Chapter 3 - THE INTERROGATION OF RENATA
I left Elena and Mia locked safely in my quarters with Brutus standing guard. Down in the soundproof basement of the estate, my men had secured Renata to a steel chair. The arrogant head housekeeper who had tried to condemn the savior of my bloodline now looked small, her immaculate uniform stained with nervous sweat.
I walked into the room, unbuttoning my suit jacket and rolling up my sleeves. The heavy metal door clanged shut behind me, sealing her fate.
"Mr. Duca, please! This is a misunderstanding!" Renata sobbed, straining against the zip ties. "The maid is a liar and a thief!"
"Let's skip the theatrics, Renata," I said coldly, pulling a chair and sitting directly in front of her. I tossed a thick file onto the metal table between us. "Bank transfers from offshore accounts. Encrypted messages sent from a burner phone in your quarters to the Falcone family. You weren't just a housekeeper. You were a rat."
Her face drained of color. The false bravado evaporated, replaced by raw, animalistic panic.
"They... they threatened my family," she stammered, tears streaming down her face. "They told me they knew the woman working here was the witness from fifteen years ago. They said if I framed her, got her thrown out on the street tonight, they would take care of the rest. I didn't have a choice!"
"You always have a choice," I replied, my tone devoid of mercy. "You chose to betray me. You chose to send an innocent woman and her child to their deaths."
"Lorenzo, please! I beg you!"
"You called her a thief," I murmured, leaning in close. "You frightened a little girl in my halls. For that alone, you have forfeited your life. But you are going to be useful to me first."
May you like
I signaled to my lieutenant, Marco, who stood in the shadows. "Get the encrypted phone. She's going to send a message to her handlers. She's going to tell them her mission was a success, and that Elena is waiting in the alley behind the estate. When they show up to finish the job, my men will be waiting."
Renata shook uncontrollably, nodding in frantic agreement. But I knew the truth of the mafia underworld—the Falcones were ruthless. Tonight, the devil of the Duca empire was going to show them exactly why they should have feared the boy they failed to kill.
