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“Why the hell haven't you been answering my calls?!” Carlo demands angrily.
“The more pressing question is, how is Liliana still alive when you were supposed to eliminate them all?!” Antonio shouts in frustration, pacing back and forth across the room.
Wait, Lili is still alive! My mind reels as I try to process what I just overheard. Quickly pulling out my phone, I switch to video mode to capture their conversation. The phone shakes in my hands as I struggle to comprehend this revelation. Pure rage courses through me, tempting me to shoot both of these fuckers on the spot, but this is even better. Bringing this evidence to the feds will ensure Carlo's empire comes crashing down, and there's nothing he can do to stop it.
“You stood by and let her murder my sweet Bianca, you bastard!” Carlo yells, lunging at Antonio, who easily evades the attack and pins Carlo against the wall.
“I had no choice!” Antonio defends, releasing Carlo and taking a step back with his hands raised. “I had to comply with everything she wanted, or she would've known I was working with you,” he continues. Holy fucking shit! They orchestrated this entire thing and my Lili survived!
“Tomás, Edoardo, and Bianca are dead. It's only a matter of time before she comes for me, and that can't happen,” Carlo says urgently. “You have to take care of her, Tony. She trusts you and won't suspect a thing.”
“You should get out of town with your family until I've dealt with her,” Antonio suggests. “It will throw her off her game and make things easier. She's every bit of what Paolo trained her to be, and I can't risk her surviving again.”
Paolo placed his trust in Antonio, offering him a home and stability, only to be betrayed in the end. Loyalty holds no weight in the mafia world. No matter the pledge of allegiance, greed and power always come into play, masking ulterior motives. I keep recording as these traitors conspire to eliminate Liliana. Let them scheme all they want; once I gather all the evidence, I'll show this to Lili and expose the true monster behind it all.
17
Nico
As the sun starts to set on the horizon, I arrive at the Rinaldi compound. Until I lay eyes on her myself, I can't fathom that Lili is truly alive. After leaving Carlo's safe house, I replayed the video capturing his entire conversation with Antonio. Betrayal is never the art of an enemy, it comes from those you trust with your life. The damage is done, and greed has prevailed. Paolo would trade this life for his family's safety if given the chance, but we'll never know. Reaching into the glove compartment, I retrieve the keycard Lili entrusted to me years ago, hoping it still unlocks the gate. To my relief, the light on the call box turns green, signaling that the gate is opening.
Slowly heading up the driveway, I consider what to say when I see her again. How long will it take for the shock to fade once I hold her in my arms? Fate has granted us a second chance, and after I share this video with her, we'll devise our own plan to put an end to this once and for all. Turning off the engine, I take a moment to catch my breath.
A flood of emotions overwhelm me—joy, excitement, desire, relief, and more. I roll my neck and shoulders to ease the tension from this entire ordeal. Suppressing my anger has drained me mentally and it’s taking the last of my energy to wrap my head around everything that’s happened. Walking around the front of the car, I drag my feet up the stairs, suddenly feeling weak after transitioning from believing Lili was lost to discovering she's alive.
As I reach for the doorbell, I'm suddenly tackled from behind and thrown down the stairs, landing hard on my back with my head hitting the asphalt. Blinding pain surges through me, and I lie still, trying to comprehend what the fuck just happened and why I'm under attack. When my vision clears, I find Lili straddling me, her expression seething with anger, nostrils flaring as she gazes at me as if I'm the enemy and she’s out for blood.
Lili
The doorbell sensor chimes on the wall as I descend the stairs. Who could be visiting at this hour? Glancing at the screen, my heart thunders in my chest when I see Nico's face appear on the screen. What is he doing here? How does he know I'm still alive? This is unexpected, but starting my morning by eliminating another Beneventi will be a great start to my day. Hurrying into the kitchen, I grab a butcher knife and head toward the French doors. Circling around to the front of the house, I wait for him to climb the stairs before making my move. The cold asphalt sends shivers through my bare feet as I tiptoe up the steps, careful not to make a sound. He reaches out to ring the doorbell, and I seize the opportunity, catching him off guard.
As he attempts to rise, I deliver a forceful kick to his stomach, sending him tumbling down the stairs, savoring the grunts of pain that escape him. Moving swiftly to subdue him, I grasp his neck firmly, the urge to end him overpowering but my need for answers prevailing. Retrieving the knife from my waistband, I press its tip against the skin guarding his heart. Blood seeps from the wound, staining his t-shirt, and I steady my hand to prevent it from going deeper. I never imagined staring at my first and only love with such anger, yet here we are, irreparably broken, his life in my grasp. His familiar scent envelops me as his eyes lock with mine, stirring a fleeting moment of weakness that quickly dissipates as he attempts to speak.
“Lili, you're alive!” He gasps between quick breaths, my grip tightening around his throat.
“Yes, you son of a bitch, I'm still breathing,” I seethe, my teeth grinding so hard my jaw aches. “Now, give me one good reason why I shouldn't drive this knife straight through your fucking heart!” I threaten, on the edge of crushing his windpipe if he doesn't provide a satisfactory answer.
“Get my phone from my pocket,” he coughs, his hands clutching my wrist, attempting to loosen my grip around his neck. Pausing, I lock eyes with him, searching for any hint of deception. His gaze softens, urging me to comply. Retrieving the phone, I hand it to him, the knife still poised at his heart, awaiting whatever revelation he intends to show me. After tapping the screen a few times, he turns the phone around, causing the knife to slip from my grasp.
I stiffen as the video unfolds, revealing Antonio and Carlo engaged in conversation. A surge of pressure builds in my chest as I hear my Consigliere tell my enemy he failed to eliminate my family, admitting he has been gaining my trust to finish the job. How Carlo ruined his plans to take over the Northwest territory. The tightening in my chest makes it difficult to breathe. My vision blurs, dizziness washing over me as I struggle to remain steady. Slowly disentangling from Nico, I attempt to stand, but my legs betray me, sending me crashing to the ground. Heat floods my face, my chest constricts, and I fight back tears threatening to spill down my cheeks. Revenge and sorrow collide as I envision ending Antonio's life—a man who has been like family to me for most of my life.
“Can we go inside and talk?” Nico asks, extending his hand to help me up from the ground. I hadn't even noticed he was already standing, patiently observing as I processed the shocking revelation from his phone. He quietly stood by, giving me the space I needed to grapple with the realization that my supposed ally was actually my enemy. Without replying, I take his hand, feeling the comforting warmth of his touch beginning to soothe my heartache. His arms wrap around my waist as he breathes me in, and I welcome the closeness of his body against mine. He grunts in pain when I hug him tightly, and I quickly apologize for hurting him.
“How could you ever believe that I would take part in the killing of your family, Lili,” he murmurs against my ear, holding me closer. “I could never live without you, my love,” he proclaims, tightening his hold on me.
“I'm not sure I truly believed you would, or at least not until Greta clarified some things for me,” I confess. “You have to understand, I didn't know who to trust after what happened to my family.”
The door opens, and Greta steps through the threshold, giving me a knowing look of “I told you so,” as she ushered us inside. Nico heads into the kitchen with Greta as I retrieve the first aid kit. What if I killed him before seeing what was on his phone? My love for him compelled me to give him a chance. Deep down, I think I knew the truth, but my anger has clouded my judgment at times. As I head towards the kitchen, my footsteps falter as memories of that day come rushing back. The scenes fast-forward in my mind, stopping at the moment I passed out, recalling the familiar eyes as darkness enveloped me—Antonio's eyes, with a sly smile etched across his face, reigniting my fury.
“He was there,” I disclose, pulling a chair in front of Nico to attend to the wound on his chest.
“Who was there?” Greta inquires.
“Before I blacked out, I caught a glimpse of his eyes, watching as my family was put in body bags. I thought I was imagining things, but it was him,” I recount, wishing I had recalled this sooner. “All this time, he's been helping me take out the Beneventis one by one, yet he was the one who initiated this entire mess.”
“Count me in however you want to handle this,” Nico adds, holding an ice pack to the back of his head. “When do you see him next?” He asks.
“He's due back on Monday for a meeting with the other four families, but I've got a plan,” I reply, my mind racing with an idea that Antonio will never see coming.
