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She had disappeared without a trace, leaving me with a gnawing regret that I couldn't ignore.
In the end, as the minutes stretched into eternity, all I could do was vow to find her after I had dealt with all of this.
I scanned the article for any hints of who might be behind this manipulation, but there were no clear leads.
The reporter's source remained anonymous, and the language used was carefully crafted to incite fear and panic among the public.
Even though the culprit wasn't mentioned, I knew this had been aimed at me.
I knew I had enemies; it came with the territory of being a figure of influence in the underworld.
But to see such a blatant attack was both infuriating and alarming.
Whoever was responsible was playing a dangerous game, and I felt I already knew who it was.
"Cos'è questo (What is this)?What is going on?" I looked away from the newspaper and asked Leo, a detective who worked for my father when he was still alive, to provide information for us from the police.
Leo's full name was Leonardo. The man, who was like an uncle to me, was sitting opposite me with slightly furrowed brows. He, too, was reading the paper.
"I thought you said you ended him in one shot." He arched an eyebrow. "Why are the papers saying he was stabbed multiple times and riddled with bullets?"
"L'ho fatto (I did it). He was beaten up before I shot him in the head, but he wasn't stabbed." I scoffed and leaned back in my seat, throwing the paper on my table with disgust.
The man in the papers was a member of my organization, but I had discovered he was a traitor, selling information to a small rival family of ours, the Costa family.
Naturally, he had to face the consequences of his actions. Betrayal was not taken lightly, especially when done to me or what I cared about.
Leo hummed. Leo was a high-ranking detective in the police force. The bond between Leo and me went beyond that of a friend; he was like family.
From my earliest memories, I saw him as a constant presence in my life. He and my father, Dante De Luca, who had been the Don of the DeLuca mafia, had been the closest of friends, inseparable like brothers.
As a child, I would often see Leo around our home. He would visit frequently, and I remember being delighted when he would pick me up and carry me in his strong arms.
It felt like I had a second father who cared for and protected me like my dad.
Leo's friendship with my father was one of the cornerstones of our family.
They had known each other since their youth, and their bond had only grown stronger over the years.
They were there for each other in good times and bad, sharing laughter, tears, triumphs, and challenges.
They seem more like brothers than my father and uncle ever did. My uncle, who was now the Don of our family.
Leo took on a larger role in my life when my father passed away, and my birthright to become the next Don was stolen from me by my uncle.
He became not just a friend of the family but a protector, a mentor, and someone I could always turn to for advice.
In the world of crime and power, where alliances could crumble with the slightest betrayal, I knew I could always rely on Leo's unwavering loyalty.
Even though I had been betrayed by my blood-related uncle, I knew Leo would never betray me.
"It is obvious that someone else did this and that they knew we were going to kill him." I tapped my fingers on the table. "This is a provocation aimed at me. What I don't understand is why they leaked it to the media. What are they trying to achieve?"
"Whatever the reason is for leaking it to the media, I don't know. All I know is that you need to be careful. Someone did this to send a message to you. Either that or they're trying to have all the attention directed towards you."
I clenched my fist in anger. "I didn't think he would go this far and risk our family."
"You have any idea who did this?" He asked with a side glance in my direction.
