BLOOD AND BETRAYAL

Chapter 5: The first move

The tension from the funeral still hung heavy in the air as Victor made his way back to the family estate. His mind was racing, the weight of his father’s legacy pressing on his shoulders. The Moretti family business was vast, encompassing everything from legitimate enterprises to the darker underworld of organized crime. And it was all now his responsibility.

The mansion felt colder than usual as he stepped through the grand doors, the smell of polished wood and old leather mixing with the lingering scent of the funeral flowers. His mother was already in her study, the door slightly ajar, her silhouette visible through the frosted glass.

Victor didn’t knock—there was no need. He walked in, his posture stiff with the force of what he had just endured. Antonia sat behind her desk, her hands folded neatly in front of her. Her piercing green eyes studied him, unreadable.

“Victor,” she said, her voice calm, almost too calm. “The Dons are watching. They’ll expect you to make a move soon.”

Victor didn’t sit. He preferred to stand when he was thinking, to feel the ground beneath him solid. “I know. But the timing is critical. I can’t rush this.”

His mother’s eyes narrowed slightly. “The family can’t wait forever, Victor. They will come for you, especially Lyon. You’re no fool, you understand that?”

Victor exhaled slowly, his gaze darkening. “I’m not afraid of Lyon.”

“You should be,” Antonia replied. “He’s never liked you. He’s always felt that your father was too soft on you. If you hesitate for even a moment, Lyon will make his move.”

Victor clenched his jaw, the words cutting deeper than they should. His cousin’s resentment was no secret, but Antonia was right—Lyon wasn’t a threat to be underestimated.

“I’m not going to let him take what’s mine,” Victor muttered.

She studied him for a long moment, and then, without a hint of emotion, she stood and walked to the window. Her reflection in the glass was the same as it always had been—controlled, poised, but there was something darker behind it. Something Victor hadn’t seen before.

“You’ll need more than just strength, Victor,” she said softly. “You’ll need allies. And you’ll need to make sure the right people are on your side.”

Victor’s mind raced. Allies. The more he thought about it, the more complicated it became. He couldn’t trust Lyon, that was clear. But there were others—old family friends, connections from his father’s days—people who could help him maintain control. But there was one name that kept coming to the forefront of his mind.

Sophia.

Her family had always been a quiet but influential part of the Moretti network. Victor had never fully understood the nature of their relationship, but he knew that they shared a history. Sophia’s father, the head of a rival faction, had once been close to Don Giovanni. Their alliance had been one of convenience, but as with everything in the world of organized crime, it had grown more fragile over time.

Now, with Don Giovanni dead, Sophia was an unpredictable factor. She was smart, capable, and, despite everything, had a quiet loyalty to the Moretti family. But loyalty was a dangerous thing in their world, especially when the power structure shifted.

As Victor turned to leave, his mother’s voice stopped him. “One more thing,” she said, her tone colder now. “Trust no one completely, Victor. Not even those who claim to be family.”

Victor gave her a brief nod before stepping out. The words echoed in his mind as he walked down the hallway. He had no intention of trusting anyone fully—not even his mother. In this world, the only loyalty that mattered was the one he could command.

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Later that evening,

Victor stood in his father’s office, looking out over the city from the expansive window. The world below seemed so far away, but it was all part of the same game. The same web of power, money, and secrets.

He picked up the phone on his father’s desk, dialing a number he hadn’t called in years.

The phone rang twice before a familiar voice picked up.

“Victor, I wasn’t expecting to hear from you,” the voice said, smooth and steady.

“Neither was I,” Victor replied, his voice low. “But we need to talk.”

There was a brief pause on the other end. “What about?”

“I need an ally. A real one. Someone who knows this business, and someone who won’t turn their back on me when things get tough.”

Another pause, longer this time. “Are you asking for my help, Victor?”

“I’m offering you a chance to get in on the ground floor,” Victor said, his tone firm. “If you’re still interested in the family business, that is.”

The voice on the other end chuckled softly. “You’re more like your father than you realize.”

Victor’s lips curled into a small smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’m nothing like him. But I intend to be better.”

The line went quiet for a moment before the voice spoke again, this time with a hint of amusement. “You’ve got a lot of growing up to do, Victor. But I’ll listen. Come by tomorrow. We’ll discuss what comes next.”

Victor hung up the phone, his heart pounding. This was just the beginning. But it was a start. And he needed it.