Chapter 5 - The Trap at the Canal
The eastern canal depot was supposed to be an impenetrable fortress, but to anyone reading the architectural blueprints with May Ridley’s eye for structural integrity, it was built on a flawed foundation.
At 2:00 AM, the raid happened precisely as Alessio had calculated. A team of masked enforcers from the Sartorii syndicate breached the perimeter wall, expecting to find crates of smuggled contraband and a light security detail. Instead, they walked straight into a ghost town. The lights flickered, the heavy steel doors slammed shut via remote override from Luca’s command van parked two miles away, and the digital surveillance traps locked onto every encrypted radio frequency the intruders carried.
From the darkened upper gantry of the warehouse, Alessio watched through night-vision binoculars as Luca’s tactical team moved in, neutralizing the raiding party with surgical precision and zero casualties.
"Clean sweep, Boss," Luca’s voice crackled over the encrypted earpiece. "We've got their communications relay. Every capo who leaked our logistics to Sartorii just authenticated their identity on this network."
"Secure the prisoners and clear the site," Alessio ordered coldly, lowering the binoculars. "I want a full report on my desk by sunrise. We leave for the Sartorii gala on Saturday night with all the cards in our hand."
As Alessio climbed back into his armored SUV, his mind raced back to the manor—and back to the quiet, unassuming woman who had managed to completely unbalance his focus. The betrayal within his ranks had been rooted out, the war with the Sartoriis was tilting in his favor, yet the one variable he couldn't calculate or control was May Ridley.
May you like
Back at the manor, while the rest of the household slept, May was awake. Standing by her small window in the staff quarters overlooking the distant river, she watched the black SUVs return through the security gates. Her hands were clenched tightly into fists against the windowsill, her knuckles white. She knew what a syndicate victory meant: it meant blood, consolidation of power, and a tightening noose around anyone caught in the crossfire.
And she knew that Saturday night’s gala at the Sartorii estate would change everything.
