Chapter 4 - The Bribe
The heavy door swung open to reveal a terrified young guard holding his shotgun defensively.
Vincent kept his pistol aimed directly at the center of the man's forehead.
"Lower the weapon, Marco," Vincent commanded, his voice echoing like thunder in the ruined room.
Marco instantly dropped his shotgun to the floor and raised his hands in absolute surrender.
"I swear I had nothing to do with this, Boss," the young man pleaded desperately.
Vincent studied the guard's fearful eyes for a long moment before slowly lowering his pistol.
"Help me into my wheelchair," Vincent ordered, refusing to show any further vulnerability.
Marco rushed forward and carefully lifted the heavy mafia boss into his custom leather chair.
Tessa slowly crawled out from the debris, brushing the shattered glass from her uniform.
"Clean up this mess and tell the perimeter team that they failed to kill me," Vincent told the guard.
Marco nodded frantically and sprinted out of the room to relay the terrifying message.
Vincent turned his wheelchair to face Tessa, his dark eyes filled with absolute gratitude.
"You saved my life today," he said softly, putting the gun securely in his lap.
"I was just doing my job," Tessa replied, trying to stop her hands from violently shaking.
Vincent reached into a hidden compartment on the side of his chair and pulled out a thick envelope.
He tossed the heavy package onto the vanity table near the scattered legal documents.
"There is fifty thousand dollars in cash inside that envelope," Vincent stated plainly.
Tessa gasped loudly, staring at the unimaginable amount of money.
"That will cover your sister's medical bills and get both of you far away from this dangerous city," he explained.
"I cannot take your money," Tessa protested, shaking her head firmly.
"It is not a gift, it is a payment for your final service," Vincent corrected her.
He held up the silver key he had tried to give her before the brutal attack.
"Take this key to the central train station and open locker number four hundred," he instructed.
"Inside is a ledger containing every dirty secret Dominic has ever tried to bury."
Vincent looked out the broken window, his face hardening into a mask of pure vengeance.
"Deliver that ledger to Don Salieri across town, and Dominic will be dead by morning."
Tessa realized the sheer magnitude of the task he was asking her to perform.
She swallowed her fear, took the silver key, and tucked the heavy envelope into her coat.
"I will not let you down," she promised fiercely before slipping out the back servant entrance.
She successfully navigated the city streets and arrived at the bustling hospital to check on her sister first.
Tessa walked into the intensive care unit, completely ready to pay the massive medical debt.
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But when she opened the door to room three, her blood instantly turned to ice.
Dominic was sitting casually in a chair directly next to her sister's life support machine.
