CHAPTER 11 THE SECRETS

Cleaning up after the fight was the most difficult part. I was left with the aftermath, the bodies scattered around the room, the blood still staining the floor, and the unsettling silence that filled the space.

What was I going to do?

I stood there, feeling the tension knot in my chest. My hands still gripped the knife, the weight of it grounding me, but my mind was elsewhere, overwhelmed with the mess I now had to deal with.

"Madam."

Lilly's voice broke through the fog of my thoughts. She was one of my trusted servants, always reliable, always calm. She must have heard the noise.

I turned slowly. What could I say to her? What could I explain?

"I couldn't...," I began, but words failed me.

"Don't worry," Lilly interrupted softly, stepping into the room with quiet confidence. "I'll help you, madam."

Her voice was steady. Unshaken. It was almost as if she had expected this. She wasn't even remotely shocked.

I blinked, unsure if I was hearing her correctly.

"You know about your father, don't you?" she continued, glancing at the picture of my father on the wall. "Because he was so sincere to his uniform, he always had to face these kinds of situations. So don't worry, we've got plenty of space within the estate to cover this up."

Lilly didn't show a hint of fear, only calm efficiency.

I turned my gaze to my father's photo on the wall. He had always been a man of principle, someone who believed in justice, and who had fought for it until the very end. Despite everything, I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. He had been a good man.

Lilly and I spent the rest of the day cleaning, sorting through the mess, and covering up the bodies. The work was gruelling, but I had no choice. We couldn't leave any evidence behind. As I moved through the bodies, I realized something that made my stomach churn: most of them were members of the Los Sombros clan.

It was then that I understood. One of my officers had been a rat.

I couldn't stay here—not with the knowledge that someone inside my circle had betrayed me. It was time to leave.

Lilly was moving some of the weapons around when she paused, holding up a .45 caliber gun.

"This is quite good for .45 ammo," she remarked, studying the weapon with quiet interest.

I couldn't help but smirk, though the feeling felt hollow. "Why? would you want to keep it?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood, but the tension was still thick between us.

"Can I?" she asked, her tone serious now. She wasn't joking.

I looked at her, studying her expression. I nodded slowly.

Lilly tucked the gun away without another word, the decision made.

It was then I realized something. My father had left me more than just his legacy. He had left me secrets—secrets I hadn't yet uncovered.

I set out with a plan—one that wasn't going to be easy. I needed to figure out the game, get all the intel, and map out every detail before I made my next move. By now, our old members had already figured out I was back in the game, but I wasn't about to drag them into this mess. They had all been living under new identities, trying to stay off the radar. They didn't deserve to be involved in the shitstorm I was walking into.

I had a bigger problem on my hands.

Jacob—the rat officer. Greedy for money, easy to manipulate. I didn't understand how he could be so foolish, but then again, he wasn't the only one like that. He wasn't even close to being the only one on the inside. What if there was more than one rat in my network? I needed to be careful.

But for now, I couldn't do anything. I still needed him. Jacob was still a tool, and right now, I had bigger fish to fry.

I decided it was time to pay a visit to the Los Sombros clan. They were in Italy, making their moves, and I had a feeling thing were about to get interesting. Soon, they were scheduled to meet with La Mano Nera. That meant it was time for me to make my move.

I arrived in Italy just in time for the meeting. The timing had to be perfect. Setting up my sniper rifle, I settled into position, eyes scanning the area. The target: Sandro, the heir to the Los Sombros clan.

I saw them—Sandro, his bodyguards, and the rest of the Los Sombros crew—all arriving at the location. But one figure stood out to me. Antonio. Of course, he was there.

Adjusting the scope, I zoomed in on Antonio. He wasn't hard to spot—handsome, as usual, but with an air of danger that made him more than just a pretty face. The man didn't smile, ever. But today, I wasn't here for him.

The meeting was underway, and Antonio seemed disinterested, his posture slouched, clearly not paying attention to anything around him. I took a deep breath, focusing on the moment. Then, something caught my eye.

A white hair—what the hell? He was that old? Thirty-one, wasn't he?

I chuckled to myself.

I decided to have a little fun. Taking out my phone, I quickly typed out a message and sent it to him: "You got one white hair ."

I watched for a response, curious to see if he'd bite. After a beat, I saw a small smile tug at his lips. He knew I was watching.

I moved my sniper slightly, aligning the red dot on top of his phone. His eyes darted right to it, looking at me. Smart bastard.

I smiled to myself. But that wasn't the only thing I noticed.

Another red dot appeared on Antonio's chest. It wasn't mine