Chapter 14: THE PLAN

CARLOS POV

I leaned in, my eyes locked intensely on Dante's. "How are we going to bring down the man who killed your family?" I asked, my tone low and even, but with a hint of urgency beneath the surface.

Dante's expression was calm, but i could sense the simmering anger beneath. "We already know who did this," Dante replied, his voice measured and deliberate. "Let's not rush into anything. We need to be strategic, think this through carefully, to avoid making mistakes."

I nodded thoughtfully, my mind racing with the implications. "I get it," i said. "But we can't just sit back and do nothing. We need to take action, and fast."

Dante's eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm not saying we do nothing," he clarified. "I'm saying we need to be smart about it. We need to gather our strength, plan our move carefully, and then strike when the time is right."

I nodded again, my gaze never leaving Dante's face. "I have enough men to take him down combined with yours would be a powerful force, so let’s move on with this.

"No!" Dante shouted, his eyes blazing with intensity as he fixed me with a stern gaze. "We have to be calm. This man is more important to me than he is to you. All you want is my sister, but I need to think this through carefully."

I struggled to maintain my composure, but inside, I was smiling. This man had no idea what I was really after. I wanted to kill two birds with one stone, and he was playing right into my hands.

I chuckled to myself, a cold, calculated sound that never made it past my lips. Instead, I kept my expression neutral, my eyes never leaving Dante's face.

"And then there's Diana," he muttered, the name escaping his lips like a confession.

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name. How I wanted Diana. I had always wanted her, but her father's overprotective nature had kept her out of my reach.

I needed her now, and as fast as possible. I had goods to obtain, and I was pretty sure her pretty eyes wouldn't make it hard for me to get them. The thought sent a surge of excitement through me, and I couldn't help but imagine the possibilities.

"Okay, I have a plan," I said, a smile spreading across my face. "Since you want everything to go smoothly."

Dante nodded, his eyes fixed intently on mine. "I'm all ears," he said, his voice low and even.

"We'll bribe someone on the inside," I continued, my mind racing with the details. "Make them help us infiltrate the compound easily."

Dante's expression remained neutral, but I could sense a flicker of interest behind his eyes. "Who did you have in mind?" he asked, his voice measured.

I thought for a moment, weighing our options carefully, before a plan solidified in my mind. "It has to be the gatekeeper," I said, a confident smile spreading across my face. "He's the one who controls access to the compound. He'll know everything that's going on inside."

Dante nodded thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing as he considered the plan. "That's a good point," he said. "But can we trust him? If he's working for the enemy, he'll just tip them off about our plan."

I shrugged. "We'll just have to make it worth his while," I said, a sly grin spreading across my face. "A little bribe can go a long way in loosening tongues and opening gates."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "You think a bribe will be enough?" he asked skeptically.

I nodded. "I'm sure of it," I said. “Every man has a price, it can either be material or a collateral”

“What do you mean by that” he said with a raised eyebrow

“Nothing just leave it to me”

Dante thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright, let's do it," he said. "But we need to be careful. If the gatekeeper betrays us, we'll be walking into a trap."

I nodded in agreement. "I'll take care of it," I said. "I'll make sure the gatekeeper is on our side before we make our move."

I dialed my sister's number and waited for her to pick up. When she finally answered, her voice was cold and detached.

"Hello, Francesca," I said, trying to sound cheerful despite the tension between us.

"What do you want, brother?" she replied, her voice dripping with frost.

I smiled to myself, undeterred by her chilly demeanor. "I just wanted to talk to you about something," I said, getting straight to the point.

"What is it?" she asked, her tone implying that she was already bored with the conversation.

"I need you to check up on Diana and make sure she's okay," I said calmly, trying to sound nonchalant despite knowing that the request would likely anger my sister.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I wondered if Francesca was going to explode. And then, her voice came through the phone, low and venomous.

"You expect me to check on that wretch?" she demanded angrily, her tone dripping with disdain. "After everything she's done to our family?"

I could almost feel Francesca's anger radiating through the phone, and I knew I had to tread carefully. "Just make sure she's safe, Francesca," I said, trying to sound reasonable. "That's all I'm asking."

Francesca's laughter was cold and mirthless. "You're really something, brother," she said. "You're willing to risk everything for that...that..." She spat out the words, her anger and resentment palpable.

"Check on Diana and make sure everything I said is taken care of, and see that she's okay. No excuses, Francesca - do exactly as I instructed!"