"The Maid Congratulated His Fia.ncée .— The Mafia Boss Saw Her Tears

The silence in the warehouse was deafening.

Water dripped from a rusted pipe somewhere in the darkness.

Matteo didn't flinch.

His eyes were fixed entirely on Vance's pistol.

"Put the gun down, Arthur," Matteo said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "You're out of jurisdiction."

"Jurisdiction went out the window ten years ago when your father stole the ledger," Vance replied, his hand steady. "And now the daughter brought it right back to me."

"She didn't bring it to you. She brought it to the truth."

I stood frozen between them.

My heart pounded in my ears like a war drum.

Everything was a lie.

The FBI badge was fake—or worse, a shield for corruption.

"Tessa," Matteo said without breaking eye contact with Vance. "Step away from the table."

"I can't," I breathed. "My legs won't move."

"Listen to me. Vance didn't just work with your mother. He blackmailed her."

Vance laughed, a harsh, grating sound.

"Don't listen to him, Tessa! His father ordered the hit on Elena because she discovered the syndicate was laundering money through federal accounts!"

"That's a lie!" Matteo roared, taking a step forward.

"Stay back!" Vance shouted, snapping his gun barrel toward my chest. "One more step and the girl gets her mother's ending."

My breath hitched.

I looked at Matteo.

His face twisted in agony.

Not fear.

Agony.

"Tessa," Matteo whispered, his voice cracking. "Do you remember the photograph?"

"What photograph?"

"The one in my jacket. The man whose face was scratched out."

I blinked. "Yes."

"That wasn't my father," Matteo said. "That was Arthur Vance."

Vance's expression flickered for a fraction of a second.

Just long enough.

Before Vance could pull the trigger, a deafening roar shook the warehouse.

Luca burst from the shadows behind Vance, wielding a heavy steel pipe.

He swung with brutal force.

The pipe connected with Vance’s right wrist with a sickening crack.

Vance shrieked, dropping the pistol to the concrete floor.

Matteo closed the distance instantly, slamming Vance against the steel table.

"It's over, Arthur," Matteo hissed, pressing the barrel of his shotgun under Vance's chin.

Vance spat blood onto the metal.

"You think... you won?" Vance wheezed, smiling through broken teeth. "The federal indictment was filed two hours ago. Even if you kill me... the entire Moretti family goes down by sunrise."

Matteo didn't hesitate.

He reversed the shotgun and struck Vance across the temple.

The corrupt agent collapsed unconscious onto the floor.

I stood shaking, clutching my mother's briefcase like a shield.

Matteo turned around, his chest heaving.

He looked at me.

"Are you okay?"

"Don't touch me," I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Who are you really, Matteo?"

Matteo lowered his weapon.