Chapter 7 - THE FINAL BETRAYAL
The wind howled through the shattered windows, whipping Madeline’s perfect hair across her face. She looked at the devastation, then at Victor, her expression a mix of terror and disbelief.
"Victor," she gasped, lowering the gun slightly. "Thank God you're alive. These men... they broke in, they tried to—"
"Save it, Madeline," Victor said, his voice echoing over the howling wind. He walked slowly toward her, his gun pointed directly at her chest. "The act is over. I know everything."
Madeline dropped the facade. Her face hardened, morphing into something ugly and venomous. She shifted her gaze to Nora, recognizing her from the restaurant. "You. You’re the waitress. You ruined everything."
"I’m Nora Hayes," she said, stepping out from behind Victor. "Jimmy Hayes was my father."
Madeline let out a cold, hollow laugh. "The Ghost’s little girl. I should have known. I should have killed you when I took out your pathetic father."
She raised the revolver, aiming it directly at Nora’s head.
"Drop it!" Victor roared.
"If I go down, she goes with me!" Madeline screamed, her finger tightening on the trigger.
Time seemed to slow down. Victor realized he couldn't get a clean shot without risking Nora’s life. But Nora didn't need saving.
With lightning speed, Nora ducked, diving to the floor just as Madeline fired. The bullet shattered a vase behind where Nora’s head had been. In the same motion, Nora threw her combat knife.
The blade spun through the air, burying itself deep into Madeline’s shoulder. Madeline screamed, dropping the revolver.
Before Madeline could recover, Victor closed the distance. He grabbed her by the throat, slamming her against the remaining pane of glass. He looked into the eyes of the woman he had almost married, feeling absolutely nothing but disgust.
"Your syndicate is finished. Your family is finished," Victor whispered, his grip tightening. "And you are finished."
He threw her down onto the marble floor. "Call the police," Victor told his remaining capos who had secured the room. "Leave the evidence of her illegal shipments on the desk. Let her rot in a federal cell for the rest of her miserable life."
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Madeline sobbed on the floor, clutching her bleeding shoulder, completely broken.
Victor turned his back on her and walked over to Nora, who was pulling herself up from the floor. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest. The war was over.
