Page 18 of Monster in Disguise

"Change?" he scoffs, taking a long drag from his cheroot. "You think your brother didn't try that?"

"Not enough," I reply calmly. "I won't pretend to know the full extent of how Tino ran things around here, since I wasn't privy to it at the time. But what I do know is what those reports are telling me. The business is on the brink of collapse, and factions have formed within the famiglia. Factions that wouldlove nothing more than to see me fall from my position now," I pause, letting my words sink in.

Francesco grunts, studying me through narrowed eyes before exhaling a cloud of smoke.

"Valentino couldn't achieve what you're hinting at in ten years. What makes you think you can do it now?"

"My brother had distractions," I state firmly. "Romina's death weighed heavily on his shoulders and he was not fully focused on the famiglia. But I am." I lean forward, locking gazes with Francesco.

"And more importantly, I have something that Tino did not."

His eyebrows furrow in curiosity as he takes another drag from his cheroot.

"What's that?" he asks cautiously.

"Knowledge about the inner circle," I say cryptically. "And enough disdain for their kind that I will not fail. The question is... will you join me?"

"What makes you think I'm notwiththem?" His eyes study me closely, but my face gives nothing away. Father may have been a monster, but he trained me well.

"You're not." I push forward another document. He picks it up and frowns at the contents.

"This..." His voice is full of disbelief.

"Your son is free to do as he pleases now," I explain. Nicolo and his associates had been trying to get blackmail material on Francesco for a long time. He thought he'd finally succeeded when Francesco's teenage son had been caught by the police in a stabbing gone wrong.

"But how?"

"I'm a lawyer. I also worked with the D.A. Your son's case was fabricated. It was just a matter of untangling the web of evidence."

I can already tell I have him. I stand up to leave, but not before I hear him say,

"Grazie, capo."

I nod and take my leave.

One ally.

It's a start.

The preparations werein full swing for the highly anticipated meeting with the famiglia. I had spared no expense in planning an ostentatious banquet to mark the beginning of my leadership. As much as I despised being in this position, I knew that maintaining control and respect within the famiglia required certain actions.

In this world, respect was earned through fear. And for now, that was enough.

I admire the opulent hall before me, all previous worries wiped from my mind. Amelia's gasp as she enters echoes through the grand ballroom, her hand flying to her mouth in awe.

"Now, Amelia," I raise a finger to silence her. "Please escort our esteemed guests to the drawing room. Once the attendance list is complete, they may be led here."

Her face drains of color, but she nods slowly nonetheless.

Nearly an hour later, the doors to the ballroom swing open. Leaning casually against the wall, champagne flute in hand, I watch as each man comes in wearing their finest tuxedos.

The first group stops dead in their tracks at the sight before them, some swallowing nervously before cautiously moving forward. This pattern repeats until all have arrived and taken their place inside the grand hall.

The dimly lit room fills with the aroma of costly cigars and aged whiskey as I stand tall and proud, my glass raised in a toast.

"Good evening, gentlemen!" I declare, tipping my head to acknowledge their presence.

My uncle Nicolo steps forward, his eyes narrowing as he surveys the scene before him. "What's the meaning of this?" he demands.

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