Chapter 40
Adriano Pov~
Matteo stared down at the paper, his expression shifting from confusion to pure rage as his eyes snapped toward Aldo. I could see the realization hitting everyone in the room.
The man who had spent so long calling my family an abomination was sitting there with the very blood he despised running through his own veins.
I walked over calmly and took the paper from Matteo's hands. The room was silent, not the uncomfortable silence from before, but a different kind, the kind where everyone was waiting to see what happened next.
I turned toward Isotta and held the paper out to her.
"You have known me since the day I was born, Isotta. You have watched me grow. You have watched every decision I have made. Would I ever stand before this council and bring false evidence?"
Her cold expression faltered slightly as she took the paper from my hand.
For the first time in a long time, I saw uncertainty in her eyes. "I will not sit here and listen to these lies!" Aldo suddenly shouted, shooting up from his chair. "This is fabricated. You created this because you needed a way to justify your family's betrayal."
I looked at him, almost amused, because he still didn’t understand, he thought this was about revenge, but it wasn’t; this was about truth.
"You spent years accusing my family of dishonoring Italian blood," I said quietly. "You stood before this council and called my wife, my children, and my brother's family less than you because of who they were born from."
I took a step closer. “And yet here you stand.” My eyes locked onto his. “With the exact same blood running through your veins.” His face twisted with anger, but I could see the fear underneath it, because now he knew he had lost.
It wasn't easy getting that information. It took weeks of digging, phone calls, favors owed, and finding people who were willing to speak.
There were things I had to do that I wasn't proud of. But for my family? I would do it again.
Isotta examined the paper carefully before passing it to the other council members. They whispered amongst themselves, their expressions changing with every second.
"We will take fifteen minutes to review this evidence and discuss what has been presented today," Isotta announced.
Aldo stepped forward. "Isotta, you cannot possibly believe-" She cut him off with nothing more than a sharp look. "Enough."
The room immediately fell silent. "We will reconvene shortly." Her eyes narrowed at Aldo. "And if I were you, Aldo, I would spend those fifteen minutes deciding what story you plan to tell next."
I watched as the council members stood and walked through the side doors. Only when they were gone did I allow myself a small smile. I turned toward Aldo, who looked furious, broken, and confused. I gave him a small wink before walking away.
His anger meant nothing to me anymore. Because for the first time in years, Aldo had no power.
I made my way back toward Matteo, who was surrounded by the rest of my trusted men, and the second they saw me approaching, their conversations stopped and they straightened immediately.
I smiled at my guys and tucked my hands in my pockets waiting for the questions to role.
"How?" That was all Matteo asked.
My brother was many things, but a man of few words was not one of them. Unlike me, he wore every thought and emotion on his face. If he was confused, everyone knew. If he was angry, everyone knew.
And right now? He was both.
"I had to trust a very, very untrustworthy person," I answered, letting out a slow breath. "Otherwise, this would have never worked."
Matteo narrowed his eyes at me, already knowing there was more to the story.
"I'll explain everything later. When everyone is together." I glanced across the room toward my wife, who was speaking quietly with Leena while still watching me. "I know they're all going to have questions."
Gio stepped closer, his expression just as confused. "Adriano... that changes everything." He shook his head slightly. "If you had this information, why wait so long?"
Matteo crossed his arms beside him, nodding in agreement. "Yeah. Why let Aldo continue this long? Why let him attack your family?"
I looked between the two of them because they didn’t understand. They saw the evidence, but they didn’t see the chessboard. “I had to play the long game,” I said, the words coming out calmly.
"I needed my source to be certain. I needed proof that couldn't be questioned. And most importantly..." I paused. "I needed it presented here."
I glanced around the council room. “At a court hearing.” My jaw tightened as I added, “Aldo needed to lose everything in front of the people who gave him the power to hurt us.”
They opened their mouths to argue again, but I lifted my hand, stopping them.
"Just trust me." My voice softened slightly.
"I will explain everything. I promise." The frustration on Matteo's face slowly turned into amusement.
"We will always trust you, fratello." A small smirk tugged at his lips.
"But that doesn't mean you don't confuse the hell out of us. "
I rolled my eyes. "Glad to know some things never change." Despite everything, despite the anger still burning underneath my skin, that small moment almost felt normal.
Almost. I looked back toward my family, my wife, my children, my brother, everyone I had fought so hard to protect.
They were all just as confused as Matteo and Gio.
I slapped Luca on the shoulder as I walked past him, earning a confused look from him.
“Come on,” I muttered, before turning back toward Aldo.
Because now came the part I had been waiting for. He was still sitting in his chair, staring forward, and for the first time since I met him, he looked small. I stopped a few feet away from him and tried, really tried to control the hatred boiling inside me.
But after everything he had done, after threatening my family, after putting his hands on my children, after forcing my wife and everyone I loved into a war they never asked for, the anger wasn’t something I could simply turn off.
It was a violent, consuming rage, and for the first time, I allowed myself to feel every ounce of it.
I stopped right in front of him and simply stared. For the first time since I had known Aldo, he didn't look powerful.
He was sweating. His leg bounced uncontrollably beneath the table, and his jaw was clenched so tightly I could see the muscles twitching.
But his face?
Completely expressionless.
"I will kill whoever gave you that information." His voice was low, venom dripping from every word. "And then I will come for you, Adriano. Don't think you're safe. You and your revolting family will have your day."
His eyes darkened with hatred. "And when your luck finally runs out, when everything you've built crumbles... I will be there to watch."
I studied him carefully. This was the man who had spent years looking down on everyone around him. The man who believed himself untouchable. The man who thought fear made him powerful.
But now? Now he looked desperate. And I had waited a long time to see that. "A desperate man will say and do anything, Aldo." I murmured.
For years, he had hidden who he truly was, not because he was ashamed, but because he was afraid. And for everything I had done in my life, every mistake, every sin, every person I had hurt that was the one thing I could say I was grateful for.
I had been brave enough to stand by my choices, to stand by who I was, to stand by who I loved...but aren't we all afraid?
Fear drives every person in this room. Fear of secrets being exposed. Fear of the past catching up. Fear of the skeletons buried so deeply that we pray no one ever thinks to look. We hide those parts of ourselves because we believe if people knew the truth, they would see us differently.
Aldo had spent his entire life protecting one secret, one piece of himself he couldn't let anyone touch, and now I had threatened the very foundation of his existence with one decision, a decision about who I gave my heart to.
He wasn't angry because of me; he was angry because I had proven something he couldn't accept: that the blood he hated was also his own. He was a man ruled by fear, and fear had turned him into exactly what he despised.
Don’t misunderstand me. I didn’t pity Aldo, not after everything he had done, not after the pain he had caused my family. The only thing I felt toward him was hatred. But maybe, in another life, in another situation, things could have been different. Maybe.
The doors opened, pulling me from my thoughts as the council members slowly returned to the room. I looked back at Aldo one last time. His confidence was gone, his arrogance had cracked. I leaned forward slightly, keeping my voice low enough that only he could hear. "Game over, Aldo."
I straightened and walked back toward my seat beside Matteo, the room silent as I sat down. Matteo immediately looked over at me, studying my expression. “You good?” I took a slow breath, forcing myself to settle. “Yeah.”
The council takes their seats, my fingers drum against the table as the paper is passed back up to Isotta. Matteo sucks a breathe in and seems to hold it as Isotta glances up.
"The council has concluded that the information presented before us today by Adriano Basilio, Capo di Capi, is factual and accurate. The evidence provided has been examined and confirmed to not be a forgery."
The room was silent. Every person waited for the next words.
"Aldo Basilio III will be sentenced to state prison for the remainder of his life upon leaving this building today. His family name will be stripped from him, along with his title and position within the Italian Mafia."
Aldo's face remained still, but I saw the anger burning behind his eyes.
"The same applies to his wife and offspring. They will no longer carry the Basilio name or any association connected to it."
A pause, then the words that would change everything: "Aldo Basilio III, you are hereby banished from the Mafia and will no longer have any affiliation with anyone connected to the Italian Mafia." The room remained frozen.
Until Aldo finally snapped, “On what grounds do you turn your back on a council member for a lowly boss?” he spat.
I watched Isotta’s expression harden as she replied coldly, “Adriano is not just some lowly boss. He is Capo di Capi. The Boss of Bosses of every Mafia under his command in the United States.”
Her eyes narrowed. "A position and authority that this council gave him because we respected his leadership, his responsibility, and his ability to protect those under him."
She leaned forward slightly. "A decision you were a part of, Aldo. So are you questioning your own judgment?"
For once, Aldo had no response as Isotta leaned back in her chair and asked, “Do you have anything left to say before we depart?” The room waited in silence while Aldo looked down.
For a moment, I thought he might finally admit defeat, but a man like Aldo didn't know how to surrender.
He simply sat there in silence. Isotta nodded once.
"Very well." She looked around the room before turning her attention back to me.
"It is my pleasure to announce that Adriano Basilio has won this hearing. "
A weight I didn't realize I had been carrying finally lifted from my chest.
"On behalf of the Basilio Council, we offer our deepest apologies to you and your family for the damage Aldo has caused.
We will continue a further examination into this matter, but I assure you, Adriano, this will not happen again.
" For the first time today, Isotta's expression softened into something almost resembling a smile.
I released the breath I had been holding as guards grabbed Aldo from his chair and escorted him out of the room, and just like that, it was over. The tension that had consumed everyone slowly disappeared as shoulders relaxed and breaths were finally released, the nightmare at last coming to an end.
Matteo was the first one on his feet. He looked down at me with the biggest grin on his face before grabbing my arm and pulling me out of my chair and into a hug.
"You fucking did it." He pulled away and slapped my shoulder. I couldn't help the smile that broke through. "You're ridiculous," I muttered. But I couldn't deny it. I had done it.
A hand tapped my shoulder, and I turned to find Isotta standing behind me. Except this time, her smile was real. "You keep being great, Adriano." She extended her hand, and I shook it. "Is there any other way?" I replied with a smirk, and she chuckled softly before turning away.
I started walking toward the exit, ready to follow my family, but then I heard her voice stop me. “Oh, and there is one thing you were wrong about.” I stopped and looked back. “About what?” I asked.
Isotta glanced over her shoulder, her expression softening as she said, “You said we didn’t appreciate everything you have done. You’re wrong. We do.” Before I could respond, she turned and walked away.
I stood there for a moment, letting those words sink in before I shook my head and continued toward the doors, toward my family, toward home.
The second I stepped outside the room, I barely had time to react before my wife collided into me.
Mio amore. She wrapped her arms around me tightly, and I immediately held her close as she kissed me quickly before pulling back.
"You did it, Capo," she whispered with a small smile. "You can breathe now."
And for the first time in what felt like forever, I believed her. Then came the chaos, my children, questions, everyone talking at once.
"Okay, okay," I laughed, raising my hands. "Let's go home. We will talk there."
The disappointment on their faces was immediate, and I smiled because some things never changed. As everyone began making their way toward the doors, I stayed behind for a moment, and Gabriel walked beside me with a grin on his face, bumping my shoulder and asking, "You always that scary?"
I laughed, shaking my head. "Oh, don't think you can run away now."
I looked over at him with a smirk, "Sei bloccato con me per tutta la vita ora, fratello." ("You're stuck with me for life now, brother.")