The night air was cold, carrying the faint scent of salt from the docks. Valerio stood at the edge of the pier, hands tucked in his coat pockets, eyes narrowed as he watched his men unload crates from a cargo ship. The shipment was crucial — weapons, high-caliber rifles, and ammunition — materials that ensured the Morettis maintained their grip on their territories.
He barely registered Dante pacing beside him. "You're too quiet," Dante muttered, arms crossed tightly.
"Just thinking," Valerio said, gaze still fixed on his men.
"About Salvatore?"
Valerio clenched his jaw. That bastard had walked into his home like he owned it, leaving chaos in his wake. More importantly, he'd dared to approach Leona. The thought made Valerio's blood simmer.
"Maybe," he admitted. "I'm not taking chances. Not with him still lurking around."
The crates were finally stacked securely, and Valerio turned to leave. "Let's get back."
But just as they stepped away from the pier, sharp gunshots echoed through the night.
"Boss!" One of Valerio's men sprinted toward him, breathless. "It's… it's Vesper. He struck again."
Valerio's spine stiffened. "Where?"
"South side of the estate… near the old train yard."
Valerio exchanged a grim look with Dante before the two rushed to their cars.
The Train Yard – 12:00 AM
The flickering glow of streetlights barely touched the grim scene sprawled before them. Blood streaked the concrete. The body lay face-down, twisted unnaturally, one arm flung out as though he'd been crawling for his life.
A familiar knife gleamed from his chest — the signature 'V' engraved into the hilt.
"De Luca's assassin," Dante murmured, crouching near the body. "I've seen him before — Salvatore's personal hitman."
Valerio knelt beside the corpse, gloved fingers tracing the blood that pooled beneath. The wound was precise — one strike straight through the heart.
"He never had a chance," Valerio muttered. His gaze shifted to the flickering CCTV camera positioned above the alley.
"Check the footage," he barked at one of his men.
Moments later, the guard returned, face pale. "The system's wiped… completely. Whoever did this knew what they were doing."
"Of course he did," Valerio muttered. "Vesper doesn't miss."
He stood, shoving his hands into his pockets as the cold night pressed against him. "This wasn't just some message for De Luca… this was a warning for us, too."
Meanwhile — In the Shadows
Vesper wiped his blade clean, watching the scene unfold from a rooftop across the street. The crimson-stained knife felt light in his hands, comfortable — a familiar extension of himself.
One step closer… he thought.
Salvatore had been a growing threat — but with his prized assassin gone, his power would weaken. The chaos would benefit Vesper's employer… and ensure that both the Morettis and Russos were too distracted to connect the dots about who he really was.
His gaze flicked downward as Valerio stepped back toward his car. For a fleeting second, Vesper's mask of cold detachment faltered. He knew what this would do to Valerio — the rage it would stir, the questions that would pile higher.
But it's necessary, Vesper reminded himself.
He turned sharply, disappearing into the darkness just as the first hints of dawn painted the sky.
The Aftermath — Morning at the Moretti Estate
The sun had barely risen when Valerio returned to the Moretti estate, tension coiled tight in his muscles. He felt like a storm barely contained, rage simmering beneath the surface. Another life taken — another strike by Vesper — and still no trace of him. The silence after each attack was almost louder than the violence itself.
As Valerio stepped inside, the quiet hum of conversation reached his ears. In the living room, the Russo and Moretti families were gathered, murmuring in low voices. Dante was speaking to his father, while Mr. Moretti stood by the fireplace, his face cold and unreadable.
Leona was there too, sitting beside Alessia. She looked up when Valerio entered — her face softening with relief. But Valerio's mind barely registered it. He was too consumed by what had happened.
"Valerio?" Leona's voice broke through his thoughts. "What happened?"
Valerio ran a hand down his face, exhaling slowly. "Vesper struck again."
The room seemed to tighten at his words.
"Who?" Mr. Moretti asked, his voice sharp.
"Salvatore's assassin," Valerio muttered. "The one who's been working with him for years."
Alessia's hand flew to her mouth. "But… why would Vesper kill him?"
"Because Vesper's not playing sides," Valerio replied darkly. "He's eliminating key pieces from both families — mine and Salvatore's. He's been moving like a shadow, cutting off our resources one by one."
"Then what's the next move?" Dante asked.
Valerio's gaze flicked to his father, who remained silent — deep in thought. "We increase security," Valerio said. "Every estate guard doubles their shifts. No one gets in or out without being accounted for."
"Do you think Vesper's targeting us directly?" Alessia asked softly.
"I don't know," Valerio admitted. "But I'm not taking any chances."
Leona stood quietly, her fingers twisting together. "If you think I'm staying locked up in here again," she said, "you're wrong."
"You're not leaving the estate," Valerio snapped, turning to face her. His voice was harsher than intended, but the thought of her crossing paths with Vesper — of her ending up like the others — shook him to his core.
"I'm not your prisoner," Leona shot back, her eyes narrowing. "I'm not going to sit here and—"
"You're staying, Leona," Valerio cut in, his tone low. "I'm not risking you."
For a moment, the two stood locked in a silent standoff. Valerio's fists clenched at his sides, but Leona's stubborn gaze didn't waver.
"I'm not helpless," she said firmly. "I proved that already."
"You shouldn't have to," Valerio muttered. His voice dropped softer now — frustration giving way to something else. "I can't… I can't lose you too."
The room felt too still after that. Leona's face softened, but before she could speak, Dante let out a loud, awkward cough.
"Well… this is a bit intense for breakfast," he muttered, breaking the tension.
Leona shot him a dry look before glancing back at Valerio. "Fine," she said with a sigh. "I'll stay… for now."
But even as Valerio felt a wave of relief, something gnawed at the back of his mind — a growing sense that Vesper wasn't finished yet.
Leona's voice cut through the tense silence like a blade.
"You know what's funny?" she said, her tone colder than anyone had ever heard from her. "It's been a month — a whole damn month — and not one of you has asked Alessia what actually happened that night."
Everyone turned to her, stunned.
"You're all so busy playing bodyguard, whispering about security and Vesper and who's next — but no one thought to ask the one person who might have seen something?" Her gaze locked onto Valerio. "How long were you planning to just stand around waiting for answers to magically appear?"
Her eyes shifted to Mr. Moretti. "You've been storming around for weeks, furious that Alessia's pregnant, but you never once thought to ask what happened that night — what really happened."
"Maybe you're all too scared of what she might say," Leona finished, her voice sharp and unwavering. "But I'm done pretending this is normal."
The room fell silent after Leona's words — a heavy, suffocating silence that seemed to stretch endlessly. No one dared to speak, yet the weight of her accusation hung in the air like a storm cloud about to break.
Alessia's face paled, her hands curling tightly around the fabric of her dress. Valerio, Dante, and the others all turned to her, their gazes sharp with unspoken questions.
"You… you think I haven't wanted to talk about it?" Alessia's voice shook, her usually calm demeanor slipping. "You think I don't replay that night over and over in my head?"
Leona's expression softened slightly, but she didn't back down. "I'm not saying you're to blame," she said carefully. "But no one has asked you. Not once. Everyone's just been tiptoeing around you like you'll break if they say the wrong thing."
"She's been through enough," Mrs. Russo cut in firmly, her protective nature flaring.
"And so has everyone else," Leona snapped back. "People are dying. Valerio lost his hacker. There's no pattern, no clue… but maybe Alessia knows something. Something that could help."
Alessia's breath hitched, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I… I don't know anything," she whispered.
"You must know something," Leona pressed, her voice gentler now. "Even the smallest detail."
"I…" Alessia paused, swallowing hard. "I saw someone that night."
The room collectively stilled.
"What do you mean 'someone'?" Valerio's voice was dangerously low.
Alessia's fingers trembled against her lap. "It was dark. I don't know who it was — I didn't see their face clearly." Her voice cracked. "But they… they moved fast. Like they knew exactly where they were going."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Mr. Russo demanded.
"Because I was scared!" Alessia cried, her voice breaking. "I thought… I thought if I said anything, they'd come after me next."
Leona's expression softened with understanding, but her voice remained steady. "Alessia… you can't keep things like this to yourself. Whoever this was — they're still out there. And they're not finished."
Valerio's gaze hardened. "From now on," he said coldly, "no one moves without my say. Security doubles for both families. Alessia… if you remember anything else, you tell me immediately."
Alessia nodded, her face still pale.
Leona finally stepped back, her shoulders sagging. "I just… I just want this to stop," she murmured. "I don't want to lose anyone else."
Valerio looked at her then — truly looked at her — and for the first time in weeks, he saw something unfamiliar in her eyes. The fire that always burned so brightly in her — the spark that made her Leona — was flickering, dimmer than before.
"I'll fix this," Valerio promised, his voice low yet firm.
But Leona just shook her head with a faint smile. "I hope you can."