Chapter 3 - The Men at the Gate
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Silence smothered the dining room like a heavy velvet shroud.
Luca kept one hand firmly around Antonio’s throat while using his other hand to pull out his phone.
He pressed a single speed-dial button and brought the speaker to his ear.
“Dante,” Luca commanded without breaking eye contact with Antonio.
“Boss, we're right outside the east perimeter gate,” Dante’s gruff voice crackled through the speaker.
“There is an unmarked black utility van parked three hundred yards down the private driveway.”
“Take the occupants alive and bring them straight to the foyer.”
“Understood, boss.”
Vanessa collapsed against the back of an upholstered dining chair, her face ash-white.
“Luca, please,” she choked out, looking desperately at the wealthy guests who were now avoiding her eyes.
“She is a maid! You are trusting the word of a common maid over your own fiancée!”
Luca did not even look at her.
He released Antonio with enough force to send the older man stumbling against the banquet table.
Silverware clattered violently onto gold-rimmed porcelain plates.
“Emily has worked under my roof for nearly a year,” Luca said, turning slowly toward the crowd.
“In eleven months, she has never stolen, never lied, and never brought dishonor to this house.”
“You, Vanessa, have been under this roof for three months, and already my father's legacy is on the auction block.”
The heavy foyer doors creaked open, followed by the heavy thud of combat boots on marble.
Dante, Luca’s head of security, dragged two muscular men into the archway of the dining room.
Both men were dressed in dark tactical gear, their wrists bound tightly with heavy industrial zip ties.
Dante threw them onto the floor like bags of gravel.
“Found them sitting in a van registered to Bellini Global Logistics, boss,” Dante reported, tossing a manila envelope onto the table.
“Inside the van, we found heavy sedatives, zip ties, and an open one-way flight itinerary to a private airfield in Romania.”
Michael walked toward the bound men, his chest heaving with rage.
“Romania?” Michael whispered, looking up at Vanessa.
“You weren't sending me to London to hide me.”
“You were going to make me disappear forever so you could seize my half of the family shares.”
Carlo Vitale stood up from his seat, shaking his head in profound disgust.
“Signor Moretti,” Carlo said, addressing Luca in grave, solemn tones.
“My family has conducted business with the Morettis for three generations in Rome.”
“I came here tonight believing I was helping finalize an honorable restructuring agreed upon by both brothers.”
“I give you my word as an Italian gentleman, I had no knowledge of this grotesque treachery.”
Luca gave Carlo a curt, respectful nod.
“I know you were deceived, Carlo.”
“My quarrel tonight is not with Rome.”
Luca turned his gaze back to Vanessa, his eyes burning with lethal certainty.
May you like
“Dante, take the guests into the west ballroom and have their drivers brought around immediately.”
“Our family celebration is officially over.”
