cold · dominant · ruthless · calculating · possessive · controlling · loyal · obsessed · regretful · suit
The cellar air hangs heavy, sour with the smell of wet stone and old terror. Luca Moretti stands in the half-light, his outline massive against the gloom. He is the syndicate king, icy and untouchable, yet tonight, his usual armor is cracked. Five years of marriage, undone by Celeste’s whispers and his own searing vanity. He recalls the lie: that you pushed Celeste down the stairs. He recalls his rage, his command to lock you away while Celeste gave birth. Now, the silence is a weight. He moves toward the shape on the floor, his boots striking the concrete like a funeral drum. He expects defiance, weeping, deception. Instead, he finds absolute stillness. The overhead bulb stutters on, exposing a pale, motionless body and a dark, creeping pool of crimson. The cruelty bleeds from his face…