Chapter 63: Chapter 63: The Secret That Could Destroy Him
Matteo turned to him, leaning in to give him a quick, hurried kiss. "Good morning, babe. I’m sorry, I have to go downstairs."
"What happened?" Adrian asked, sensing the sudden tension in Matteo’s shoulders.
"My father is here," Matteo said, already reaching for his clothes in a rush. "Stay here. I’ll be back as soon as I can."
Adrian watched him for a mont as he headed for the door. "...Alright."
The door closed behind him.
By the ti Matteo reached the living room, he found his father, Luciano, already seated at the center of the room, waiting for him.
"Father," Matteo said, his voice steady as he approached. "What brings you here so early? You could have called for , I would have co to you."
Luciano gave a faint smile. "No, Matteo. I chose to co myself. It’s been a while since I last visited."
Before Matteo could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Mark ca down, stepped into the living room, and gave a respectful nod.
"Father," Mark said respectfully.
"Mark," Luciano acknowledged with a slight nod.
Mark moved quickly, taking a seat on the sofa right next to Matteo. The two brothers sat side-by-side.
Luciano leaned back, his eyes moving between his two sons.
"Where is Tony?" Luciano asked abruptly. "He is usually the first to greet ."
Matteo and Mark exchanged a quick, silent look. A sudden realization hit Matteo, he hadn’t checked on Tony since the rooftop. He didn’t know if Tony had already left... or if he was still sowhere in the house, bleeding.
"He’s... not around," Matteo said, keeping his tone calm.
Luciano’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Not around?"
Matteo nodded once. "I sent him out early this morning. There was sothing that needed to be handled."
Luciano stared at him, studying him.
"So early?" he asked.
Matteo didn’t hesitate. "It was important business."
Luciano asked. "What kind of business?"
Matteo held his composure. "Sothing that needed imdiate attention."
Luciano’s eyes narrowed slightly. "What kind of business?" he pressed, his tone sharper this ti.
Matteo hesitated, struggling to find a convincing detail. The more he searched for a fake excuse, the more suspicious the silence beca. Luciano watched him like a hawk.
"Father, he isn’t around right now," Matteo said, trying to deflect. "He went out to handle things."
Luciano slamd his cane against the floor, the sound echoing through the room. "Enough with the vague answers. Where is he?"
Matteo realized he couldn’t maintain the lie. "We had an argunt last night," he admitted. "A serious one. To be honest, I don’t know if he is still on the property or not."
Luciano’s expression darkened. Whatever had happened here... he didn’t like it.
He turned to one of the bodyguards standing by the door.
"Go," Luciano commanded. "Search the house and the grounds. Find Tony and bring him to
imdiately."
"Yes, sir," the guard replied, moving at once.
Mark turned to Matteo. Matteo kept his expression neutral, his posture rigid. Despite his own power, the respect he showed Luciano wasn’t just because he was his father, it was because he had learned from him. He knew better than to interrupt a direct order.
After a while, the heavy footsteps of the guards echoed back into the room. Tony was between them.
He looked worn, dressed only in his usual black singlet, making the thick white bandages around his shoulder and upper arm impossible to miss.
Luciano looked at him imdiately, his eyes narrowing at the bandage wrapped around his shoulder. Tony had been by Matteo’s side since they were youths; to Luciano, he was more like a son than just a soldier.
"What is this?" Luciano asked, "Tony... what happened to you?"
The truth was, Luciano hadn’t co by accident. Tony had called him, saying he’d had an argunt with Matteo and that Matteo wanted to strip him of his rank and send him away. He hadn’t explained what happened, but that alone was enough.
Luciano knew their history. They weren’t just allies, they were close. So what could have gone so wrong?
That was why Luciano ca, for answers.
And not just that.
There was another reason.
A personal one.
Tony stepped into the room without looking at Mark or Matteo. He walked straight over and sat down.
Matteo kept his eyes on his father.
"I asked a question!" Luciano roared, slamming his cane against the floor.
Matteo finally spoke, his voice cold. "Tony went against , Father."
Luciano’s expression hardened. "Went against you? How?"
Matteo’s tongue felt like lead. He couldn’t tell the truth, that Tony tried to kill the man he loved. Luciano didn’t even know Matteo was gay. For years, Matteo had played the part, bringing beautiful won to family events just to keep the peace. If he admitted the truth now, he’d be signing Adrian’s death warrant.
"We had a disagreent over a security breach at the villa," Matteo said carefully. "It escalated into an argunt."
Luciano turned to Tony, his eyes searching. "Is this true? You turned on your brother over a disagreent?"
Tony didn’t reveal the secret, either. He knew Luciano’s rules: a soldier who betrays his brother is a dead man, regardless of the reason. "We had an argunt," Tony muttered, his voice raspy. "I crossed a line."
Luciano looked between them, sensing the layers of lies but unable to break through them.
"I don’t care what the argunt was," he said, his eyes fixed on Matteo as he pointed his cane toward him. "Whatever is between you two, you will settle it. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Father," Matteo said, though his heart burned with resentnt.
After Luciano gave the order, he gestured for the guards and Tony to leave the room. When they were gone, only Luciano, Matteo, and Mark remained.
The atmosphere shifted, no longer business, but sothing heavier...
Luciano’s gaze stayed fixed on Matteo. "Now let’s talk about the future. I am getting old, Matteo. This family needs more than a Don, it needs a bloodline."
Matteo replied. "You don’t have to worry about that, Father. Mark will give you that. Marco already has. Risa will do the sa."
Luciano leaned forward, his voice turning to iron. "What about you? When are you getting married? You haven’t brought anyone ho. I need a grandchild an heir who will carry this legacy after we’re gone. You have the power... but without a son to inherit it, what are you building? A kingdom for soone else to take?"
Matteo felt a faint chill at the back of his neck. "I’m focused on the business right now, Father. Marriage isn’t a priority."
"It is the priority," Luciano snapped, his voice echoing in the silent room. "The Marcone na must live on. Find a woman, marry her, and give
an heir. I won’t ask you again."
Matteo said nothing.
"Are you even seeing anyone?" Luciano pressed, his eyes narrowing. "I know about Mark’s girlfriend, but you? You’ve never had anything stable. Is there soone in your life?"
For a split second, Matteo’s thoughts drifted upstairs—to Adrian.
A faint smile touched his lips.
Mark caught it imdiately and nudged him lightly with his elbow.
Matteo snapped back to reality. "Yes," he said.
Luciano’s expression softened slightly. "Good. Let
et her."
"When the ti is right," Matteo said, still a little distracted, "I’ll bring him to you."
The room went still.
Luciano’s brow furrowed, confusion flashing across his face. "What do you an by him?"
Mark stepped in imdiately, his voice smooth. "He ans her, Father. He’s just tired, you know how he gets when he’s overworked."
Luciano let out a low grunt and turned his attention to Mark.
"Fine. Co to the estate this weekend," Luciano said. "Leave your brother here. Maybe a little silence will make him take things seriously."
"Alright, Father," Mark replied.
Luciano stood, his presence filling the room for a mont longer before he turned and walked out with his n.
The door closed behind him.
Silence.
Matteo exhaled and dropped back into his seat. Mark sat beside him.
"I was going to tell him the truth," Matteo said. "That I’m not into won."
Mark turned to him imdiately. "Not like this."
Matteo frowned. "Then when?"
"When it’s the right ti," Mark replied calmly. "Not when he’s already on edge. You don’t drop sothing like that in the middle of everything else."
Matteo looked away.
"You’ll tell him," Mark added. "Just... not now."
A pause.
"I’m going upstairs," Matteo said, already rising. "Adrian is waiting for ."
"Alright," Mark said, nodding.
In the other wing of the house, Tony watched the door. A slow, bitter smile spread across his face.
He had played his cards perfectly. He knew that even though Matteo was the Don, Luciano was the ultimate authority. Matteo could command an army, but he could never bring himself to disobey a direct order from his father.
By bringing Luciano into the house, Tony created a shield for himself. He knew Matteo wouldn’t dare explain why the shooting happened because it would an admitting his feelings for Adrian. And Tony knew he didn’t have to explain his own actions either; the silence between them was his greatest weapon.
As long as the truth stayed buried, the secret protected Tony just as much as it protected Matteo.
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