Chapter 5 - The Betrayal Hidden in Her Father's Blood
My father had been a Rossi associate.
Not a soldier.
Not a killer.
An accountant.
He had discovered that Alessandro had been stealing from the family for decades.
When he tried to expose him, he was killed.
My mother fled.
She changed her name.
She raised me alone.
And she kept the truth buried.
Until now.
Dominic listened without speaking.
Finally he asked:
“Did your father know mine?”
“Yes.”
“Did they trust each other?”
“I don't know.”
My mother answered.
“They loved each other like brothers.”
Dominic looked away.
“Then why did he never protect him?”
“Because he was afraid.”
Dominic understood.
Fear had ruled every generation.
His father had feared Alessandro.
My father had feared the Rossi family.
My mother had feared losing me.
And Dominic had feared loving me.
The difference was that Dominic was finally willing to stop.
We planned the final confrontation.
Alessandro had a weakness.
He believed everyone could be bought.
So we gave him something money couldn't buy.
Truth.
I leaked the evidence.
Financial records.
Witness statements.
Hospital files.
Photographs.
The entire Rossi network began collapsing.
Alessandro panicked.
He kidnapped my brother.
The brother I had only recently learned existed.
The one everyone had thought was dead.
He had been living under protection.
Now Alessandro had found him.
Dominic wanted to go alone.
I refused.
“I lost one family already.”
He stared.
“You're not losing another.”
We went together.
The warehouse was surrounded.
Men everywhere.
Dominic entered first.
Alessandro stood on the loading platform.
My brother was tied to a chair.
“You came.”
Dominic nodded.
“Let him go.”
“You give me the company.”
“No.”
“Then he dies.”
I stepped forward.
Alessandro laughed.
“You.”
“Yes.”
“You destroyed my network.”
“No.”
I held up the evidence.
“You destroyed yourself.”
Dominic looked at me.
I pressed a button.
Every confession played through the warehouse speakers.
Alessandro's own voice.
Admitting everything.
Ordering murders.
Manipulating records.
Planting evidence.
Alessandro turned pale.
Police flooded the building.
He tried to escape.
Dominic stopped him.
For one second, I thought Dominic would kill him.
Instead, he lowered his weapon.
“You don't get to make me you.”
Alessandro was arrested.
Carmine was found days later.
He confessed.
The Rossi empire survived legally.
But the criminal side ended.
Dominic dismantled it himself.
He sold the businesses connected to crime.
He created legitimate companies.
He funded the medical foundation in my mother's name.
And one evening, he came home with something.
A small box.
I knew immediately.
He knelt.
“Mara Higgins.”
I laughed through tears.
“That sounds formal.”
He smiled.
“I've been formal my entire life.”
He opened the box.
“I want to spend the rest of it learning how to be honest.”
I cried.
“That's a terrible proposal.”
“I practiced.”
“You should practice more.”
He laughed.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
He stood.
Then he kissed me.
For once, there was no blood.
No betrayal.
May you like
No gunfire.
Only us.
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