Domenico's eyes glint, and his lips curl into a smirk. "I'm sure you've heard much from your informant."
The words hang in the air, and for a split second, I wonder if Matteo's loyalty will be questioned here. I glance at Alessio, who doesn't flinch. He's in control. But even he can't hide the underlying tension in the room.
"This ends tonight," Alessio says firmly. "You're finished."
Domenico leans back in his chair, the smirk still playing on his lips. "We'll see about that."
Chapter Eighteen
Sophia
The room is large, cold, and eerily silent. I stand at the foot of the table, Alessio beside me, watching the five family heads with a quiet, burning intensity. My heart beats faster with every second that passes—the weight of the moment pressing on me. We have one shot to end this, one shot to make them see who Domenico really is.
I watch the men in the room, their eyes scanning the evidence we've presented. The photos, the documents, the testimonies—all of it laid out for them. Domenico's dirty secrets, his criminal empire built on lies and blood.
"This is ridiculous," the head of the French family mutters, his fingers running through his graying hair as he scans the documents. "This is—this is not what we agreed upon."
I feel Alessio tense beside me, his jaw clenching. He's trying to keep his cool, but I know the anger is simmering just beneath the surface.
"You're telling me," I snap, stepping forward. "That this isn't a problem? That trafficking children is something we can justignore?"
The room falls still.
Domenico leans back in his chair, a smug look on his face. "This is an attack on me, nothing more. A smear campaign to weaken my position."
"Smear campaign?" I exclaim. "I have proof, and you still think this is some game? You have children locked up, sold to the highest bidder, and you call it a smear campaign?"
"Enough," the head of the Italian family says, cutting through the tension. He glances around the room, his face hard. "I didn't come here to be lectured by a girl. We're talking business."
I feel my blood boil. "Business?" I spit out. "This isn't business. This is exploitation, abuse. And you're willing to let him get away with it?"
One of the men from the Russian family looks at me, his expression unreadable. "She has a point," he says low but steady. "The evidence is clear. It's not just about power anymore. It's about survival."
The French head scoffs. "Survival? We've all been through hell to get to where we are. And now you expect us to throw it all away for some moral high ground?"
"Some of usbelievein that high ground," the Irish family head says, cutting through the noise. "I've seen enough."
I freeze, my eyes snapping to his. "You're with us?"
"I'm with what's right," he replies, standing up. His voice carries weight. "This… this is beyond what we agreed upon, Domenico. We were never supposed to cross this line. And I won't stand by it any longer. I vote to remove him."
Domenico's face hardens, his eyes narrowing, the smugness replaced by something far darker. "You would betray me?" he growls low and dangerous.
"I'm not betraying anyone," the Irish head says firmly, his gaze unwavering. "I'm choosing the truth. I'm choosing the future, not your twisted version of it."
The room erupts.
The Italian family head slams his hand on the table, his face turning red. "You can't just flip sides like this, O'Conner! You think you're the only one with power here? You thinkyoucan change everything?"
The French head joins in. "You'll regret this, O'Conner. We'll all regret this. Do you think he'll let you walk away with that vote? He'll hunt you down, your family, everything you care about."
"You think I don't know that?" O'Conner snaps with a low growl. "But I'll sleep better at night knowing I made the right choice."
My heart pounds in my chest as the arguments escalate. I glance at Alessio, who remains still, his eyes locked on Domenico, waiting for the inevitable.
Domenico stands abruptly, his chair screeching as it's pushed back. "Enough of this," he spits venomously. "You want to destroy everything I've built? Then I'll destroyyoufirst."
The room explodes into chaos.