The next few days were a blur of action and secrecy. Vito's orders had been carried out swiftly and without hesitation. The Canetti family was hit hard—warehouses burned, their shipments intercepted, their casinos raided. The DeLucas were sending a message, and the city could feel the shift. But with every move Vito made, the risks increased. The tension within his own family was palpable, and some members, particularly Marco, were growing restless.
Vito sat alone in the mansion's dimly lit office, a glass of scotch in his hand. The weight of the decisions he had made felt heavier than ever. His father had ruled with an iron fist, but Giovanni had done so with calculated grace, making each move with careful consideration. Vito, on the other hand, was being pushed to act swiftly—and ruthlessly.
The door creaked open. Vito didn't need to look up to know who it was.
"Elena," he said quietly, the sound of her name on his lips both a comfort and a reminder of the family he was trying to protect.
She stepped into the room, her eyes filled with worry. "Vito, I've heard rumors. People are talking. This isn't just about the Canettis anymore, is it?"
Vito took a deep breath and set his glass down on the table, rubbing his temples. "It's about more than the Canettis. It's about showing everyone that the DeLuca name still holds power. It's about making sure they know not to cross us."
Elena shook her head, a look of disbelief on her face. "You don't get it, do you? You're crossing lines you can't undo. It's one thing to protect the family—it's another to destroy everything we've built. We can't keep running the business like this."
Vito stood up, his frustration bubbling over. "I'm doing what I have to, Elena. The family's survival is on the line."
Her expression softened. "You don't have to do this alone, Vito. I know what Dad taught you, but you can still make a different choice. People are looking to you—some of them with loyalty, others with fear. But if you keep going down this path, you'll lose everything."
Vito looked away, feeling the weight of her words. She was right, of course. He was losing himself in the power, in the violence. But he wasn't sure there was any other way. The DeLuca family had always been about dominance. And once you claimed it, there was no going back.
---
The Betrayal
The phone call came late in the evening, while Vito was still in the office, trying to calm his racing thoughts. The voice on the other end was one he didn't recognize, but the message was clear.
"The Vargos have made their move," the voice said. "It's Marco. He's been negotiating with them. There's a plan to take you out."
Vito's blood ran cold. He knew that Marco had been ambitious, but he never imagined betrayal would come from within. His father's warning echoed in his mind: Trust no one.
"Elena, get out of here. Go to the safe house. Now," Vito barked, his voice sharp. He didn't wait for her reply. He hung up and grabbed his coat, storming out of the office.
He headed straight to the family's safe house—a secluded property on the outskirts of the city. Elena was there, waiting. But as he stepped inside, he felt the air shift. The door slammed shut behind him.
Marco stood at the center of the room, a smug smile on his face, flanked by several armed men.
"You shouldn't have trusted me, Vito," Marco said, his voice dripping with disdain. "The Canettis were never the real threat. You were. You always were."
Vito's heart pounded in his chest as he faced Marco. This was the moment he'd feared—the moment everything he had built was about to fall apart. But he wouldn't go down without a fight.
"You've made a mistake, Marco," Vito said, his voice cold and steady. "I'm not my father, but I can be just as dangerous when I need to be."
A tense silence filled the room. Elena stepped back, her eyes wide with fear. Vito could see the hesitation in Marco's eyes, but it was too late. The moment had passed. Betrayal was final.
"Either you walk out of here, Marco," Vito said, "or you die where you stand."
Marco chuckled, shaking his head. "You've become just like your father, Vito. Only, you're not as smart as he was."
Before Marco could give the order to his men, Vito acted. He lunged for the gun on the table, his hand moving faster than Marco could react. Shots rang out, loud and deafening, as the air between them was filled with the sharp sound of gunfire.
In the chaos that followed, Vito's men stormed the safe house. Marco's men were quickly subdued, and Vito found himself staring down at the man who had once been his closest ally.
Marco was bleeding, his face twisted in pain. "You'll regret this," he spat, the hatred in his eyes burning.
Vito looked down at him, his expression cold. "No, Marco. The regret will be yours."
With one final shot, Vito ended it. The silence that followed felt deafening. It wasn't just the end of a man—it was the end of a chapter in the DeLuca family's history.
---
The Aftermath
The DeLuca empire stood, but it was now forever altered. Vito had lost one of his own—someone who had once been like a brother to him. But there was no turning back. The cost of power was steep, and Vito had learned that lesson well.
Elena stood beside him in the aftermath, her face pale. "You did what you had to do, Vito," she whispered, her voice tinged with sorrow.
Vito didn't answer. He was no longer the young man who had hesitated. He had become something else—something darker, more ruthless.
The DeLuca family was stronger now, but the price of that strength had cost them more than just blood. It had cost them their innocence.
And as Vito stood in the cold night, looking out over the city, he knew that the fight for control had only just begun. But this time, it would be on his terms.