Chapter Fifty-Seven
Sabrina
The Donovan basement had never felt this crowded. Every mafia leader and heir had gathered inside, along with my brothers, their presence filling the room with a quiet tension that seemed to settle over everything.
Sergei, Yuri and Olga sat in the centre of the room with their wrists bound behind them.
Sergei and Yuri had done their best to maintain the same arrogance they'd carried throughout the night, sitting straight despite their restraints and looking around the room as though they still had some semblance of control.
Olga was the only one who seemed to understand how little control any of them had left. She hadn't stopped crying since she'd been brought downstairs, her breathing uneven as she looked around the room, searching for somewhere to escape.
There wasn't one.
I stood several feet away from them, my face hidden behind Morana's mask. My family had no reason to believe Sabrina was standing in front of them now.
My gaze shifted towards Asher, and I gave him a small nod. The grin that immediately spread across his face told me he'd been waiting for that signal.
He stepped forward and reached for the tape covering Yuri's mouth. With one sharp movement, he ripped it away, earning a hiss from Yuri as the adhesive pulled against his skin.
Leonardo and Mario moved towards the others, but Asher lifted a hand.
“I've got them.”
He sounded almost pleased with himself.
He tore the tape from Sergei's mouth next, followed by Olga's. The moment Sergei could speak, he drew in a breath.
“You have no idea what you've done. You're going to regret this.”
Yuri followed immediately, his voice carrying the same arrogance he'd shown when he still believed he had the upper hand.
“You think this changes anything? The Russians will come for every single one of you. You'll regret this.”
Olga's composure finally shattered.
“Please, I'm innocent. I didn't do anything. I had no choice.”
“Enough.”
My voice cut through the room, and I took another step towards them.
“Shut your mouths if you want to live a little longer.”
The effect was immediate. Sergei fell silent, Yuri's jaw tightening as he glared at me, while Olga managed to quiet herself long enough to look up through her tears.
I let my gaze settle on Sergei and Yuri.
“Do you really think you can still make threats while you're standing there tied up and waiting to find out whether you leave this room alive?”
Neither answered.
“You've lost,” I continued. “Yet somehow, you still think you're in a position to threaten the people who have you completely at their mercy.”
Sergei's jaw tightened further, but he remained silent.
My attention shifted towards Olga, who immediately lowered her gaze.
Rafael stepped forward before I could say anything, his expression hardening as he looked at her.
“Why are you crying?”
Olga looked up at him through tear-filled eyes.
“You were the one helping Yuri and Sergei get to Dario,” Rafael said, his voice cold. “You were the one who kicked Sabrina out of the orphanage because you thought removing her would make it easier for them to take him. You helped them, knowing exactly what they intended to do.”
Olga shook her head desperately.
“I didn't want–”
“You don't get to cry now,” he interrupted. “Not after what you did. You made your choice.”
Olga lowered her head, her shoulders shaking as she tried to contain another sob.
I watched her for a moment before turning my attention back towards Sergei and Yuri.
Sergei suddenly laughed, the sound bitter and almost unhinged.
“None of this would've happened if Bianca had just married my father.”
The room went still.
My mother's expression hardened as she stepped forward from beside my father.
“You don't get to blame your father's actions on me.”
Sergei looked towards her, but she didn't give him the opportunity to interrupt.
“You cannot force someone to be with a person they don't want,” she continued. “Even when our families were on good terms, Ivan was a monster. I saw what he was capable of long before anyone else wanted to admit it. His cruelty wasn't something that appeared later. It was always there.”
Her voice hardened further.
“I didn't want him then, I didn't want him in this lifetime, and I wouldn't want him in any other.”
Sergei's face twisted with anger, but before he could respond, I stepped forward.
“You will not hurt another innocent person.”
My voice carried through the basement.
“The Bratva will have new leadership. Whatever remains of it will no longer answer to you.”
Sergei's eyes narrowed.
“You think you can just take everything from us?”
“No,” I replied calmly. “I think you've already lost it.”
His breathing grew heavier as his gaze moved around the room, travelling over the leaders, the heirs, my brothers and finally my father.
His eyes eventually settled on Rafael.
“Where is Sabrina Moretti?”
Enzo immediately stepped forward.
“You don't get to speak her name.”
Sergei's eyes flicked towards him, but Rafael's voice followed before he could respond.
“You don't get to ask questions and expect answers.”
A slow smile appeared on Sergei's face.
Then his gaze returned to me.
He stared for several seconds.
Something changed in his expression as the anger faded, replaced by something far more unsettling.
Recognition.
His eyes narrowed as they travelled over me, and a knowing smile spread across his face.
“Oh, Morana.”
My fingers tightened around the pistol.
He gave a quiet laugh, glancing around the room as though he'd suddenly discovered something far more entertaining than his own impending death.
“They don't know, do they?”
I remained perfectly still.
Sergei's gaze moved from one face to another before returning to me.
“They actually believe Sabrina is at home right now.”
My pulse remained steady, but my grip tightened around the pistol.
“That's almost funny,” he continued. “You've been standing here this entire time, hiding behind that mask, and they haven't even realised who they're looking at.”
Yuri's expression shifted as he began to understand where Sergei was going.
Sergei took a slow breath, his eyes never leaving mine.
“The woman they've all been calling Morana...” His smile widened as he savoured the silence. “...is Sabrina Moretti.”
The room went completely silent as the words settled over everyone.
No one moved.
I had spent weeks planning how I would reveal the truth, imagining the moment when I would finally let my family see the woman behind the mask. It was supposed to happen on my terms, when I was ready.
Sergei had just taken that away from me.
My fingers tightened around the pistol as I raised it towards him.
Then–
BANG