Chapter 15 - The Sins of the Father
The ruins of the 12th-century San Pietro Cathedral stood on a mist-covered hill on the outskirts of Milan. Ancient stone arches rose toward the gray dawn sky, surrounding an open courtyard where fifty armed guards and the heads of Italy's most powerful crime syndicates stood in solemn assembly.
Victor Castiglione stood before the ancient stone altar, a smug, triumphant grin plastered across his face. He had already laid out his forged documents claiming stewardship over the Moretto assets.
""With Dante Moretto dead,"" Victor announced to the gathered bosses, his voice echoing off the stone ruins, ""the balance of power must be restored. His empire falls to—""
The heavy iron gates of the cathedral courtyard were suddenly blown off their hinges with a thunderous roar.
A black armored truck rammed through the wreckage, stopping dead center in the courtyard. The rear doors swung open, and twenty elite Moretto soldiers poured out, forming a disciplined firing line with weapons raised.
Then came Dante.
He walked into the ruins wearing a fresh black suit, his trench coat open, his wounds stitched and hidden behind a mask of pure, unadulterated dominance. Flanking him on his right was Elena, dressed in an elegant midnight-blue gown, holding Ethan's hand.
And on Dante's left, sitting securely on his broad shoulders, was three-year-old Lily, wearing a clean yellow ribbon in her hair.
The bosses gasped, muttering in shock. Victor’s face drained of every drop of color, his smug arrogance shattering like cheap glass.
""Impossible..."" Victor choked out, backing toward the altar. ""You drowned in the canal!""
""You should have verified the body, Victor,"" Dante’s voice rolled across the courtyard like rolling thunder. ""Because now, you answer to the council for attempting to murder my son, and for betraying the sacred syndicate peace.""
""She is my daughter!"" Victor shrieked, pointing his silver cane at Lily. ""That blood is mine! You cannot keep her from me!""
Lily looked down from Dante's shoulders. She stared at Victor with absolute calm, completely unafraid under the towering protection of the man carrying her.
""You are the bad man with snake eyes,"" Lily said, her childish voice ringing clear and true through the ruined arches. ""You gave the bitter dust to Ethan.""
The surrounding mob bosses turned their cold gazes upon Victor. In the old code, poisoning a child was an unforgivable sacrilege.
Victor realized he had lost. His eyes darted wildly, and he whipped the silver rapier from his cane, lunging blindly toward the child.
Dante didn't even draw his gun. He stepped forward, caught Victor’s wrist with crushing, bone-snapping force, and slammed the older man face-first into the cold stone altar.
The rapier clattered uselessly to the flagstones. Dante leaned down, his lips brushing against Victor’s ear as the defeated syndicate boss gasped in agony.
""She will never know your name,"" Dante whispered, cold as the grave. ""She will only know that her father rules this world, and that you were nothing.""
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Dante looked over his shoulder at Leonardo, giving a single, subtle nod.
As Dante turned back toward Elena and took her hand in his, a sudden, muffled gunshot rang out from the altar behind them. But Lily didn't flinch. Dante’s hand was already covering her small ear, while his other arm held Elena close against his chest as they walked out of the ruins into the rising sun."
