Chapter 9 - Clearing the Debris
Frankie rushed forward with a tactical knife, slicing through the zip-ties on Elena’s wrists.
The moment she was free, Elena threw herself across the floor, collapsing onto her knees beside Alessandro. She pulled Mia into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably, pressing endless kisses onto her daughter’s face, hair, and hands.
“Mia... oh God, Mia... my baby, my baby...” Elena wept.
Mia patted her mother’s wet cheek with her small hand. “I’m okay, Mama. Don Sandro caught me.”
Elena looked up through her tears at Alessandro.
He was kneeling beside them on the cold, dirty concrete floor. His dark suit was ruined, his hair soaked from the rain, but his blue eyes were shining with a warmth and clarity she had never seen before.
“You can see,” Elena whispered, her hand gently touching his arm.
“I can see,” Alessandro confirmed softly, reaching out to wipe a tear from her cheek with his thumb. His touch was remarkably gentle for a man who had just executed two men. “I’ve been able to see bits of light for three weeks. Because of Mia’s flashlight.”
Elena blinked, stunned. “Her flashlight?”
“She clicked it in my face in the library,” Alessandro smiled faintly. “The light triggered the damaged nerves. I started recovering. But I had to stay blind until I found out who was poisoning me.”
He looked down at Mia, who was happily holding her broken yellow flashlight like a trophy.
“Isabella and Dr. Vance were sabotaging your treatment,” Elena realized, the horror finally making sense.
“Yes,” Alessandro said, his tone turning cold as steel once more. “And by midnight tonight, the Romano family empire will cease to exist.”
Frankie walked up, stowing his weapon. “Boss, the perimeter is secure. Arthur Romano’s house has been surrounded by our men in Greenwich. The moment you give the word, we move in.”
Alessandro stood up, offering his large, warm hand down to Elena.
She took it without hesitation. He pulled her up smoothly, keeping his arm wrapped securely around her waist to steady her.
“Frankie,” Alessandro ordered. “Take Arthur Romano alive. I want him to look me in the eyes before he spends the rest of his life in a dark cell.”
“Understood, boss,” Frankie grinned. “And the girl?”
“Isabella stays in the wine cellar until the police arrive with the evidence of her financial fraud,” Alessandro said. “I won't dirty this house with her blood. Let the state put her away for thirty years.”
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He looked at Elena, his expression softening entirely.
“Let’s go home,” Alessandro said softly.
