Chapter 5 - Unraveling Secrets
The tension at the Ricci estate grew thicker over the next two weeks. While Matteo reinforced security to impenetrable levels, he found his daily routine completely upturned.
Every evening at 7:00 p.m., regardless of what syndicate business demanded his attention, he found himself walking into the dining hall.
Lily insisted he sit with them. Sarah, whose injuries were healing remarkably fast, was initially terrified of the heavy-set men with concealed firearms patrolling the hallways, but Matteo’s quiet, respectful demeanor slowly won her trust.
"You don't talk much about your family, Matteo," Sarah said softly one evening after Lily had been tucked into bed by the estate nurses. They were sitting on the terrace overlooking the pine forest under the moonlight.
"There is little to talk about," Matteo replied, holding a crystal glass of whiskey. "My father was a cruel man. My brother Anthony tried to be a good man, and it killed him. I chose to be a dangerous man so I could survive."
"Lily adores you," Sarah said, watching him closely. "She asks if you're going to stay in our lives."
Matteo stiffened. "It is not safe for you to stay near me permanently. Once Liam O'Connor and his faction are dealt with, I will secure a private estate for you in Europe. New names, clean passports, unlimited wealth. You will never have to fear anyone again."
Sarah looked down at her hands. "You're offering us a cage made of gold, Matteo."
"I am offering you survival!" Matteo said, his voice rising slightly. "In my world, love is a crosshair painted on your back. If my enemies know I care about you..." He stopped abruptly, realizing what he had just said.
Sarah looked up, her soft brown eyes locking onto his. "You care about us?"
Matteo turned his face away, looking into the dark forest. "I swore a vow."
Before Sarah could respond, Paul appeared at the glass doors, his expression grim. "Boss. We have a hit on the background trace you asked for regarding Sarah's mother."
Matteo stood up immediately, welcoming the distraction. "What did you find?"
Paul opened a file. "Sarah's mother, Clara, didn't just stumble onto Anthony's rescue line twenty-five years ago. Clara was Anthony's primary informant inside the syndicate. She was the one who provided the evidence against the old mob bosses before Anthony was killed."
Matteo’s jaw tightened. "Which means..."
"Which means Sarah isn't just a random victim of domestic abuse," Paul revealed, his voice heavy. "Sarah is the daughter of the woman who tried to help your brother clean up Boston. And Marcus Vance wasn't just a random abuser—he was planted in Sarah's life six months ago by Liam O'Connor to track down Clara's hidden files."
Matteo felt a cold fury ignite in his veins. The attack on Sarah and Lily wasn't a coincidence. It was a calculated, slow-burning trap set by his enemies, and Lily's desperate wrong-number text had accidentally shattered their entire covert operation.
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"They weren't just going to hurt them," Matteo realized, his voice trembling with dark rage. "They were going to torture Sarah for Clara's old archives."
"Boss," Paul added nervously. "We just intercepted a transmission from the city. Liam O'Connor has hired foreign mercenaries. They aren't planning to sue for peace at the Council meeting tomorrow. They're coming for the estate."
