Chapter 12 No Turning Back

The weight of the revelation settled between them like a storm waiting to break. Alexander sat motionless, his hands clenched into fists as the video replayed in his mind. His grandfather—murdered. And Morello had been standing right there, watching as if it were nothing.

Elena placed a hand on his, her touch grounding him. "Alexander… what do we do now?"

His jaw tightened. "We take him down."

Her breath hitched. There was no hesitation in his voice, no room for second thoughts. This wasn't just about business or legacy anymore. It was about justice.

She nodded. "Then we need a plan."

Gathering the Pieces

Elena stood beside Alexander in his study, going through the files they had retrieved. The USB was a goldmine of information, but they needed more than just evidence—they needed a strategy.

"This isn't enough to convict him outright," Alexander muttered, scanning the documents. "But if we use this as leverage… we can force him into a corner."

Elena frowned. "Morello has connections everywhere. If he gets a whiff of what we're doing, he'll try to silence us."

Alexander looked at her, his eyes cold and calculating. "Then we stay ahead of him."

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. After two rings, a deep voice answered.

"Mr. Lancaster. I was wondering when I'd hear from you."

Elena watched as Alexander's grip on the phone tightened. "We need to meet. Now."

The voice chuckled. "So urgent. I like that. Usual place?"

"Ten minutes," Alexander said before hanging up.

Elena raised an eyebrow. "Who was that?"

"A man who hates Morello almost as much as I do."

An Unlikely Ally

The dimly lit bar was nearly empty, save for a few shadowy figures nursing their drinks. In the far corner, a man sat with his back to the wall, his gaze sharp and assessing as Alexander and Elena approached.

"Mr. Lancaster," he greeted, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "You look like a man ready to start a war."

Alexander took a seat across from him, his expression unreadable. "You said you wanted revenge on Morello."

The man—Vincent Russo—chuckled. "I did. And I still do." He leaned forward. "But what makes you think you can win?"

Alexander slid the USB drive across the table. "Because I have this."

Vincent picked it up, his interest piqued. He plugged it into a small laptop, his expression shifting as he scrolled through the files.

Elena watched him closely, searching for any sign of deception.

Finally, Vincent leaned back with a low whistle. "This… this is interesting."

Alexander's voice was like steel. "We're going to use this to destroy him."

Vincent smirked. "And you want my help?"

"You want revenge," Alexander countered. "We want justice. Our goals align."

Vincent tapped his fingers against the table. "Morello's smart. He'll see you coming."

"Not if we move first," Elena said.

Vincent studied her, then let out a low laugh. "You've got guts, sweetheart. I like that."

Alexander's expression darkened, but Elena placed a hand on his arm, signaling for him to stay calm.

Vincent leaned forward. "Alright, Lancaster. I'm in. But if we're doing this, we do it my way."

Alexander's lips curled into a smirk. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Setting the Trap

Back at the penthouse, Elena paced as Alexander and Vincent mapped out their strategy.

"We need to leak some of this information," Vincent said. "Not all of it—just enough to rattle Morello."

Alexander nodded. "We make him nervous. Make him think there's a rat in his organization."

"And when he starts looking for the leak, we strike," Elena added.

Vincent grinned. "I like how you think."

They spent the next few hours carefully selecting which pieces of information to release. Offshore accounts. Corrupt officials. A mysterious shell company tied to illegal arms deals.

By morning, the news was everywhere.

Billionaire Crime Syndicate Under Investigation

Morello's name wasn't mentioned, but anyone who knew the underworld would see the connections.

Elena watched the screen as reporters speculated about the source of the leak. Her heart pounded.

"This is it," she whispered. "He's going to retaliate."

Alexander's expression was unreadable. "Let him try."

The First Blow

The first sign of trouble came that evening.

Alexander's security team intercepted a suspicious vehicle lurking near the penthouse. Inside, they found surveillance equipment—Morello's men were watching them.

Hours later, a threatening note was delivered.

Back off, Lancaster. Or she pays the price.

Elena's hands trembled as she read the words.

Alexander's fury was palpable. "He thinks he can intimidate us?"

Vincent exhaled sharply. "Morello doesn't make threats he won't follow through on."

Elena squared her shoulders. "Then we hit him harder."

Vincent chuckled. "Now you're speaking my language."

Alexander's eyes burned with determination. "Morello just made a mistake."

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

Alexander's lips curled into a dark smile. "He underestimated us."

The Breaking Point

Over the next few days, Morello's empire began to crack.

Anonymous tips flooded the authorities. His men were arrested. His businesses raided.

Morello was being backed into a corner, and he knew it.

One evening, as Alexander and Elena prepared for another meeting, his phone buzzed with an unknown number.

He answered. "Who is this?"

A familiar voice came through the line.

"Mr. Lancaster. We need to talk."

Morello.

Alexander's grip tightened. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Oh, but I think you do," Morello said smoothly. "Unless, of course, you don't care what happens to Miss Romano."

Elena stiffened.

Alexander's voice was deadly. "If you touch her—"

Morello chuckled. "Relax. She's safe… for now."

Elena grabbed Alexander's arm. "Put him on speaker."

Alexander did.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"An exchange," Morello replied. "I know you have something that belongs to me. And I have something you care about."

Elena's blood ran cold. "You have nothing."

Morello's voice was amused. "Oh, Miss Romano. You should know by now—I always have something."

The line went dead.

A chill settled over the room.

Alexander turned to Elena. "We end this. Tonight."

She met his gaze, her heart pounding.

There was no turning back now.