She Walked Past the Mafia Boss Without Looking Back, and His Next Order Shocked Everyone
Chapter 9
The town had never known Valli was alive.
He had been declared dead after a shipwreck.
But the letters proved otherwise.
He had lived under false names.
He had bought warehouses.
Paid officials.
Controlled smugglers.
And waited for Matteo to become powerful enough to inherit the network.
Caruso had been his servant.
Lorenzo Belladonna had been his pawn.
And Matteo’s mother had been his prisoner.
Matteo could barely speak.
For years he had believed his mother died.
Now he learned she might still be alive.
Elena touched his arm.
“We’ll find her.”
He looked at her.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Why?”
“Because your people killed my father.”
Matteo’s expression hardened.
“Not me.”
“I know.”
That answer affected him.
They returned to the Belladonna house.
The old family chapel contained another hidden room.
They found a chain of letters leading to a coastal estate.
Valli’s estate.
Matteo gathered his men.
Elena insisted on coming.
“No.”
“You need the ledger.”
“I need you alive.”
“You can’t guarantee that.”
Matteo looked at her.
“That is why you’re staying.”
Elena shook her head.
“You protected me when I didn’t ask.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m choosing to stand beside you.”
Matteo said nothing.
Finally, he nodded.
They traveled before dawn.
At the estate, they found dozens of armed men.
The gates were open.
Too open.
Matteo stopped.
“This is a trap.”
Elena looked toward the upper windows.
A woman stood behind the glass.
Older.
Pale.
But unmistakably alive.
Matteo froze.
“Mother.”
The woman raised one hand.
Then the window closed.
A shot rang out.
One of Matteo’s guards fell.
The estate erupted into chaos.
Matteo pulled Elena behind a stone wall.
“Stay here.”
She looked at him.
“Go.”
He ran toward the house.
Elena opened the ledger.
There was one final page.
It contained a message from Marco.
The Don must never trust the woman he loves.
Elena looked up.
Matteo’s mother was watching her from the upper window.
And she was smiling.
