SILK AND SCARS

CHAPTER 3

They pulled up to the hospital, and Vincenzo stepped out. A nurse hurried past them, avoiding eye contact. A doctor stood at the far end of the corridor, speaking in a hushed tone.

And outside De Luca’s private room, two guards, standing outside the door, Vincenzo slowed his steps. “Stay sharp,” he murmured to Matteo as they approached the guards.

“What happened?” One of them straightened immediately. “Signore, your father had another heart attack, so we had to rush him to the hospital.” Vincenzo’s eyes narrowed.

The second guard nodded. “Signore, he is stable now.” Vincenzo didn’t break his gaze for a few seconds, then he nodded once and pushed the door open.

Inside the room was dim. De Luca lay in bed, pale but conscious. Machines hummed softly around him. At his side was Isabella; she turned as soon as Vincenzo entered. “You made it.”

Vincenzo stepped closer, his attention shifting immediately to his father. “You called for us,” De Luca’s eyes moved slowly toward him, “Vincenzo…” he whispered. Vincenzo leaned in slightly. “I’m here,” seconds passed, and De Luca said nothing. “Your brothers are on their way,” Isabella broke the silence. “They should be here soon.” Vincenzo nodded, but his focus remained on his father, “You said there was something you needed to do.” De Luca exhaled slowly, his hand shifted slightly on the bed, “Everything… is already in motion.”

Vincenzo’s expression remains stern. “What does that mean?” De Luca looked at him, holding his gaze for a while. “You went to the countryside.”

“How do you know that?” Vincenzo’s cut in

With a faint, almost invisible smirk on his face, “I know everything that happens… in my house.” Vincenzo leaned closer. “Then you know what happened there.” They stared at each other for a while. Then De Luca’s breathing grew heavier, but his gaze never left his son. “There are… weaknesses in our operations,” he said slowly. “Cracks that have been forming for years.” Vincenzo sighed heavily; his face contorted with rage.

“Tell me what you saw,” De Luca continues, Vincenzo still locking eyes with his father, "A black card, left in a pool of blood." De Luca nodded faintly, “And what did it say?”

Vincenzo’s jaw tightened slightly, “It said… nothing.”

De Luca didn’t respond. Vincenzo leaned in slightly, lowering his voice, “Do you have any idea who’s behind this?”

De Luca’s lips parted, but instead of words, the monitor beside him began to beep slightly faster, seconds stretched, and finally De Luca let out a breath. “You’ll… see,” he whispered

Vincenzo didn’t move at first. Then, slowly, he drew back from the bedside, a faint tension pulling across his face, and he turned to Isabella. “Mother… let’s speak with the doctor.” Isabella rose without hesitation, they stepped out into the corridor, and that’s when the television caught their attention, mounted high on the wall, its volume low but clear enough.

News Anchor: “In what investigators are calling a gang-style execution, five men were found dead earlier this morning at a countryside villa just outside Milan. Authorities say the killings bear the hallmarks of a turf war between rival factions. The identities of the victims have not yet been released…”

Vincenzo and Isabella stopped walking, just for a second, before they continued, “Mother,” he said under his breath, “Father can’t stay here, not when we still don’t know who’s behind the attack.” Isabella didn’t look at him immediately. “Have you found anything?”

Vincenzo shook his head once. “I’ve reached out to the other families,” he hesitated for a second before continuing, “no one is claiming it, no one even acknowledges it.”

“Either they’re lying… or they’re just as blind as we are.” Isabella responded calmly, “Someone is playing a deeper game.”

They reached the doctor’s office. Vincenzo didn’t knock; he opened the door and stepped inside. “Signora Isabella, Vincenzo,” the doctor said, rising from his chair, “I was just about to send for you, please sit.”

The doctor remained standing for a moment before he slowly took his seat across from them. “As I explained earlier, your husband’s heart is failing, at this stage… There is very little we can do with conventional treatment.”

Isabella flinched. “Then what are you suggesting?” the doctor leaned forward slightly. “There is… an experimental procedure, we can try it may buy him some time.” Before Isabella could respond, Vincenzo cut in. “Can this be done at home?” the doctor blinked, “At… home?”

“We don’t want him here; it’s not secure” The doctor stared at him for a while. “…Yes,” he said eventually, “With the right equipment and supervision, it can be arranged.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Vincenzo replied, “But I cannot discharge him immediately; I need at least forty-eight hours to monitor his condition. If he stabilizes enough, then we can move him.” Vincenzo nodded, “That’s fine, but our men will be stationed here, starting now.”

The doctor hesitated briefly, then he nodded “Of course” Vincenzo stood up immediately, Isabella followed suit they both moved towards the door, before he could reach for the door handle it opened, Valentino De Luca stood on the other side behind him, Angelica followed. “Mother,” Valentino said, stepping in slightly “I was told you were here” His eyes flicked briefly to Vincenzo, “How is Father?”

Isabella met his gaze. “His condition is deteriorating,” she said. “But for now, he’s stable.” Valentino’s expression flickered. “Ciao, brother,” Vincenzo said. Valentino nodded once.

Then, without another word, they all turned and began walking down the corridor together. “I heard there was a hit at one of the warehouses this morning,” Valentino asked as they walked.

Vincenzo didn’t slow. “Yes,” Valentino glanced at him. “Do you know who’s behind it?”

Vincenzo paused and looked at him, “No, we don’t.” Valentino’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Vincenzo turned his head just enough to meet his gaze. “How’s business?” Valentino hesitated, then said, “Everything is running smoothly.” Behind them, Angelica walked in silence, her eyes moving between the two brothers.

Ahead, Matteo appeared at the end of the hallway. He waited until his eyes met with Vincenzo, then he cut his gaze towards the door. Vincenzo caught it immediately. “I’ll be back,” he said, already stepping away. Isabella didn’t wait; she turned and moved back toward De Luca’s room without a word. Valentino and Angelica followed shortly after.

As they walked, Angelica leaned in slightly, “Do you think he knows?” her voice barely above a whisper. Valentino didn’t look at her. “I don’t think so, if he did… There would already be chaos.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Matteo said, as he and Vincenzo moved toward the exit. Vincenzo pushed through the hospital doors, the cool air hitting his face. “Go on.”

Matteo glanced around before continuing, “I think we should call Antonio.” Vincenzo stopped and looked at him, “You mean Antonio Santoro?”

Matteo nodded. “Yes.” Vincenzo’s expression hardened slightly. “No,” Matteo frowned. “Hear me out.”

“No,” Vincenzo repeated, cutting him off. “Not yet.” Matteo stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Look at the situation, your father is on his last breath, the warehouse gets hit, and the police show up at the perfect time, and now we’re talking about someone on the inside, we don’t even know who we can trust,” Vincenzo said nothing. “That’s exactly why we should bring Antonio in,” Matteo continued. “He’s outside the family structure. If this is internal, we need someone who isn’t part of us.”

Vincenzo’s jaw tightened slightly. He looked away for a moment, then, without a word, he turned and walked to his car. Matteo exhaled, frustrated, but followed him.

“Vincenzo,” The engine roared to life, still no response, “Vincenzo,” Matteo said again, more serious this time. “If we’re wrong about this” Vincenzo gripped the wheel, then finally, “I know exactly what this is,” he said coldly, Matteo went quiet, Vincenzo’s eyes stayed fixed on the road ahead, “And if I’m right…” he continued, his voice dropping lower, “…bringing Antonio into this won’t solve anything, it’ll make it worse”

Matteo looked at him carefully, “…Why?” Vincenzo didn’t answer, Instead He slammed his foot down on the accelerator, and the car shot forward.

Matteo kept looking at him, waiting, “Vincenzo…” he pressed. “You’re not telling me anything,” but Vincenzo said nothing, he just drove, his hands steady on the wheel and eyes fixed on the road ahead, then finally, “I need to go home, Lucia is waiting for me, I’ll drop you off.” Matteo leaned back slightly. “Okay,” he said quietly.