Chapter 19 - The Final Stand"You think you can just walk in here and execute a bloodless coup, Moretti?" Giovanni snarled, pulling a hidden revolver from his lap and pointing it directly at Clara's chest.
Before Giovanni could pull the trigger, Clara moved with lightning speed. Having grown up surviving the violent underworld, she ducked low, sweeping her leg to kick the table hard against Giovanni's knees.
The aging don stumbled forward, dropping his gun.
Rico didn't hesitate. He drew his Sig Sauer and fired a single, precise shot into the floor right beside Giovanni's foot, shattering the marble tiles.
"Yield, Giovanni," Rico commanded, his voice shaking the very rafters of the ballroom. "Or your entire bloodline ends tonight."
Surrounded by armed men and completely outmatched, Giovanni’s hands began to shake. He dropped his weapon, falling heavily back into his chair, utterly defeated.
"It's over," Giovanni whispered, staring blankly at the floor.
Within minutes, federal agents—coerced and bribed by Moretti's deep-pocketed legal team—swarmed the ballroom to arrest the Petrov syndicate leaders, making the takeover look like an official law enforcement sting operation.
Clara stood amidst the chaos, her breath coming in shallow gasps. The crimson dress was spotless, but her hands were trembling. Rico stepped up behind her, gently placing his hands on her shoulders.
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"Are you alright?" he asked softly.
"I'm more than alright," Clara whispered, looking around the room where her family's tormentors were finally being dragged away in handcuffs. "It's over."
