Chapter 11
His name was Victor Salvi.
Angelo remembered him as a shadow beside his father.
Quiet.
Precise.
Never raised his voice.
Officially killed in a warehouse fire.
Apparently not.
Silas explained.
Victor disappeared after Angelo’s father died because he believed the Castellano family was becoming unstable under young leadership.
Helena found him three years later.
They spoke secretly.
Then repeatedly.
Dominic stared at his mother.
“You never told me.”
Helena laughed bitterly.
“You told me about every woman you slept with?”
“This is different.”
“Only because it hurts your pride.”
Angelo ignored them.
“What did Victor want?”
Silas looked at him.
“No single boss.”
The same ideology Helena had just described.
The council above the heir.
The old guard controlling the family.
Dominic scoffed.
“So Mother found herself a philosopher.”
Helena’s eyes sharpened.
“He knew your uncle better than anyone.”
Angelo’s voice hardened.
“My father trusted him.”
“No.”
Helena stepped closer.
“Your father used him.”
Her voice turned cold.
“He used all of us.”
“He centralized every crew.”
“He made loyalty personal.”
“He turned the family into a throne.”
She pointed toward Angelo.
“And you inherited the disease.”
Angelo did not react.
Silas added:
“Victor planned the political side.”
“Helena planned the family side.”
“Dominic supplied the access.”
Dominic’s jaw tightened.
“I didn't know Victor existed.”
“I believe you.”
That insulted him even more.
Silas looked at Angelo.
“Victor wanted the ambush controlled.”
“One wounded heir.”
“One ambitious cousin installed as acting capo.”
“One frightened family begging for senior men to take over.”
Emma’s hand tightened around Noah’s shoulder.
Noah looked at Angelo.
Angelo's eyes became cold.
“And the sedation?”
Silas looked toward Helena.
“Victor's idea?”
She did not answer.
That was enough.
Dominic laughed.
“Wonderful.”
He looked at his mother.
“You needed an old dead man to teach you how to drug your nephew.”
Helena’s face hardened.
“Watch yourself.”
Dominic leaned closer.
“No.”
His voice became low.
“You've hidden behind that tone my whole life.”
“Not anymore.”
Power shifted again.
Helena saw it.
Her expression changed.
Dominic removed the capo pin from his jacket.
Everyone watched.
He set it on Angelo’s bedside table.
Not surrender.
A decision.
“I won't wear something she handed me.”
Angelo looked at him.
Dominic’s breathing was heavy.
“Don't mistake this for loyalty.”
“I don't.”
That answer surprised him.
Angelo continued.
“You helped put me on that road.”
Dominic nodded.
“Yes.”
“You terrorized Emma.”
His eyes moved toward her.
For the first time, something like shame appeared.
Then pride crushed it.
“She was interfering.”
Emma stared.
Dominic saw her expression and hardened again.
“You want an apology?”
His old arrogance returned.
“Don't hold your breath.”
Noah hid behind Emma.
Dominic saw it.
The room judged him in silence.
That bothered him more than Angelo’s fist.
Then Silas said:
“Victor is coming.”
Everyone turned.
“When?” Angelo asked.
Silas looked toward the clock.
“Before dawn.”
Helena smiled.
There.
Confidence again.
“Good.”
May you like
She looked at Angelo.
“Then someone who actually remembers what this family was can explain why you should never have been allowed to run it.”
