Chapter 17 - Brother Against Brother
“Luca,” Valeria said quietly. “Lower the gun.”
He did not.
Gregory turned his head just enough to see him.
“Of course.”
“You ruined us.”
Gregory laughed bitterly. “I had help.”
“You used me.”
“I paid you.”
That landed harder.
“Lower it.”
“Move, Val.”
“No.”
“He killed Dad.”
“So did your silence.”
Luca flinched.
Agents secured Marco and Serena while Tomas edged toward Luca.
Luca saw him.
“Back off.”
Tomas stopped.
Luca’s eyes filled with tears that looked almost childish.
“I was supposed to matter. Dad never trusted me. He gave the company to you. Then he gave the future to Noah. He made the housekeeper trustee.”
Maya’s absence somehow made the insult worse in his mind.
Valeria finally understood.
It had never been only money. It was humiliation turned into greed.
“You mattered to me,” she said.
Luca’s face twisted.
“Not enough.”
He raised the gun.
Noah’s voice suddenly came through Valeria’s phone.
“Uncle Luca?”
Everyone froze.
Maya had called without Valeria noticing. Noah was on speaker.
“Mom said you’re mad.”
Luca stared at the phone.
Noah continued, “Grandpa said being family means you don’t make people scared on purpose.”
Luca’s gun lowered one inch.
Then two.
Tomas moved.
He disarmed Luca in a single brutal motion and forced him to the floor.
Luca did not fight.
He just cried.
Valeria turned toward Gregory.
He was still holding Marco’s gun awkwardly with bound wrists.
“Drop it.”
He did.
Agents cut him free and immediately cuffed him.
Gregory looked at Valeria.
“I meant what I said on the bear.”
“That doesn’t fix anything.”
“I know.”
Serena suddenly shouted from across the warehouse.
“You’re all fighting over the wrong man!”
Everyone looked at her.
She smiled through a split lip.
“Victor didn’t order Carlo’s death.”
Valeria went still.
May you like
Serena nodded toward Gregory.
“He did.”
