Chapter 13
The wine cellar led to the old service tunnel.
Vittorio knew that.
What he did not know was that someone had reopened the outer gate.
Mauro found it twelve minutes later.
Beyond the tunnel sat two black vans.
Empty.
One already running.
The second contained six wooden crates.
Not weapons.
Account books?
No.
Vittorio refused paper.
He opened the first crate.
Family signet molds.
Blank letter seals.
Capo pins.
Old Romano insignia.
Objects of authority.
Symbols.
Enough to dress another crew as Romano men.
Mauro stared.
“What were they doing?”
Vittorio understood.
“Leaving.”
“With what?”
“Our identity.”
Anthony’s plan had layers.
Weaken Vittorio.
Hold a staged vote.
Attack the estate.
Frame Ferrara.
Kill Marco and Celeste.
Then send disguised men out from Romano property.
Those men could strike Ferrara targets before dawn.
War would begin immediately.
By morning, Queens would believe Vittorio had ordered retaliation while unstable.
If Vittorio survived, he looked reckless.
If he died, Anthony stepped in to “restore order.”
Elegant.
Old-fashioned.
Monstrous.
Mauro opened another crate.
Inside were six black jackets.
Romano insignia already sewn in.
Then one smaller package.
A maid uniform.
Anna’s size.
Mauro's face hardened.
Vittorio opened it.
Blue powder had been rubbed into the apron pocket.
Enough to be found.
Enough to finish the story.
Anna poisoned the boss.
Ferrara exploited the weakness.
Internal chaos followed.
She died in the attack.
Convenient.
Complete.
Mia never reached the morning.
No witness.
No contradiction.
Vittorio stood in silence.
Mauro said:
“Boss.”
Vittorio looked at the uniform.
Then folded it carefully.
Not rage.
Something colder.
“They wanted her story finished before anyone could hear it.”
Mauro nodded.
Vittorio returned upstairs carrying the uniform.
Anna saw it.
Her face drained.
Celeste did too.
Vittorio placed it on the table.
“What is that?” Anna whispered.
“Your replacement.”
She stared.
Vittorio explained.
Slowly.
Not every detail in front of Mia.
Enough.
Anna covered her mouth.
Celeste looked toward Anthony.
“You told me Anna would take the blame.”
Anthony shrugged.
“She would.”
Celeste’s face twisted.
“You didn't say she would die.”
Anthony looked at her.
“You cared?”
Celeste said nothing.
Anthony smiled.
“Exactly.”
Anna looked at Celeste.
That silence hurt more than admission.
For months Celeste had humiliated her.
Starved her.
Locked her in rooms.
Threatened Mia.
But somewhere, perhaps, Anna had still believed Celeste would stop short of death.
Now she knew.
Celeste looked away.
Anna whispered:
“You knew enough.”
Celeste snapped:
“Don't start pretending you’re important.”
There it was again.
Reflex.
Even while cornered.
“You were a maid before this.”
She pointed toward the uniform.
“You’ll be a maid after.”
Anna stared.
Celeste continued.
“You think Vittorio suddenly makes you family because your brat spotted dust?”
Mia started crying.
Celeste rolled her eyes.
“Oh, for God's sake.”
She looked at the child.
“Is crying the only thing you know how to do?”
Vittorio’s face changed.
Anna stepped forward.
Not back.
“You’re done talking to her.”
Celeste laughed.
“Or what?”
Anna’s hands still shook.
Her voice didn't.
“Or I stop being afraid of you.”
Silence.
Celeste’s smile disappeared.
That was the first blow Anna had ever landed.
No hand raised.
No violence.
Just removal of fear.
Celeste looked toward Vittorio.
As if he had caused it.
Maybe he had.
By making safety visible.
Anthony watched all of this with disgust.
“You see?”
He addressed the capos.
“This is what happens when servants forget hierarchy.”
One capo answered.
“No.”
Anthony turned.
Dominic Rizzo.
Old.
Respected.
He looked at Anna’s hands.
“This is what happens when family forgets decency.”
Another capo nodded.
Then another.
Anthony’s face hardened.
The room was turning.
Not through orders.
Through revulsion.
Then Reese laughed from the floor.
Everyone looked at him.
He stared at Anthony.
“You still think the vans are the last piece?”
Anthony’s face changed.
Small.
But Vittorio saw it.
Reese grinned.
“Tell him.”
Anthony said nothing.
Reese continued.
“Tell Vittorio who was supposed to be in the second van.”
Mauro looked toward the tunnel.
Vittorio went still.
The uniform.
Anna.
Mia.
Maybe not.
Vittorio looked at Anthony.
“Who?”
No answer.
Reese smiled.
“His mother.”
The room went dead quiet.
Vittorio's mother had died eight years earlier.
Anthony knew that.
Everyone knew that.
Reese laughed.
“Not that mother.”
He looked toward Mia.
Vittorio understood first.
Anna.
Not as maid.
As Mia’s mother.
They weren't planning only to kill her.
May you like
They had planned to take her somewhere first.
And whatever they wanted from Anna had not yet been revealed.
