Chapter 7 - Eleven Minutes Before Midnight

They reached the study at 11:49.

Dante entered first.

Vincent Romano stood behind the desk.

Arthur beside him.

Two armed men near the windows.

Dante raised his pistol.

The guards raised theirs.

Vincent smiled.

“Son.”

Dante’s face hardened.

“Don’t.”

Serena entered behind him.

Vincent’s smile disappeared.

“You should have left.”

She looked at him.

“So should you.”

Arthur stared at the crumpled divorce envelope still in Dante’s hand.

Vincent noticed.

“Signed?”

Dante tossed the envelope onto the desk.

“Yes.”

Serena looked at it.

Pain crossed her face.

Dante saw.

Vincent smiled again.

“Then all of this becomes simple.”

“No.”

Dante checked the clock.

11:50.

“You need us married at midnight.”

Vincent’s face changed slightly.

Dante continued.

“You need the trust transfer.”

Arthur looked toward Vincent.

That was enough confirmation.

Serena stared at her father.

“You were going to make me a widow.”

Vincent sighed.

“I was going to make you safe.”

She laughed through tears.

“You don’t know what that word means.”

Vincent’s voice hardened.

“I built everything for this family.”

“You killed Matteo for it.”

Silence.

Arthur looked shocked.

Vincent’s face went still.

“I did not kill your brother.”

“You protected the man who did.”

“That is not the same.”

Serena stepped forward.

“It was to Matteo.”

Vincent’s eyes flashed.

Dante moved between them.

One of the guards shifted.

Dante noticed.

“Don’t.”

The man stopped.

Vincent looked at Dante.

“You think Serena saved you?”

“She did.”

“She destroyed your marriage.”

Dante looked at Serena.

“No.”

Vincent laughed.

“You came here to divorce her.”

“Yes.”

Serena looked down.

Dante continued.

“Because I thought she wanted freedom.”

Vincent stared.

“And now?”

Dante looked at the clock.

11:53.

“Now she gets to choose what freedom means.”

Serena looked at him.

Vincent’s expression changed.

The study doors opened.

Carlo entered.

Three men behind him.

His gun pointed at Dante.

“There you are.”

Serena went pale.

Carlo smiled at her.

“Still trembling.”

Dante watched Serena.

Her hands shook.

Then she stepped beside him.

Not behind.

Beside.

Carlo’s smile faded.

Dante looked at the clock.

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

11:54.

Six minutes.