Page 47 of Velvet Chains

“It'll work out.” He simply said, and the part he left unspoken was that he wasn't going anywhere. It almost made me smile. Just like the old days, we were a united team.

I nodded in response. A wave of strategical calmness washed over me, putting all the other feelings I felt aside and giving me the steely control I needed right now.

The drive to the Cupola meeting was silent, I had opted to drive myself so all hands could be on deck for the war that would start if the worst possible scenario came to pass.

It was held, as always, in the old chambers; a large building that was always closed to the public. Despite being called the old chambers, the building looked relatively new.

I parked. The guards at the door greeted me as I walked in. They knew who I was.

I had the file on me as I went into the waiting area. As per usual procedure, I had to be in a separate location since I had a matter to present today. It was a way of ensuring that I wouldn't canvass for support before the meeting began. I had requested an audience before the Cupola a few days prior, but to prevent any trouble from Antonio, I had spread misinformation about why I wanted to speak before them.

I waited outside as the meeting began and only went in when a guard came to tell me it was my turn to speak. I tried to remain my calm even as I stepped in with my heart beating like a drum.

The Cupola sat behind a large table, and as the triumvirate granted audience, I was to stand to speak and only sit once deliberations had begun.

I cleared my throat and began giving detailed Antonio's role in the assassination. As I spoke, I handed the proof I had found to them. I had prepared copies for everyone.

What I handed to them were copies of financial records, proof that money had flowed from him to the people who had executed the hit, and coded messages between them. A hush came over the room as I spoke. The proof I had brought might not hold in a court of law, but this was the Cupola. Everyone here knew how business was done, and to them, this was the clearest proof I could get, short of a signed confession.

The silence in the room was like the eye of the storm, everyone looking from me to the documents being passed around. When I finished, I thanked them all and waited for their reaction. The men were trying to digest what they had just heard. Then the room erupted with angry voices, the usual order gone, replaced by frenzied murmurs. It seemed like everyone had something to say about it all at once.

“Let us have order while we discuss!” the voice of one of the two Cupola leaders rang through the air, shutting everyone up.

I stood and listened to their discussion. The evidence I had brought was so overwhelming that no one was willing to play devil's advocate. The issue they were arguing over was what punishment to give Antonio. Despite this, my heart was still pounding, and the adrenaline rushing through my veins made it hard for me to stand still. Other than to bring Antonio down, I had gotten into this for a seat on the Cupola’s triumvirate. I wanted to know if, with Antonio out of the running, I would get that spot.

The members of the Council handed the information to their men to double check what I had brought forth, so it wasn't until their people returned with matching information that mine was truly validated. I exhaled with relief once that happened.

Finally, the leaders of the Cupola stepped forward. The lines on their faces gave them a grim look.

“Vincenzo, your accusations have been proven to be legitimate. We thank you for bringing this alarming news to our attention,” one of them spoke.

Then, the other added “The vote was unanimous, you are officially a member of the Cupola triumvirate. We must now find Don Antonio and he will then face judgement.” He said the words I had desperately hoped to hear.

A wave of relief washed over me as I thanked him and the Cupola for their decision, accepting my new title.

Now I had to focus on the tasks ahead, the only way I could see Isabelle again was if I found Antonio. I needed to make sure all the sacrifices I had made would be worth it.

The hunt was hard, it was like Antonio had simply vanished.

Whenever I would get clues about his whereabouts, once I got there, he would be long gone.

I felt Isabelle's absence the most at night. They were lonely and endless.

I replayed the memory of when we parted ways over and over again, remembering how she had looked. I found myself reading her articles and wondering how she was. Seeing her work made me feel at ease, it proved to me that she was still safe, as I planned.

I couldn't help but wonder if all the way across the ocean, Isabelle was thinking of me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

ISABELLE

Iwas back home in Los Angeles, the place that I had told myself I desperately wanted to get back to. However, something about it didn't feel right.

The familiar sights, the familiar faces, all seemed duller to me. I had craved to get back to somewhere familiar for so long but I had also never considered that I would have changed so much by the time I returned.

I was with my friends, surrounded by loved ones, but I still felt alone. The days passed without Vincenzo feeling bland. Sometimes, I would catch myself staring at a door, hoping he would come through it.

I felt adrift, like someone stranded in a desert. I thought leaving Vincenzo was the hardest thing I had ever done, but I found that staying away from him was even harder.

---