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“What happened after that?” I asked with no fluctuation in my voice.
Carlo's voice quivered slightly, his gaze flitting towards me with a tinge of guilt before he resumed his narrative.
"He suggested that we got rid of you," he muttered, the heaviness of the admission echoing in the confined space of the car.
My chest constricted at the revelation, the hollowness expanding within me.
"Ma ho rifiutato(But I refused)," Carlo hastened to add as if his refusal was meant to make me feel better.
I maintained a stoic façade, my features carefully arranged. Carlo's discomfort was obvious.
"He was adamant that removing you was the only way for him to claim the throne," Carlo revealed, his voice heavy with the weight of the truth.
I listened intently, my features carefully schooled into a neutral mask.
Carlo explained further, recounting the moment when Luigi's slip of the tongue had thrown him off. He had initially thought they were discussing the restoration of his birthright as the leader, but Luigi had laughed, suggesting that the leadership belonged to him. This revelation had ignited a fierce argument between them.
A surge of bitterness welled within me as I ruminated on Carlo's reaction. He seemed more taken aback by Uncle Luigi's desire to claim leadership for himself than the suggestion to eliminate me.
Carlo interjected, his voice tinged with a mix of regret and defiance. "Non potevo andare fino in fondo, Emilio. Non potevo tradirti.(I couldn't go through with it, Emilio. I couldn't betray you)."
The tale continued, and Carlo's voice held a hint of resignation as his words echoed in the confined space.
"An argument ensued," he began, "He insisted he should be the one in charge, that the family was rightfully his to lead."
As the tale continued, Carlo described how Luigi's intentions had taken a darker turn. Luigi had declared that since Carlo was of no use to him anymore, there was no reason to keep him alive.
The confrontation had escalated, and it became clear that Luigi had hidden Mancini and Esposito members within the Fiore mansion, waiting for the right moment to strike.
With a heavy heart, Carlo explained how Luigi had drawn a gun, threatening to end his life. However, Carlo's quick thinking saved him from a dire fate. During their altercation, Luigi had confessed to a sinister secret – he had formed a covert alliance with the Mancini family and Riccardo Esposito.
Carlo recounted Luigi's words, describing how our uncle had initially intended to use the Mancini members to harass our father, pushing him to yield to the leadership. But when I had unexpectedly killed Crino, Luigi had been left with a hidden, albeit useless, partnership.
Luigi had silently seized control of the Mancini family, discovering the existence of a figure named Riccardo Esposito and forging an alliance with him.
Silence enveloped us as Carlo's words settled in, revealing the extent of Luigi's calculated moves to secure power within the Fiore family. It was so absurdly meticulous that, for a fleeting moment, I wanted to burst into laughter.
The irony was not lost on me—our blood had carefully plotted against us, orchestrating a complex network of deceit and manipulation.
As I pulled up to Andrea's private hospital, I spotted him already waiting outside with his team and equipment, prepared to handle the situation from there. The moment the car halted, Andrea's employees swiftly assisted Carlo out and onto a gurney. I followed suit, approaching Andrea, who was already issuing orders to his other staff.
Carlo suddenly grabbed my hand before he was wheeled away, catching me off guard. "Mi dispiace, Emilio, per quello che è successo(I'm sorry, Emilio, for what happened)," he murmured, his tone laced with remorse, "and I'm grateful you came to my rescue. I swear I will not forget it."
With that, he was wheeled away, leaving me to face Andrea's inquisitive gaze.
Andrea's eyebrows raised above the frame of his glasses, and the quizzical scrunch of his face prompted me to give a simple response.
"È una lunga storia(It's a long story,)" I replied wearily, my energy drained from the events of the day.
Turning away, I made my way back to the car, settling into the driver's seat with a heavy heart, and dialed Enzo’s number.
"Enzo,radunare gli uomini per una riunione.(Enzo, gather the men for a meeting).”
Chapter 39
Griselda
AsIporedoverthe file, the details began to come back to me in vivid flashes. It was the case of Frederick, a young drug dealer accused of first-degree murder. His story unraveled as I delved deeper into the documents, recounting his struggles and the murky world he was entangled in.
