Luca's phone buzzed once again
He picked it up casually, but what he saw next made his fingers tighten around the device.
A video had been sent. No sender name. No number. Just a single media file.
He tapped on it.
The screen came alive with the image of a dimly lit room.
A small boy, frail and frightened, stared straight into the camera.
His eyes streamed with tears, lips trembling as he whispered one word that cleaved through Luca's chest like a blade.
"Papa… papa…"
Then darkness.
The video cut off in an instant, leaving only silence and the white-hot fury boiling beneath Luca's skin.
His jaw locked.
Beside him, Bianca shifted.
"So… Donato has a son?" Her voice was soft but edged with ill-timed curiosity, nosy and sharp.
Luca didn't answer.
A second notification pinged.
This time, a message. Short. Cold. Final.
Come alone. Bring the black book. No weapons. No men. No cops. This is the only negotiation. Not cash. Not diamonds. Only the black book.
