Page 7 of Angelo

She tossed over her shoulder, "Have fun setting the world on fire, husband."

Alessandro smiled coolly as he called after her, "I will lay the ashes at your feet, wife."

2

Not long after theirtense exchange, Alessandro disappeared from the palazzo. The heads of every clan were eager to meet with him. He was, after all, the newcapoand their rightful king. Power attracted the power-hungry like moths to a flame.

I bet these fuckers are dying to offer their condolences, Alessandro had warned Elyse,and then stab us in the back.

Choosing to divide and conquer, husband and wife each had their own battles to fight. Elyse stayed home and whipped the household staff into a frenzy. They scrambled to plan a funeral befitting acapoas consequential as Vincenzo Vitale.

Later, in the afternoon, Elyse left the palazzo with Monte and Luca. They trailed behind her every step. Antonia Svizzi was waiting for her at a local boutique. As they strolled and shopped, the Svizzis, Elyse observed, were a numbers-driven family. She appreciated their pragmatism.

“I think these would look stunning on you,” Elyse murmured while handing Antonia a designer cocktail dress and a couture gown made of burgundy silk.

Antonia accepted them with a delighted grin. “You think so? I should go try them on.”

After disappearing into one of the changing rooms, Antonia re-emerged with a glowing, face-wide smile. She loved the dresses. They found some shoes and bags to match. When it came time to pay, Elyse beat the other woman to the checkout counter. The final balance was astronomical, but she handed over her credit card without batting an eye.

Antonia gasped when she realized what Elyse had done, “You are much too kind!”

“It’s nothing, really. Just a small gift between friends,” Elyse insisted with awarm smile even while taking mental notes of how readily Antonia let her foot the five-figure bill. Bitch had given zero push back.

"I feel so blessed to have a friend like you,Signora Vitale," cooed Antonia.

"I feel the same way."

"My family looks forward to continuing our partnership. When Vincenzo was still with us, God rest his soul, he was a good friend to us as well. As long as Alessandro is able to carry on the legacy of his father, rest assured, my family will have your back whenever push comes to shove."

Elyse didn't know if she could count on Antonia when the pushactuallycame to shove, but gaining insight into what made this woman tick felt more valuable than empty declarations of loyalty.

At the end of the day, everyone was ruled by vices. Elyse's father had been ruled by a gambling addiction, which made his demise tragically predictable. Vices tended to dictate everyone’s choices in life. If Antonia and her family could be tempted by money and gifts, instead of power like the Domenico and his family, then they’d be manageable as allies. It seemed, as long as Alessandro shoved more money at the Svizzis than the other clans, their allegiance could be kept on a leash. In a way, this was good news.

As the golden Palermitan sun set over the horizon of the Tyrrhenian Sea, her shopping spree with Antonia came to an end. She arrived home to an empty bed. Alessandro had yet to return. Disappointment set in. It was soon followed by a wave of exhaustion. Elyse felt drained—mentally, emotionally, and physically—but she pushed through and summoned her last bit of energy to investigate matters regarding Valentina.

Picking up her phone, she contacted Stefano Russo's old associate, Benny Gusev. In her former life, Elyse used to frequent Benny's pharmacy in Queens whenever she needed prescriptions for the patients that Stefano brought to her apartment. The old Russian was well-connected with everyone's business in the underworld.

During the call, Elyse asked him about the late Tommy Wilkes. Benny agreed to dig into Tommy's background—for a hefty sum, of course—and vowed to report back with his findings in a day or two. Elyse grimaced as she set down her phone. Alessandro wasn't going to be happy about it. She was prepared, though, to face her husband's wrath.

Act first, she decided,and apologize later.

Elyse took a quick shower and crawled into bed. What was taking the bastardso long? As she waited for Alessandro to come home, both eyelids grew heavier and heavier. She dozed off by accident. Around midnight, the door swung open, Elyse awoke with a start. The room was almost pitch black. She didn't remember turning off the bedroom lights. In time, her vision adjusted to the shadows. She saw her husband's silhouette outlined in the dark.

"You've come back," whispered Elyse.

He grunted, "Where else would I go?"

"I-I was worried that you might—"

"I will always come back to you." Alessandro's gentle words contrasted with the gruffness in his tone. She sensed a crack in his walls. Was the bastard prepared to let her in after shutting her out?

Elyse's throat ached. "Did you want to… talk?"

He didn't answer right away. Emotions thudded within her heart, thrumming between hope and trepidation, as she waited for his response.

"Not at all," Alessandro revealed quietly, "I am more interested in something else."

"Like… what?"

---