Chapter 5 - The Truth About the Car Bomb
Vincent did not move against Marcus immediately.
That would have been the old Vincent.
The man who believed fear could solve every problem.
But there was something different now.
Matteo was upstairs.
Clara was beside him.
And Vincent finally understood that protecting his son meant more than eliminating threats.
It meant refusing to create another war around him.
So Vincent acted quietly.
Dominic reassigned guards one by one.
No explanations.
No confrontation.
Marcus noticed.
Of course he noticed.
By afternoon, the estate felt different.
Clara noticed too.
She found Vincent in the library.
“What's happening?”
“Nothing.”
“That answer only works on people who don't have eyes.”
Vincent looked toward Matteo, who was working with a tutor across the room.
“Stay near him.”
Clara's expression changed.
“Is he in danger?”
“I won't let anything happen.”
“That wasn't my question.”
Vincent looked at her.
“Yes.”
Clara went pale.
“From whom?”
“I don't know yet.”
It was not entirely true.
But Vincent had learned enough about Clara to understand that giving her Marcus's name would make her watch him differently.
Marcus would notice.
“Take Matteo to the east wing tonight.”
“Why?”
“No cameras there.”
Clara blinked.
Vincent realized what he had admitted.
“You've been watching us.”
“Yes.”
“All this time?”
“Yes.”
Clara stared at him.
Then looked toward the ceiling.
“Where?”
“Everywhere.”
Her mouth opened.
Closed.
Then she whispered, “You are unbelievable.”
“Clara—”
“You watched me?”
“I watch everyone.”
“That doesn't make it less insane.”
“I needed to protect Matteo.”
“Protection and control aren't the same thing.”
Vincent flinched.
Clara saw it.
She lowered her voice.
“You cannot build a cage and call it safety.”
Then she walked away.
Vincent remained alone.
The sentence followed him.
A cage.
He thought about Matteo.
About the gates.
The guards.
The cameras.
The empty hallways.
The boy staring through windows.
Vincent had survived the bombing.
But afterward, fear had become the architect of their lives.
That night, Matteo slept in the east wing.
Clara stayed nearby.
Vincent waited.
At 1:17 a.m., Marcus entered the security archive.
Dominic watched remotely.
Marcus accessed the bombing investigation.
Then began deleting files.
That was enough.
Vincent entered behind him.
Marcus turned.
His face changed.
“Vincent.”
“Keep going.”
Marcus stepped away from the computer.
“I was cleaning corrupted files.”
“Of course.”
Dominic entered.
Marcus looked between them.
Then his shoulders dropped.
“How long?”
Vincent asked.
Marcus remained silent.
“How long have you been working against me?”
“It wasn't supposed to happen that way.”
Vincent's jaw tightened.
“My wife died.”
“I know.”
“My son lost the use of his legs.”
Marcus looked down.
“I know.”
“Look at me.”
Marcus did.
“It was supposed to be you alone.”
Vincent felt something inside him become ice.
“Why?”
“Gabriel.”
Vincent already suspected the answer.
Still, hearing it hurt.
“Explain.”
Gabriel had wanted control.
Not simply money.
He believed Vincent had become too cautious.
Too legitimate.
Too interested in turning Rossi businesses away from the violent world that had built them.
Gabriel feared losing power.
So he made an agreement with Bellini intermediaries.
Vincent would die.
Gabriel would inherit control.
The Bellinis would receive favorable territory and business concessions.
Marcus had provided the route.
Mercer had prepared the vehicle.
But the schedule changed.
Sofia asked Vincent to take Matteo with him.
Nobody informed Mercer.
The bomb detonated anyway.
Vincent stared at Marcus.
“You knew my son was in that car?”
“Not until afterward.”
“And Gabriel?”
Marcus hesitated.
Vincent understood.
“He knew.”
Marcus said nothing.
That silence was the answer.
Vincent's fists tightened.
Then footsteps sounded behind them.
Clara.
She stood at the doorway.
“What happened?”
Vincent turned sharply.
“I told you to stay upstairs.”
“Matteo woke up.”
Marcus's eyes moved toward Clara.
Recognition appeared.
“Hayes.”
Clara froze.
Vincent saw it.
Marcus knew her name.
“Why do you know her?”
Marcus said nothing.
Clara stepped backward.
Vincent moved between them.
“Answer me.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Because of her brother.”
Clara went pale.
“Eli?”
Marcus nodded.
“He copied files.”
Clara's breathing changed.
“What happened to him?”
Marcus looked away.
“Tell her,” Vincent said.
Marcus swallowed.
“We took the laptop.”
Clara's eyes filled.
“And?”
“That was all.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
“My brother died.”
“He died months later. We had nothing to do with that.”
Clara stared at him.
Vincent watched her process the answer.
For two years, she had wondered.
Now she finally knew.
Elias had not been killed.
His death had been tragic.
But natural.
Clara covered her mouth.
Tears came silently.
Vincent wanted to comfort her.
He didn't know how.
Then an alarm sounded.
Dominic checked his phone.
“West gate.”
Vincent looked at Marcus.
Marcus smiled.
“You waited too long.”
“What did you do?”
“Gabriel knows.”
The lights went out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Emergency lights came on seconds later.
Dominic drew Vincent toward the door.
“Backup generators will start.”
Vincent's only thought was Matteo.
He ran.
Not like a boss.
Not like a man protecting an empire.
Like a father.
He reached the east wing.
The room was empty.
“Matteo!”
No answer.
Clara arrived behind him.
She looked around.
Then saw something on the floor.
Matteo's teddy bear.
Her face drained.
“Vincent.”
He picked it up.
His hands shook.
Then they heard a sound.
A wheel.
From the hallway closet.
Vincent opened the door.
Matteo sat inside.
Terrified.
But safe.
Vincent dropped to his knees.
“Matteo.”
The boy threw his arms around his father's neck.
Vincent held him.
Clara crouched beside them.
“How did you get here?”
Matteo looked at Clara.
“You said... if something feels wrong... don't wait for adults.”
Clara laughed through tears.
“Smart kid.”
Vincent pressed his forehead against Matteo's hair.
Then the boy whispered:
“I heard Uncle Gabriel.”
Vincent became still.
“When?”
“Before the lights.”
“What did he say?”
Matteo looked frightened.
“He was on the phone outside.”
Vincent waited.
Matteo swallowed.
May you like
“He said he was coming to finish what the bomb didn't.”
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