My Housekeeper’s Three-Year-Old Daughter Knocked the Coffee From My Hand—Then She Said the New Cook Put Something in It.

The following evening, a heavy thunderstorm rattled the stained-glass windows of the grand Castellano villa in downtown Rome.

Inside the subterranean council chamber, eight powerful syndicate bosses sat around a massive round oak table. At the head of the table sat Julian Castellano. At forty, Julian looked remarkably like Enzo—tall, handsome, and impeccably dressed in a grey designer suit, but with cold, greedy eyes.

"Where is Enzo?" one of the elder bosses asked, looking at the empty leather chair at the head of the room. "He called this emergency meeting two hours ago."

Julian took a slow sip from his crystal glass of scotch, a subtle, triumphant smirk playing on his lips. "My brother hasn't been feeling well lately. His health has been declining rapidly. As underboss, I will be chairing tonight's meeting."

"Is that so, Julian?" a deep, thunderous voice echoed from the heavy iron doors at the rear of the chamber.

The double doors swung open with a deafening crash.

Enzo Castellano stepped into the chamber. Tall, muscular, and towering with terrifying authority, he wore his signature black suit, looking healthier, stronger, and more lethal than ever before.

Flanking him were Dr. Hayes, Vance, and four heavily armed elite bodyguards.

Julian dropped his crystal glass. It shattered against the floor, spilling scotch across the wood. Julian's face turned completely ghost-white as he scrambled back in his chair.

"Enzo...!" Julian stammered, his voice cracking with sheer panic. "You... you're supposed to be—"

"In a hospital bed?" Enzo finished the sentence, stepping up to the head of the table. "Or perhaps in a coffin?"

Enzo tossed a thick black leather folder into the middle of the oak table. It slid across the wood, stopping right in front of the elder bosses.

"Inside that folder," Enzo announced, his deep voice carrying through the silent chamber like a death sentence, "are the decrypted bank files from the Swiss accounts, the forensic report on Toxin-9, and the confession of Marco."

The elder bosses quickly opened the folder, scanning the documents. Shocked gasps erupted around the table.

"Julian..." the senior elder growled, looking up with disgust. "You poisoned your own brother? You embezzled fifty million dollars from our family?"

"It's a lie!" Julian screamed, drawing a hidden sidearm from beneath his grey jacket. "He’s making it up to strip me of my title!"

Before Julian could raise his weapon, Enzo moved with terrifying speed. He grabbed Julian’s wrist, crushing the bones until Julian shrieked in agony, dropping the gun onto the floor.

Enzo grabbed Julian by his lapels, lifting his older half-brother completely off the floor and slamming him against the stone wall.

"You killed Matteo Rossi," Enzo growled into Julian's ear, his dark eyes burning with pure fury. "You tried to poison me. And you threatened an innocent mother and child."

"Enzo... please!" Julian begged, weeping in terror. "We're blood! We're brothers!"