Page 96 of Angelo

Concerned, Elyse asked, “Are you okay?”

Clutching her forehead, Mariposa sighed dramatically. “I have had the worst fucking migraine all morning.”

“I might have some Ibuprofen on me.” Elyse reached for her purse. “Want some?”

Panic flashed in Mariposa’s eyes. “No, no! That will not be necessary. I think I just need to get some… rest.”

“In that case, why don’t you head hom—”

Before Elyse could even finish her sentence, Monte stepped forward and grunted a bit too eagerly,"Posso portarla a casa a ... riposare." I can take her home to... rest.

With a grin, Luca coughed loudly at his partner.

Monte blushed and looked away.

Green eyes widened with understanding. Then, she held in another smile. Elyse kept Luca at her side and permitted Monte to escort Mariposa back to his apartment to get some "rest."

As Monte and Mariposa drove away, Elyse and Valentina exchanged wry looks. They’d both seen through Mariposa’s little performance but knew better than to call her out. It was all for the best, anyway. Without Mariposa around, they could talk freely about Gaspare. Elyse had chosen not to tell Mariposa about what they were going to do to her brother. No matter how much Mariposa hated Gaspare, De León blood still flowed between them, and Elyse feared that Mariposa might try to intervene before their plans came to fruition.

Quietly, Valentina informed Elyse, "I have been sending Gaspare to strip clubs and bars with Taddeo. They are practically besties now."

Taddeo's real name was Damiano Parule. Elyse murmured, "Do you think he might be suspicious of Taddeo, though?"

Damiano was one of Boris' undercover officers.

"I do not think so," Valentina replied. "Gaspare has the intelligence of a worm and the observational skills of a naked mole-rat.”

“Aren’t mole-rats blind?”

“Exactly.”

“Did you get the photographs of them together?”

“I did.” This meant Valentina had secured the proof they could use to castGaspare as a police informant.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done. I mean it,” Elyse murmured. "Let me if anything else comes up.”

"I will."

They parted ways shortly after. Elyse returned to the palazzo and found her husband in his study. She updated him on Valentina's progress with Gaspare.

He asked, "Is it time?"

She nodded. "Now or never."

They were, of course, referring to Alessandro's list of names. Evidence on Antonino, Nitto, Gilberto, César, and Carlo could now be released to Boris. They’d send the files through a burner phone.

Her husband's jaw clenched. A pained expression twisted his handsome features. "I feel like a fucking traitor."

"But why?"

"For biting the hand that feeds.”

Elyse huffed, "Keep in mind, these hands belong to assholes who wouldn't think twice about killing you."

Alessandro sighed. "Still..."

"Look at it from a different perspective," she stated in gentler tones. "There's poetic justice at play here. You’re helping your mother finish what she started. Renata's legacy can live on through you.”

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