The ride back to the hospital was suffocatingly silent, the weight of what had just happened sitting between us like a ticking bomb. My mind kept replaying the gunfire, the way Gallo's body had crumpled to the floor, and Ferraro's cold, detached expression as he pulled the trigger without a second thought.
I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur into streaks of color, but my thoughts were firmly rooted in the darkness we were now a part of. Dominic Ferraro had just proven that he was as ruthless as Castellano, if not more so. He had killed Gallo without hesitation, and that meant one thing—he wouldn't hesitate to turn on us if it suited him.
Ethan was quiet beside me, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he drove. I could tell he was angry, but he hadn't said a word since we left the casino. He had always been the calm one, the steady presence in the chaos, but tonight, I could feel the storm brewing just beneath the surface.
"We need to talk to William," I said finally, breaking the silence. My voice sounded small in the stillness of the car, but I knew we couldn't avoid the conversation any longer.
Ethan's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Yeah. We do."
I glanced at him, trying to gauge his mood. "Do you think we can still trust Ferraro?"
Ethan let out a long breath, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "No. But we don't have a choice. Ferraro's too deep in Castellano's network. He knows things we need to know. But that doesn't mean we can let our guard down."
I nodded, though the knot of unease in my stomach tightened. "Ferraro killed Gallo without blinking. If he's willing to do that..."
Ethan's hands tightened around the wheel. "It means we're in over our heads. Ferraro's dangerous, and we can't trust him. But for now, we need him. And we'll use him as long as we can."
His words were pragmatic, but they didn't ease the cold dread that had settled deep inside me. We were playing with fire, and every step we took seemed to bring us closer to getting burned.
When we finally arrived back at the hospital, it was late. The halls were mostly empty, the lights dimmed as the world outside settled into the quiet hours of the night. My legs felt heavy as we walked through the sterile corridors, the sound of our footsteps echoing softly off the walls.
William's room was just as we had left it, though now the glow of the streetlights outside cast long shadows across the floor. He was awake, sitting up in bed with a tablet in his hands, but when he saw us enter, his eyes immediately darkened with concern.
"What happened?" William asked, his voice sharp. He had always been able to read me like a book, and he could see the tension etched into my face.
I swallowed hard, exchanging a glance with Ethan before I spoke. "We met with Ferraro," I said, my voice tight. "But things didn't go as planned."
William's expression hardened instantly. "What do you mean?"
"Castellano's men showed up," Ethan cut in, his tone cold and professional. "They tried to take us out. Gallo was leading them."
William's eyes narrowed, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind as he processed the information. "And Ferraro? What did he do?"
"He killed Gallo," I said quietly, the words feeling heavy on my tongue. "He shot him. Without hesitation."
For a moment, William didn't respond. His eyes flicked between Ethan and me, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sigh, he leaned back against the pillows, his fingers rubbing at his temple. "Of course he did."
I frowned, confused by his reaction. "You're not surprised?"
William shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I've known Ferraro for years. He's always been ruthless. He does what's necessary, and he doesn't lose sleep over it. But that's exactly why we need him."
The coldness of his words sent a chill down my spine. I knew William was pragmatic—he had always been willing to do whatever it took to protect me, to protect us—but this felt different. It felt like we were aligning ourselves with someone who could easily become our next enemy.
"What if Ferraro turns on us?" I asked, voicing the fear that had been gnawing at me since the moment Gallo hit the floor. "What if we're next?"
William's eyes met mine, and for a moment, the cold mask he had been wearing slipped. "That's why we stay one step ahead of him. We use him for as long as we need to, but we never forget what he's capable of. And when the time comes, we'll deal with him."
I shivered at the thought, but I knew he was right. We were playing a dangerous game, and Ferraro was just another piece on the board. But the problem was, we didn't know whose side he was really on—or how long he would stay on it.
Ethan cleared his throat, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the room. "There's something else," he said, his tone serious. "Ferraro gave us intel on Castellano's next move."
William's expression sharpened. "Go on."
"Castellano's been working behind the scenes, buying out members of your father's board," Ethan explained. "He's planning to make a public move soon, something that will destabilize the company and force Alice out. Once that happens, he'll take control."
I felt a surge of anger and betrayal rise in my chest. "Board members?" I asked, my voice tight. "People in my father's company have already turned against us?"
William's jaw clenched, his eyes dark with anger. "Castellano's had years to build his network. He's been waiting for this opportunity."
The room was thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of Castellano's looming threat pressing down on me. He wasn't just after revenge—he was after everything. My father's legacy, the company, my life. And now, with members of the board in his pocket, he was closer than ever to taking it all.
"We need to find out who's on his payroll," William said, his voice low but filled with determination. "Once we know who the traitors are, we can take them out of the equation."
Ethan nodded. "Ferraro said he'd help us get the names, but it's going to take time."
Time. It felt like the one thing we didn't have. Castellano was already making his moves, and every second that passed brought us closer to losing everything. But I knew that rushing in without a plan would only make things worse.
"We need to move quickly," I said, my voice firm. "Castellano won't wait. If we don't act now, he'll have the upper hand."
William's eyes met mine, and I could see the weight of the situation reflected in his gaze. "You're right. But we need to be smart about this. We can't make any more mistakes."
For a moment, the three of us sat in silence, the gravity of what lay ahead pressing down on us. Castellano wasn't just a threat—he was a force, a storm bearing down on us with the intent to destroy everything in its path. And now, we had to fight back with allies we couldn't trust and a plan that was barely holding together.
But as I looked at William, at the determination in his eyes, I knew one thing for sure: we weren't going to let Castellano win. Not without a fight.
"We'll take him down," I said, my voice steady despite the fear swirling inside me. "We'll stop him."
William nodded, his hand reaching for mine, his grip strong and reassuring. "We will."
But even as the words left my lips, I couldn't shake the feeling that something darker was lurking just out of sight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
And when it did, none of us would be ready.