Chapter 6
The revelation hung in the bright, clear air like a guillotine blade waiting to drop. The cinematic lighting of the reception hall illuminated the sheer, unadulterated terror on Evelyn's face and the heavy, sweating desperation of Andre Sterling.
Andre, realizing that silence was an admission of guilt, violently shoved the nearest bodyguard away and stepped forward. His dark, smooth ebony skin was slick with nervous perspiration. He adjusted his tailored suit, trying desperately to project the authority of a senior Mafia capo.
"This is utter madness, Darius!" Andre shouted, his American accent booming across the silent room. He pointed a finger at Malik, though he wisely kept his distance. "You are going to take the word of a deaf toddler over your own blood? The boy probably watched a movie and got confused! You cannot be serious!"
Darius turned his head slowly. The loose strands of dark hair falling over his forehead shadowed his eyes, giving him the appearance of a dark, romantic executioner. He released his son, gesturing for Sarah to take the boy back a few steps.
"My son's hearing is impaired, Andre," Darius said, his voice dropping into that terrifyingly slow, low register. "His mind is sharp as glass. And he does not lie."
"He is a child!" Andre roared, trying to rally the surrounding capos to his side. "I have served this syndicate for twenty years! I secured the eastern ports! I bled for your father, and I have bled for you! You are going to let a woman and a child dismantle our empire because of a fairy tale?"
Darius began to walk. His polished leather shoes clicked rhythmically against the marble floor. He moved with a deeply masculine, predatory grace, closing the distance between the reception sofa and the bar. The bodyguards seamlessly parted to let their Boss through.
"You mention the eastern ports," Darius noted, his hands casually slipping into his trouser pockets. "The same ports that reported a twenty percent loss in revenue last quarter. The same ports where my loyal lieutenants have been having terrible 'accidents'."
"That is business! It's a volatile sector!" Andre defended, his voice cracking slightly as Darius stopped mere inches from him.
Darius looked up into his older cousin's eyes. The contrast between them was stark—Andre, sweating and frantic; Darius, cool, measured, and infinitely dangerous.
"You think I am blind, Andre?" Darius whispered, pausing deliberately. "You think I have not been auditing the ledgers? I knew there was a rat in my house. I simply needed to know who was sharing its bed."
Darius turned his head slightly, looking back over his shoulder at Evelyn, who was still weeping on the sofa.
"Tell me, Evelyn," Darius called out softly. "Was the promise of my money worth your life?"
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"He made me do it!" Evelyn shrieked, instantly folding under the psychological pressure. She pointed frantically at Andre, her pale skin blotchy and tear-stained. "He said you were going to be indicted! He said if I didn't help him coordinate the hit, the feds would take the estate and I would be left with nothing! Darius, I love you! I had no choice!"
Andre’s face contorted with absolute fury. "You stupid, weak bitch!"
