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Treason.
What Vitello did–what they guessed he did–was a complete and utter betrayal.
To the Don and the Family.
She had never seen Gio so cold before. He’d said not a single word, simmering with barely hidden rage as his face looked carved out of stone. He had already been upset with Vitello’s role in referring the rogue guard. But now he was downright livid.
Ana gazed out the window in concern, watching him pace back and forth outside.
“Still busy with calls?”
She jolted and saw Auntie regarding Gio critically. Her aunt had invited Gio repeatedly to join them for meals. But he had skipped both breakfast and lunch today, too wrapped up in his calls and the follow-up investigations into Vitello’s records.
“Some urgent work came up,” she hedged.
“Any issues?” Auntie peered across the dining table.
Ana denied it with a weak smile. “Just some finance audits.”
She could tell her aunt was unhappy that Gio was too busy to spend time with them. Her aunt had gone to great lengths to prepare for his visit. Even Grandfather harrumphed from the head of the table in reproof.
Ana held her tongue. If Grandfather caught wind of Gio’s investigation, he would immediately jump to Vitello’s defense and potentially even forewarn him. The Mancinis held decades of generational wealth and abhorred social climbers like Russo, who stooped to desperate lengths for money. But they would readily excuse Vitello’s greed. He was from old money, like them. They always stuck together.
“Did you arrange a car for my appointment on Friday?” Grandfather groused, slicing through his salmon with loud strokes.
“Of course,” Auntie assured evenly. “I already told you I did.”
“Don’t give me lip. I just need a yes or no.”
Ana sipped at her juice, stifling a sigh at their brewing fight. It was like the full moon, always coming around at least once a fortnight.
“Yes, Father.”
“Hmph. If you didn’t stick me with this new driver last minute, I wouldn’t have to double-check.” His chair scraped across the floor as he dumped his napkin on the table and rose before ambling out of the dining room. Grumbling under his breath all the while.
Tension was clear on her aunt’s face at his abrupt departure. At Ana’s attention, she carefully blanked her face. “He doesn’t like anything new,” she said primly.
Typical.
“But we all have to get adjusted to things we don’t like.” Auntie’s eyes drifted to Gio again.
Ana stiffened, praying she wouldn’t inflate his absence into a bigger issue than it was. Gio was in no mood to chit-chat after the morning’s discovery, and his foul mood would only raise more questions. Perhaps Ana could nudge him into joining them for dinner at least. Just to appease her aunt. After all the efforts she’d made to ensure lavish meals were ready during his visit, Auntie would be highly upset if he didn’t partake in any.
“Can you accompany Father to his appointment?”
“Me?” Ana’s eyes widened comically. She was the last person Grandfather would want escorting him.
“We’ll be short-staffed on guards that day,” Auntie fretted, “so his usual one can’t drive him. If you’re there to manage the new driver, it would be a big help.”
Refusal was pressing at her throat, but her aunt’s insistent stare made it difficult to voice.
“I don’t even know where he’s–”
“Up at the University Medical Center. His mobility is getting worse, so he’s getting some brain scans done. You also need to hand-deliver some dresses in that area, right? For Bianca.”
“On Wednesday, but–”
“That’s just two days after.” Auntie clapped as if it was a done deal. “You can wait until Friday, can’t you? I’m good friends with Bianca, so I can always explain the situation to her.”
