Chapter Nineteen

The morning light was bright as ever, shining through the penthouse windows as Matteo stood by the bar, pouring himself a strong liquor drink. His hands trembled with fury as he downed the amber liquid, slamming the glass down on the counter. Surrounded by his men Lucas, Brook, Jim and Kally. All present there with him.

"That bastard Santoro! He's not just after me anymore, he's coming for my son!"

Matteo's voice cracked with rage, his fists clenched so tightly.

"Boss, I'm not so sure it was Santoro. The hit last night it didn't feel like his style. The men clearly said, it's a pay back. I have seen that kind of work before. It's more like something Dominic's men would do." Lucas airing out his opinion.

Matteo stopped pacing, swaying his gaze towards Lucas, the mention of Dominic's name brings another thought to his mind.

Matteo mumbled in low tone but dangerous. "Dominic's men? Who among his men will try such a dangerous move. You think they've been waiting in the shadows for a chance like this?"

"Could be. They've stayed quiet for a long time, or maybe a bigger fish in play" Brook mumbled.

Matteo staring hard at their faces processing the possibility. The room felt even heavier, the weight of old enemies rearing their heads again. He turned toward the bar, pouring another drink, but this time a little bit calm. Yet still calculating.

Just then, one of Matteo's men entered the room, holding out a black envelope, its seal unbroken. "Boss, this just arrived. It's an invitation for tonight."

Matteo tore open the envelope, scanning the contents quickly. His eyes darkened as he reached the last line. 

"Santoro will be there." Matteo muttering in anger.

The atmosphere shifted slightly, knowing what this meant. This wasn't just a business meeting it was an opportunity for Matteo to confront his rival face to face. Matteo looked up at Lucas, his eyes blazing with a deadly determination.

"Get ready. Tonight, we deal with Santoro." Matteo coldly say to his men.

The ballroom of the exclusive hotel was a glittering display of wealth and power. Billionaires, corporate heads, and political heavyweights filled the room, their conversations humming with influence. Matteo entered the grand space with Lucas at his side, the two cutting through the crowd like predatos. Eyes turned as they walked by, acknowledging Matteo's presence but it was Lucas's presence they fear more.

"Santoro's here. Near the back, by the windows." Lucas whispering to Matteo as they walk through the crowd.

Matteo's eyes followed Lucas's gaze, locking onto Santoro. The mafia lord was lounging in his chair, surrounded by a few of his men, his sharp eyes flickering with amusement. As Matteo approached, Santoro's lips curved into a smirk, as if he had been waiting for this confrontation.

"Santoro, you coward. You think sending your men after my son is going to scare me?" Matteo without hesitation lashed out with fury.

The nearby conversations died down as Matteo's voice rang out. Eyes from across the room began to turn toward the confrontation. Santoro's smirk widened, and he slowly stood up, his posture relaxed, his eyes cold.

 "Your son? Matteo, you give me too much credit. If I wanted him dead, we wouldn't be having this conversation. You would be burying him." Santoro mockingly says with arrogance.

Matteo's fists clenched at his sides, his face as fearful as avoidable, with barely restrained rage. Lucas shifted slightly beside him, his eyes moving between Matteo and Santoro, ready for any sign of violence.

Matteo uttered with a low voice but with emphasis. "Don't play games with me. Why not come straight to me instead of my son!"

Santoro interrupted him with a sharp laugh, stepping closer to Matteo, his voice taking on a more dangerous tone.

"Your family? Matteo, you're losing your grip. The world doesn't fear you like they did your father. You want to threaten me? You should be worried about keeping that throne of yours." Santoro in a menacing manner intoned .

The tension in the room was felt now. The other guests were pretending not to listen, but everyone's attention was focused on the escalating confrontation.

Just as Matteo's anger seemed ready to boil over, a tall, silver haired man approached them. He was the organizer of the event a respected elder statesman who's respected  not only in the business world but also in political circles. His calm, authoritative presence immediately cut through the tension.

"Gentlemen, this is a meeting of business minds, not a battleground. I will not have my event tarnished by personal feud." Mr Woods the Elder Statesman, firmly stepped between them and echoed.

Matteo's gaze remained locked on Santoro, but he clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stand down. Lucas placed a steadying hand on Matteo's arm, a subtle signal that now wasn't the time.

Matteo's gaze remained locked on Santoro, but he knew he had to control himself. The room had gone silent, all eyes on the confrontation between two of the most powerful men in the underworld. But this wasn't just about him anymore. this was about maintaining his image in front of the country's elite.

"This isn't over, Santoro. You have made your move. I will make mine." Mr. Matteo

Santoro chuckled softly, his arrogance on full display, but he didn't push any further. The elder statesman's authority held even him in check, at least for the moment.