Chapter 3 - The Mafia Boss’s Impossible Question
The cabin was exactly where Nora said it was.
Three hours outside New York.
Hidden between tall pine trees and surrounded by silence.
Roman Falco had expected a trap.
He had expected hidden cameras, waiting enemies, or some carefully planned deception.
He had not expected an old wooden cabin with a small garden and a mailbox that looked like it had not been touched in years.
Gideon stood beside him.
“Boss, this feels wrong.”
Roman stared at the cabin.
“Why?”
“Because if Samuel Vane wanted to disappear, he wouldn’t leave a trail this obvious.”
Roman said nothing.
Because Gideon was right.
Samuel had been the smartest man Roman had ever known.
He never made mistakes.
Not with money.
Not with enemies.
Not with trust.
The front door opened.
Nora stepped outside.
She had changed into a simple sweater and jeans provided by Roman’s security team.
She looked less like a frightened waitress now.
More like someone who had finally returned to a place where she belonged.
“You came.”
Roman looked at her.
“You sound surprised.”
“I thought you might think I was lying.”
“I did.”
Nora lowered her eyes.
“But you came anyway.”
Roman walked past her.
“Show me.”
Inside, the cabin smelled like old books and cedar wood.
Everything was untouched.
A small kitchen.
A worn sofa.
A fireplace.
On the wall were photographs.
Roman stopped.
Because there was Samuel.
Older.
Smiling.
Standing beside a young Nora.
Not the dangerous syndicate founder.
Not the man feared by criminals across the city.
Just Samuel.
A father figure.
A protector.
“He changed after he found me,” Nora said quietly.
Roman looked at her.
“Samuel Vane changed?”
“Yes.”
“That man built an empire.”
“And then he realized he had spent his life building something that could destroy people.”
Roman looked away.
“You barely knew him.”
“I knew enough.”
Her voice became firm.
“He regretted what he became.”
Roman walked toward an old desk.
“People like Samuel don’t regret power.”
Nora watched him.
“People like you do.”
The room went silent.
Roman turned.
“What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
Most people would have apologized.
Nora did not.
“Samuel told me you were his biggest disappointment.”
Roman’s jaw tightened.
“Why?”
“Because you were the only person he thought could change everything.”
Roman stared at her.
“And instead?”
“You became him.”
Those words hit harder than Roman expected.
Because deep down…
he had always feared the same thing.
He opened the desk drawer.
Inside was an envelope.
His name was written on it.
Roman Falco.
His expression changed.
“Did you know this was here?”
Nora shook her head.
“No.”
Roman opened it.
Inside was one page.
Only one sentence.
Roman, if you are reading this, then I failed to protect you from the person standing closest to you.
Roman’s breathing slowed.
Gideon stepped forward.
“Boss…”
Roman folded the paper.
“Everyone leaves.”
Nora looked confused.
“Why?”
Roman looked at her.
“Because I need to know who knew Samuel was alive.”
“And?”
His eyes became cold.
“And who killed him.”
---
Two days later, Roman returned to New York.
But something had changed.
The man who entered the city was not the same man who left.
Before, Roman trusted almost nobody.
Now?
He trusted even fewer.
His first move was simple.
Find every person who knew about Samuel Vane’s disappearance.
The list had six names.
Five were dead.
One remained.
Adrian Cross.
Roman’s second-in-command.
His oldest friend.
The man who had stood beside him for twelve years.
The same man who had told Roman:
“Samuel died. You need to move forward.”
Now Roman wondered.
Was Adrian helping him move forward?
May you like
Or hiding what happened behind him?
---
