Chapter 10 - Legacy of Light
That evening, we sat around a long wooden table on the terrace under a canopy of twinkling fairy lights and a blanket of Mediterranean stars.
Gabriel shared news from Chicago. The transition was nearly complete; the old rackets had been entirely dismantled, converted into legitimate real estate developments, shipping logistics companies, and clean energy investments. The name Lombardi was no longer feared on the streets; it was respected in corporate boardrooms as a force for community renewal.
"The Marcones tried to make a comeback in the West Side last month," Gabriel mentioned casually, sipping his wine. "But the local police chief, whom we helped elect on a clean platform, shut them down before they could even buy a single illegal firearm. The city is changing, Sebastian. It's clean."
Sebastian raised his glass, clinking it against Gabriel's. "You've done an incredible job, Gabriel. I'm proud of you."
Leo had fallen asleep on a hammock near the edge of the terrace, his small hand clutching a wooden toy tractor Sebastian had carved for him.
I looked around the table—at the man who had saved my life in an alley, and at the man whose life I had saved on a physical therapy table. We were an unconventional family, forged in the fires of betrayal and organized crime, but we had rewritten our script. We had chosen light over darkness.
May you like
As Gabriel and Sebastian continued to talk about the olive harvest and the local village festival coming up next week, Sebastian reached under the table, his fingers finding mine, locking them together in a warm, unbreakable grip.
He looked over at me, his eyes reflecting the soft golden glow of the candles. He didn't need to say anything. The grip of his hand told me everything I needed to know.
