Pfft.
The suppressed gunshot was a muted, anticlimactic sound in the massive boardroom. Sofia's eyes widened in brief, agonizing shock before she slumped sideways out of the wooden chair, hitting the marble floor with a heavy, lifeless thud.
The silence that followed wasn't heavy; it was clean. The rot had been severed.
Dante didn't even look at the body. He lowered the gun, engaging the safety with a slick, metallic click, and slid it back into his shoulder holster. He turned to the two guards stationed by the door, who had watched the execution with the cold detachment of men accustomed to the Don's sudden violence.
"Dispose of it," Dante ordered smoothly. "And prepare the underground sanctum. It is time to deal with family."
The guards nodded sharply, moving to drag Sofia's body fr
