Chapter 4 - The Traitor Within
Victor stared at the black rose, his dark eyes turning incredibly cold and murderous.
The black rose was the official, undeniable calling card of the Moretti crime family.
"Someone inside my own house placed this here while we were gone," Victor deduced quietly.
He immediately pulled his phone and ordered a total lockdown of the entire estate.
Heavy steel shutters automatically rolled down over every single window in the mansion.
Armed guards began patrolling the long, echoing hallways with visible weapons drawn.
Chloe hugged Tommy tightly, completely terrified by the sudden military-like escalation.
"You are safe here, Bennett, I swear it on my life," Victor promised her gently.
He left the room to interrogate his extensive security staff, locking the door firmly behind him.
For the next three days, Chloe and Tommy did not leave the guest suite.
Victor visited them every evening, bringing Tommy rare comic books and expensive medical supplies.
The cold, ruthless mafia boss was surprisingly gentle and patient with the sick teenager.
Chloe found herself watching Victor with a new, deeply confusing sense of admiration.
On the fourth night, Victor invited Chloe to join him for dinner in his private study.
She wore a simple dress borrowed from the staff wardrobe, feeling entirely out of place.
Victor poured them both a glass of expensive red wine, his face lined with deep exhaustion.
"We have not found the traitor yet, but we are getting very close," he told her honestly.
"Why are you doing all of this for a maid you barely even know?" she asked softly.
Victor looked at her, his intense gaze stripping away all her natural defenses.
"Because you are the only real thing in a world entirely built on lies," he confessed.
He reached across the table and gently tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
The simple touch sent a massive jolt of electricity straight through her entire body.
Before she could lean into his warm hand, Mrs. Gable entered the room carrying a silver tray.
"Your main course, Mr. Russo," the head housekeeper announced in a stiff, robotic tone.
Victor pulled his hand away slowly and picked up his heavy silver fork.
He took exactly one bite of the perfectly cooked steak.
His eyes widened in sudden, violent shock as he dropped the fork onto the china plate.
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Victor grasped his own throat, gasping desperately for air as his skin turned a terrifying shade of gray.
He collapsed entirely out of his chair, hitting the hardwood floor with a sickening thud.
