His Debt, My Revenge

CHAPTER THREE

HER FIRST MOVE

Valentina’s POV

Valentina sat still - too still, as she scrutinized the folder Issabelle had given her at the meeting. Marco Bellini was surely a man that knew some if not most of Salvatore’s weaknesses. He was a valuable asset in her revenge.

She opened the folder - financial statements, merged companies, hidden properties no one if not people with insane connections knew.

“He tried to hide it so well but everything has a loophole,” she said to Issabelle that was going through Marco’s bank statement.

“Of course, he has to be if not Salvatore will have his head on a platter if he found out of his dirty underground dealings,” Issabelle said shrugging her shoulders.

“Maybe Salvatore knows but decides to be quiet because it will be really rare and odd if a thorough man like Salvatore doesn't notice that he's been exploited right under his own nose,” Valentina said calculatively.

“Well either way we will use Marco's disloyalty as leverage.”

Valentina continued reading the files…then she stopped and went over the last detail she read.

“Interesting.” She smiled.

“What is it?” Issabelle said, already getting up to look.

Valentina pushed the folder towards Isabella.

“His shipping company that Salvatore has no idea of is currently facing transportation issues,” she said smiling.

“Ohhh Donna, this is huge, but what does this have to do with us?” Issabelle c****d her head towards the right and looked at Valentina.

“We help him,” she said.

“What? Why?” Issabelle asked incredulously.

“Both Marco and Salvatore are aiming to be the first distributor in Rome and unless they find a way with the new border enforcement that are under my pay roll, their goods are coming no where,” Valentina says schemingly.

“So what you mean is that we use our influence to get Marco's shipment into Rome while we delay Salvatore’s goods? And then what?”

“We hijack the goods,” Valentina said as though she was telling Issabelle receipes to maiking pie.

“You're not even pretending to be subtle huh?” Issabelle asked smiling.

“Subtle is overrated and boring. Get me all the informations on Marco's shipment by dawn.”

“Yes Donna,” Issabelle said respectfully heading for the door.

“Vally? Someone’s been digging,” Issabelle said.

“Who?”

“I think it's Salvatore’s men but I'm not entirely sure.”

Valentina’s eyes twitched at this information.

“Not even up to 24 hours of my arrival and someone's already jumpy huh,” she said with a sly smile.

“I already talked to the men to keep their mouths shut and report any one that tries to ask questions.” Valentina answered with a nod. She trusted Issabelle and her capabilities.

After her parents were gruesomely killed by Salvatore and his men, she ran all the way to Issabelle's home and into the arms of Issabelle’s father who concealed her survival and sent her the the US for 6 years while she carefully crafted her revenge.

Now she was back - bolder, bitter and blood thirsty for revenge.

---

Salvatore’s POV

Across the city Salvatore studied the photo on his computer.

“Zoom in the face. Make it clearer,” he said to his man.

“The picture was taken at an odd angle and this i can zoom,” his men said fearfully.

Salvatore studied the picture - though the face was not visible, her posture said everything about her - boldness, courage and a determination that knows no bounds.

“Found out everything on Valentina from why she came back and where shes been hiding all this years.”

“Yes Don Salvatore.”

---

Valentina’s POV

She walked like a woman with a mission - one that she can't fail. Her security alarm went off last night and she was determined to know who breached the security and why.

“Donna,” everybody said in unison.

“What do we have?” She asked immediately.

“We got the perpetrator but he isn't talking,” Issabelle said carefully.

“That's fair. If he talks easily then it isn't worth it,” she said. “Take me to him, I'll question him myself.”

The men surrounded Valentina as they made their way to the underground basement. In one of the cells laid a young man, he laid so still that Valentina had to ask one of the men to check up on him.

“Who sent you?” Valentina immediately cut to the chase.

The man stared stubbornly at Valentina with a small smile that surprised Issabelle and the men.

“I don't have patience for your childishness,” Valentine said as she stares at the man.

“Do you think that coming back to Rome would do any difference?” The man surprised Valentina by speaking.

“Your father was a cruel man who needed to be put down and Don Salvatore did justice by putting him down,” the man said with a smile.

“So Don Salvatore sent you?” Valentina asked expressionlessly.

“I don't work for Don Salvatore - too cocky that man,” the man answered cockily.

“I work for someone whose hate for Don Epifanio ran deeper than the blood in his veins.”

“Who is it?”

The man stared stubbornly at Valentina not wanting to talk.

“Well if you had done your research on me you would have noticed that I don't have time for all this childishness,” Valentina said irritated.

“Chip off his fingers one by one until he talks,” she said as she turned and left.

As she reached the door the guy wrenching screams of the man could be heard.

“Call Valentina, I'll talk,” the man suddenly shouted.

Valentina smiled, all big talks but no action made her laugh.

She went back and sat down on the chair provided for her and crossed her long legs.

“Speak.”

“I walk for Don Vincenzo.”

The name made the smile on Valentine's lips die.

Don Vincenzo was once her father's most trusted man until greed took over him and he betrayed Don Epifanio almost making him lose his life.

Even with the betrayal Don Epifanio chose not to kill him but let him run away and never show his face around Don Epifanio.

Little did Don Epifanio know that that little act of kindness would be his own undoing.

Valentina signaled Issabelle with a nod of her head and left the basement.

Someone other than Salvatore was after her.

---

The Next Day

Valentina was long awake. She's had the same night mare ever since that day.

She still felt her mother's blood on her face and remembered the horror of her mother's limp body falling with a thud.

She was drenched with sweat and reached over the side table for water.

Finished.

She remembered drinking it all before bed, she stood up to get water and passed by her vanity table.

That was when she saw it.

Beneath her eyeshadow pallete was a small piece of paper.

She quickly scanned the room for anything out of place again. She checked her walk in closet and bathroom - nothing.

She picked the paper and read it.

TIGHTENING THE SECURITY AROUND YOU WON'T DO YOU ANY GOOD. I'LL COME FOR YOU AND THERES NO STOPPING UNTIL YOU'RE BURIED SIDE BY SIDE WITH YOUR PARENTS.

The note was not signed and instead of feeling scared Valentina felt nothing but pure adrenaline coursing through her.

---

Salvatore’s POV

“Have you tried to contact the border enforcement?”

“Yes Don. They're not ready to meet.”

Salvatore nodded, someone was messing with his shipment and the person was doing a great job at staying hidden.

“Find out their price. Everybody has a fixed price.”

“Yes Don.”

His eyes landed on the photo on his desk.

“Is it you princessa?” He thought aloud.

A call jolted him from his reverie of thoughts.

“Yes?”

“A letter came for you Don.”

Salvatore frowned. A letter in this day and age? Who would go through such length to conceal his identity.

“Send it up.”

“Yes Don.”

Few minutes later his secretary walked in and dropped the letter on the desk and left the room.

He held the letter and examined it. It wasn't signed.

He tore the envelope and read the content.

YOU ROSE TO POWER NOT WITH YOUR OWN DETERMINATION AMD HARD WORK BUT WITH THE BACKING OF THE MONRETTI FAMILY. MY FAMILY SHOULD BE TGE DON OF THE ENTIRE MAFIA ORGANIZATION IN ROME NOT YOU AND CERTAINLY NOT VALENTINA. I'LL CRUMBLE YOUR WELL CRAFTED ORGANIZATION AND RECLAIM WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY MINE.

The threat was something no one but he and the Monretti knew of.

Someone has been digging and it wasn't Valentina.

If the person doesn't want Valentina ruling the Mafia organization then certainly Valentina is in danger.

Who has the balls to dig this deep all in the name of revenge?