words tumbled out in a rush.
"The Fiore family is under attack!" Carlo exclaimed, his voice barely audible over the noise.
"Carlo, can you hear me?" I shouted into the phone, my pulse quickening with panic. But my calls went unanswered.
The line went dead, and deafening silence filled the car.
Chapter 37
Griselda
Icouldn'thelpbutfeel terror after what Emilio’s brother had just revealed. Despite them not being very close, Carlo was still his brother.
I glanced at Emilio, my heart palpitating at the worry etched on his face. His jaws clenched tightly, his lips pulled back, exposing his grinding teeth. He looked like a wounded animal in agony. I reached out and placed my hand on his thigh, trying to ground him in the present.
"I have to get there," he said with desperation.
