Watching Santino make his promise on the blood oath crest he had taken out, Castle smiled so widely his eyes nearly disappeared. His attitude towards Santino, who had brought him both experience and favors, became increasingly amiable. After all, not only had this guy not caused him any real loss, but he had also brought a lot of experience and Gianna's favors. If it weren't for the safety concerns regarding Martha and Alexis, Castle would have been reluctant to let go of such a 'big experience baby' like Santino!
Now, he had eliminated the danger posed by Santino, obtained his promise never to trouble him again, and even secured his blood oath crest. Although this guy no longer had any chance of inheriting the D'Antonio family, having his blood oath crest was still a great thing.
Not to mention, this guy, to save his life, handed over the power he held within the D'Antonio family to Gianna. Although he gave it to Gianna, Castle, being the facilitator of this matter, would definitely receive a big thank you from Miss Gianna, given her personality. Of course, being good friends with John and Gianna, he didn't care about her gratitude, but her thanking him was a different matter altogether.
Through this event, Gianna's control over the D'Antonio family would become tighter and more adept, and his relationship with Gianna would also become closer because of this matter.
One could only wonder how the old D'Antonio would view this situation after Santino, the foolish and wasteful son, returned to Rome!
Feeling excellent, Castle put away Santino's blood oath crest and then, smiling broadly, said to his 'experience baby' Santino, "Your sister Gianna wants you to head to that private airport in New Jersey tonight and take the family's private plane back to Rome. However, this should be your father's order. She asked me to pass on this message at the end of our last call. I estimate the car to take you to the airport is already prepared outside. Also, Master Santino, we should not meet again. I don't want to have to blow your brains out one day. Remember, this time it was Gianna who saved you. Otherwise, I would never have let you leave New York."
Castle's attitude was extremely serious when he said this, and indeed, at first, when he learned Santino was coming to New York, his plan was to make sure he stayed here forever. If it hadn't been for John's several hints via phone calls, Santino's fate would have been a bullet to the head.
Upon realizing he had survived, Santino began to carefully reflect on his rash actions this time. He now understood that ever since he learned about Castle from the small group of people loyal to him in the family, he had been making continuous mistakes. Firstly, he shouldn't have come to New York without understanding the relationships between Castle, John, and Gianna, or Castle's true strength. It was this one oversight that put him in a highly disadvantageous situation.
Even after arriving in New York, he had a chance to retreat unharmed. That chance was when he inquired with Winston at the Continental Hotel and was refused. If he had given up his vendetta against Castle then, he could have left without any losses. Unfortunately, arrogance and blind ambition clouded his judgment.
Worse still, he fell into Castle's trap. His subordinates' analysis was that Castle was bluffing to scare him back to Rome. But now it was clear they were wrong. Castle was indeed trying to scare him, but the real aim was to lure him out of the safety of the Continental Hotel, where private fights and shootings were forbidden. How could he have been so foolish to leave such a safe place, giving Castle the opportunity to ambush him?
Now, out of the six men he brought from Rome, five were dead and one was missing, likely with slim chances of survival. Not only was he forced to sign a humiliating agreement promising to cease all hostilities against this always underestimated writer, but he was also coerced into making a blood oath. To top it all off, he had to hand over his power within the family to Gianna. The last time Gianna exposed his intentions to usurp power to their father, even then, his father didn't make him relinquish his control. But now, to save his life, everything was lost!
Having lost everything, Santino was utterly heartbroken and didn't even ask Castle about the whereabouts of his missing subordinate. Woodenly, under the implicit threat of Castle's gun, he stood up and left the restaurant first. The restaurant now only had three bodies left, a testament to their unfortunate encounter.
The butler, apparently having received instructions from Miss Gianna again, was already waiting at the main house door for Santino and Castle. The bodies of the two bodyguards Castle had killed upon entering were already cleaned up, with even the bloodstains cleared, making Castle silently marvel and wonder if the butler had called in a cleaning crew.
A Bentley was parked in front of the main house, likely prepared by Gianna to send Santino to the airport. Sensible enough to accept his loss, Santino, now lacking both the courage and the strength to fight Castle and his sister, got into the car without a word, his face grim.
The butler looked at Castle for instructions, clearly having been told by Gianna to follow Castle's orders. Castle didn't waste time, took one last deep look at Santino, then waved his hand, signaling the driver to take Santino to the airport for his flight back to Rome.
Sitting in the backseat, Santino maintained his silence as he left the D'Antonio family estate on Long Island, New York.
This trip to New York had been disastrous. With heavy losses, he still had no idea what awaited him upon his return to Rome.
Watching the car take Santino to the airport, Castle finally sighed with relief. Accompanied by the butler, he dismantled the small gadgets he had installed in the afternoon and asked the butler to clean up the mess in the restaurant. Contented, he bid farewell to his best informant and slowly left the estate.
Back in his car, Castle didn't rush to call his father or inform anyone. He just wanted to go home and review his actions against Santino.
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