Chapter 13
Alessandro called the senior capos into the council room.
Vivienne followed without invitation.
Gerald followed because no one stopped him.
Nora remained outside with Lily.
That was Alessandro’s decision.
This room had already consumed enough of his daughter’s afternoon.
The doors closed.
Gerald leaned back in one of the chairs.
Still acting as though he belonged there.
“You're going to make a speech?”
Alessandro sat at the head.
“No.”
Gerald smirked.
“Good.”
“I've heard enough sentimental fatherhood for one day.”
Alessandro looked toward the capos.
“How many of you took orders from Vivienne?”
Silence.
Then one hand.
Another.
Three men admitted they had treated her requests as future household authority.
One had even reassigned two guards because she asked.
Vivienne smiled.
“There.”
Her voice was smug again.
“Competence.”
Alessandro looked at her.
“No.”
Then at the capos.
“Assumption.”
He let the word settle.
“You decided my marriage had already transferred authority I never gave.”
The men looked down.
Gerald laughed.
“That's how houses work.”
Alessandro’s eyes moved toward him.
“Yours, perhaps.”
The capos admitted something else.
Gerald had been approaching them.
Not asking for Alessandro’s removal.
Not directly.
Asking what would happen if Alessandro became “unreliable.”
If grief over Elena resurfaced.
If Lily became a weakness.
If marriage divided the household.
He had been planting the idea long before today.
Gerald listened without shame.
Then shrugged.
“I asked questions.”
One capo stared at him.
“You offered me the north pier.”
Gerald smiled.
“And you wanted it.”
The man’s jaw tightened.
Gerald continued.
“Don't grow morals because the room changed.”
That was his strength.
He knew everyone’s weakness.
And he enjoyed exposing it.
Alessandro looked at the capo.
“Did you agree?”
The man swallowed.
“Yes.”
Power shifted.
Alessandro did not shout.
“Your crew stands down tonight.”
The capo nodded.
Gerald laughed.
“One man.”
Then a second capo admitted accepting Gerald’s promise.
Then a third.
Gerald’s smile weakened.
Alessandro removed each from command temporarily.
Not as vengeance.
Because their loyalty was compromised.
Gerald looked around the table.
His future coalition was disappearing aloud.
He turned toward Vivienne.
“Say something.”
She stared at him.
“Why?”
“You wanted this too.”
“I wanted the estate.”
Gerald laughed bitterly.
“Exactly.”
“No.”
Her eyes hardened.
“I wanted to stand beside Alessandro.”
“You wanted people to bow.”
Vivienne’s jaw tightened.
Gerald continued.
“You wanted Lily moved because you couldn't stand sharing a room with a dead woman.”
Vivienne stood.
He smiled.
“Sit.”
Her face went cold.
“No.”
Gerald’s eyes flashed.
“I said sit.”
Every man in the room heard it.
Vivienne looked at him.
Years of sibling hierarchy revealed in one command.
Then she smiled.
Slowly.
“You've mistaken me for Nora.”
Gerald’s face changed.
Vivienne looked toward Alessandro.
Not asking for help.
Then back at her brother.
“You needed me engaged to him.”
“You needed me in his house.”
“You needed me cruel enough to drive Lily away.”
Her voice sharpened.
“But not strong enough to realize you were using me.”
Gerald stood.
“You realized plenty.”
“Yes.”
Vivienne’s eyes went cold.
“And I still chose it.”
No absolution.
No innocence.
She owned her part.
Then she added:
“But Lily was supposed to come back.”
Gerald smiled.
“Maybe.”
Vivienne slapped him.
Hard.
The room froze.
Gerald slowly turned his face back.
Then smiled.
“That temper.”
He looked toward Alessandro.
“Good luck marrying it.”
May you like
Alessandro’s voice remained flat.
“I’m not.”
