Rain lashed against Juliet's apartment window, blurring the view of Milan's skyline. Thunder rolled in the distance like a warning drum, echoing the chaos inside her mind.
The flash drive was plugged into her encrypted laptop. Rows of data filled the screen—names, dates, coordinates. Some familiar. Some buried so deep in the city's underworld, even she had never heard them spoken aloud.
Giovanni's network was vast. Politicians, bankers, real estate moguls—he had threads woven into every structure of power. But what chilled Juliet most wasn't the names. It was the timestamped video buried in the final folder.
She clicked play.
A dim room. A table. Two men. One of them—her father.
Juliet leaned forward, breath held.
Her father was younger in the footage, sharp and composed. Across from him sat Giorgio Giovanni, calm as a king.
"The girl doesn't need to know," Giovanni said coolly.
Her father's jaw tightened. "She's my daughter."
"And she'll remain safe," Giovanni replied, lighting a cigar. "As long as you stay in line."
The clip ended there.
Juliet sat frozen, heart pounding in her ears.
All her life, she'd believed her parents had stood against corruption. Against monsters like Giovanni.
Had her father made a deal to protect her? And had it cost him his life?
Flashback – Age 12
Juliet stood in the doorway, violin clutched in one hand, listening as her father argued on the phone.
"She deserves better than this. We swore we'd never be part of that world again."
Her mother's voice replied quietly, "But if it means keeping her alive... we may not have a choice."
Juliet had never asked what that meant. She assumed it was about money. Or maybe a job transfer.
Now, she realized it had been a warning all along.
End Flashback
Juliet shut her laptop and stood. She couldn't afford to break now. She couldn't afford to hesitate.
She grabbed her coat, holstered her weapon, and drove to the one place she knew answers lived—Don Federico's estate.
The sprawling mansion was eerily quiet as she approached. Her badge got her past the guards, though their eyes lingered too long, as if debating whether to call Giovanni.
Inside, she found Don Federico seated by the fire, a glass of Chianti in his hand. The room smelled of smoke and secrets.
"You've come," he said. "I thought you might."
Juliet didn't sit. "Tell me the truth about my father."
The Don tilted his head. "That's not how this works, Inspector. Truth has a price."
She stepped forward. "Then tell me what I need to pay."
Federico sipped his wine, studying her. "Your father was loyal. He was also scared. Giovanni offered him protection for his family in exchange for silence. When he refused to play along… he became a liability."
Juliet's chest tightened. "So Giovanni killed him."
"No," Federico said softly. "Giovanni gave the order. But the man who pulled the trigger… wasn't a stranger."
Juliet's voice dropped. "Who?"
Federico set his glass down. "Antonio D'Amico. Your partner."
The room spun.
She couldn't breathe.
"No," she whispered. "That's not possible."
Federico rose, walking past her. "You want proof? Look in your own department. Giovanni doesn't just bribe cops. He breeds them."
Juliet stumbled out into the storm, the wind slapping her face like a challenge. Every memory with Antonio flashed behind her eyes—every mission, every laugh, every word of comfort when her parents died.
Was it all a lie?
She sped through the city, heart a live wire, until she reached Adonis's hideout.
He opened the door shirtless, bruised from the sniper escape, but still sharp-eyed.
"What happened?" he asked, stepping aside.
Juliet walked in, soaked and shaking. "I need you," she said. "I need you to help me prove that my partner is a murderer."
Adonis didn't flinch. He just nodded. "Then we start digging tonight."
As they sat down at the table, thunder cracked again.
This time, Juliet didn't tremble.
She was ready for war.