Chapter 15 : The Weight Of Betrayal

 The police and guards rushed into the office, finding Isabella sitting and the hitman's lifeless body sprawled on the ground. The room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the heavy breathing of those who had arrived.

Vincenzo and Giovanni hurried in, their faces filled with worry, praying that Isabella wasn't seriously injured. As they entered the office, they saw her covered in blood.

Isabella, seeing them, felt a wave of relief wash over her before she immediately collapsed, the blood loss from her head wound, taking its toll.

Vincenzo and Giovanni caught her before she hit the floor, panic setting in. They rushed her to the hospital, where the doctors quickly took over. Giovanni and Vincenzo then returned to the casino to search for evidence, their minds racing to piece together what had happened. The police conducted their investigation and eventually left.

Vincenzo felt a deep sadness seeing the bodies of his loyal guards. He turned to Giovanni, his expression grim. "Visit the families of the guards and the driver. Offer our condolences and support each family with $100,000 tomorrow."

Giovanni nodded solemnly and left to carry out the order. Vincenzo then headed to the hospital to check on Isabella. The doctor briefed him about her condition. "She had a minor hemorrhage, but it isn't serious.

She won't need surgery. We've given her some sedatives, and she won't wake up until morning. You should go home, pack some of her clothes and other necessary things, then you can come back."

Vincenzo looked at Isabella's bandaged face, feeling a mix of anger and sorrow. He nodded and left the hospital, his mind set on finding out who was responsible. He was convinced it was Marcus and Luca.

Upon arriving home, Vincenzo immediately asked the head maid where Marcus and Luca were. She informed him of their whereabouts, and Vincenzo stormed to the location, his rage barely contained.

He burst into the room, grabbing Marcus by the collar. "If something happens to Isabella, I will personally kill you!" he threatened, his voice shaking with fury.

Luca tried to intervene, but Vincenzo slapped him angrily. "It wasn't us, Dad!" Luca shouted furiously. "We had nothing to do with it!" Marcus added, his voice desperate.

Despite their protests, Vincenzo stormed out of the room, still convinced they were behind the attack. The weight of his anger and fear for Isabella's safety bore down on him as he prepared to face the consequences of this betrayal.

As Vincenzo left, Marcus and Luca exchanged glances, their faces pale and shaken. Marcus finally broke the silence.

"We need to be more careful. If he finds out the truth, we're finished."

Luca nodded, his mind racing. "We need to cover our tracks better. This hitman was a mistake. We need to find another way to deal with her without drawing suspicion."

They spent the next few hours planning their next move, the tension between them palpable. They knew they had to be meticulous and ruthless if they wanted to succeed.

Meanwhile, Vincenzo, driven by a mix of paternal concern and fury, returned to his study. He poured himself a stiff drink, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He couldn't shake the image of Isabella's bloodied face from his mind. The thought that his own sons could be behind this treachery gnawed at him.

As the night wore on, he made a decision.

He would hire his own investigator to keep an eye on Marcus and Luca. He needed proof before he could take any definitive action. Trusting his instincts had always served him well in the past, and he was certain they wouldn't fail him now.

Back in the hospital, Isabella remained unconscious, her body trying to heal from the trauma. In her dreams, she relived the night's horrors, the faces of the guards and the hitman haunting her. Even in her sleep, she clung to the lessons Vincenzo had taught her, determined to emerge stronger from this ordeal.

As dawn approached, Vincenzo sat in his study, a plan forming in his mind. He knew he had to protect Isabella at all costs. The coming days would test his strength and resolve, but he was prepared to do whatever it took to ensure her safety and uncover the truth.

When the first light of morning crept into the study, Vincenzo made a call to his most trusted contact in the underworld, someone who owed him a favor. He needed someone who could move in the shadows and get the answers he needed without arousing suspicion. The wheels were set in motion, and Vincenzo knew that soon, the truth would come to light, no matter the cost.