Chapter 8 - THE CLEANSING OF THE EMPIRE
The hospital lobby was secured like a fortress. My men locked down the entire floor, turning the ICU into an impenetrable bunker.
I paced outside Evelyn’s room for six hours while the surgeons worked to repair the damage caused by her tearing her stitches. Every second felt like a lifetime.
Inside a private waiting room, Leo and Ethan slept huddled together on a leather sofa, covered in warm blankets. I watched them through the glass door. Two boys, born into a world of blood and betrayal, yet possessing an innocence I swore I would protect with my life.
Tony walked up beside me, his arm in a fresh sling.
“Carlo is handled, Boss,” Tony reported quietly. “The Commission was informed of his unsanctioned hit on you and his extortion of your wife. They voted unanimously. Carlo is gone.”
I nodded slowly. “And Sophia?”
“Taken care of. The police have been paid. The shipyard is clean. It’s like tonight never happened.”
“It happened,” I said quietly, looking at my hands. They still had Evelyn’s blood on them. “I’ll never forget it happened.”
Tony cleared his throat. “There’s one more thing, Boss. The Commission. They want to know who’s taking the seat. With Carlo gone, the territory is unstable. They expect you to step back up.”
I turned away from the glass and looked at Tony. For ten years, I had craved power because I thought it made me untouchable. But power was exactly what had made my family a target. Power was the reason my wife had suffered in silence.
“Tell the Commission I’m done,” I said, my voice firm.
Tony blinked in shock. “Boss, you can't just walk away. They won't allow it.”
“I’m not asking for permission, Tony,” I stepped closer to him. “I have enough money hidden in offshore accounts to buy a small country. I’m taking my wife, my daughter, and my two sons, and we’re leaving. If anyone on the Commission has a problem with that, tell them I will personally mail them Carlo’s teeth.”
Tony swallowed hard, then nodded respectfully. “Understood, Mr. Moretti. Where will you go?”
“Somewhere they can't look me in the eyes,” I said softly.
Just then, the double doors of the ICU swung open. The lead surgeon walked out, pulling off his surgical cap. He looked exhausted.
My heart seized. I couldn't speak. I just stared at him, silently begging.
The doctor offered a tired, genuine smile.
“She’s a fighter, Mr. Moretti. It was close, but we managed to stop the internal bleeding. She’s stabilized. She’s resting now.”
I slumped against the wall, burying my face in my hands as a ragged sob tore from my throat. The relief was so profound it physically hurt.
“Can I see her?” I asked, my voice cracking.
“Just for a moment,” the doctor agreed.
I walked into her dimly lit room. The rhythmic beeping of the monitor was the most beautiful sound in the world. Evelyn was asleep, looking so incredibly fragile, yet radiating a strength that humbled me to my core.
I pulled a chair to her bedside and sat down. I gently took her hand, being careful of the IV lines, and pressed it to my lips.
“I’m here, Evie,” I whispered, tears falling onto her pale skin. “I’m not holding anyone else’s hand. Not ever again.”
Her fingers twitched against my cheek. Slowly, her heavy eyelids fluttered open. She looked at me, her brown eyes hazy with medication but filled with a quiet peace.
“The boys?” she rasped.
“They’re safe. Sleeping right outside.”
She smiled slightly. “Our daughter?”
“She’s perfect,” I choked out. “She’s strong, just like her mother.”
Evelyn closed her eyes, a single tear slipping down her cheek. “We’re free, Vincent?”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the velvet box I had retrieved from the NICU. I opened it, taking out the diamond necklace her mother had given her. The one she had sacrificed for me.
May you like
I leaned forward and gently clasped it around her neck.
“We’re free, Evelyn,” I promised. “We’re finally free.”
