Chapter 8 - The Last Enemy
The fire destroyed half the Russo estate.
Dominic moved Rosa, Sadi, and Adrian to a secure property outside the city.
For the first time, there were no grand halls.
No staff.
No marble.
Just a quiet house beside a lake.
Sadi loved it.
Dominic hated that he did.
They began rebuilding their lives.
Dominic sold several businesses.
He withdrew from political dealings.
Gabriel became head of a legitimate logistics company.
Adrian started restoring vintage cars.
Rosa planted roses.
And Sadi began talking about opening her own café.
One morning, Dominic handed her a set of keys.
“What are these?”
“A building.”
She stared.
“You bought me a building?”
“I invested.”
“In what?”
“You.”
She rolled her eyes.
“I can run a business.”
“I know.”
“And I don't need your money.”
“I know.”
She looked at him.
“Then why?”
“Because sometimes loving someone means making room for their dreams.”
That silenced her.
The café opened three months later.
It was small.
Warm.
Simple.
There was a photograph of Rosa near the front door.
Sadi called the place Rose & Rain.
Rosa cried when she saw the sign.
For a while, they believed their story was over.
Then Vincent Moretti returned.
He did not attack immediately.
He sent messages.
Photographs.
Threats.
A single sentence:
YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME.
Sadi knew that was not true.
Vincent had taken everything from himself.
But she also knew he would not stop.
Dominic tried to keep it from her.
That failed.
They argued.
“You don't get to decide what I know.”
“I get to decide what keeps you alive.”
“No.”
Sadi stepped closer.
“You don't get to protect me by turning me into a prisoner.”
Dominic went quiet.
She touched his chest.
“I married you because you saved my life.”
He looked at her.
“But I stayed because you learned to let me choose my own.”
He took a breath.
“I'm scared.”
Sadi had never heard him admit that.
“Of what?”
“Losing you.”
She wrapped her arms around him.
“You're not going to.”
Vincent's final plan emerged.
He wanted the original archive.
Not copies.
The evidence that had been buried beneath the old theater contained one encrypted ledger that could connect him to the highest levels of corruption.
He believed Sadi knew the access code.
She did not.
Until she realized the code was hidden in a lullaby her mother used to sing.
Rosa remembered the melody.
Adrian remembered the rhythm.
Together, they decoded it.
The archive opened.
The evidence was complete.
Dominic turned it over to federal investigators.
Vincent was cornered.
But before he could be arrested, he kidnapped Rosa.
Sadi received one message.
COME ALONE.
She wanted to go.
Dominic refused.
So they went together.
The meeting place was the old train depot where Elena had once planned to escape Chicago.
Vincent stood on the platform.
Rosa was tied to a chair.
“You should have stayed poor,” he told Sadi.
Sadi stared at him.
“You destroyed two families.”
Vincent laughed.
“I built an empire.”
“No.”
She stepped forward.
“You built fear.”
Dominic stood beside her.
“You are finished.”
Vincent raised his weapon.
Then Adrian appeared behind him.
“You forgot me.”
Vincent froze.
The distraction gave Dominic enough time to move.
The weapon dropped.
Police stormed the station.
Vincent was arrested.
Rosa was safe.
And the war finally ended.
Later, as dawn rose over Chicago, Sadi sat beside Dominic.
He rested his head against the window.
“I think I can finally breathe.”
She smiled.
“So can I.”
He reached for her hand.
“Stay with me.”
May you like
She squeezed his fingers.
“Always.”
