"You are the real criminal," I said quietly.
"I know." Her voice broke. "But Viktor offered me a deal. Bring him Father's files—evidence he could use against the Monti family—and he'd keep my secret. Protect me."
"So you chose to betray your family instead," Cesare said flatly.
"I chose to survive!" Bianca's voice rose. "You don't understand what Viktor is capable of. When I tried to back out, when I said I couldn't do it—" She touched her bruised face, her split lip. "This wasn't from enemies in Prague. This was from him. His men. A reminder of what happens if I don't deliver."
The room went silent.
"The beating was a message," Piero said slowly, understanding. "To keep you in line."
"And to make it look convincing," Bianca admitted bitterly. "To make you all think I was his victim instead of his accomplice. But I am his accomplice. I've been his accomplice since the moment I ran."
Viktor smiled, pleased with her confession. "You see? Motivation is everything. Bianca and I have a mutually beneficial arrangement."
"You're asking me to choose between my empire and my wife," Cesare said slowly.
"I'm asking you to be pragmatic. You can rebuild an empire. You can't rebuild a reputation once it's destroyed."
Before Cesare could respond, I stepped forward, breaking free from his protective hand.
"No. We don't accept."
Everyone turned to look at me. Viktor raised an eyebrow, amused.
"My dear Mrs. Monti, I don't think you understand—"
"I understand perfectly," I interrupted. "You're blackmailing us with forged documents and a teenage girl's accidental discovery. You're betting Cesare values me more than his power."
I walked closer to Viktor, ignoring Cesare's sharp intake of breath behind me.
"But here's what you don't understand: I won't let him give up half his empire for me. I won't be the weakness that destroys him."
Viktor's smile widened. "How noble. But impractical. These documents will surface whether you accept the deal or not. The question is whether you have some control over the timing and narrative."
I turned to look at Bianca—my sister, my mirror, my destroyer.
"Tell me something, Bianca. Was any of this worth it? The betrayal? The running? The beating you clearly took? Was destroying me worth destroying yourself?"
Bianca met my eyes, and for a moment, I saw something crack in her facade. Pain. Regret. Then it hardened again.
"Yes. Watching you lose everything will make it all worth it."
I made a reckless decision.
"Then do it," I said to Viktor. "Release the documents. All of them. Right now."
"What?" Cesare's voice was sharp behind me.
"Paola—" Piero started.
I held up a hand, eyes locked on Viktor. "You heard me. Release them. Send them to every family. Let them investigate. Let them judge."
Viktor's smile sharpened. "So what happens now? You threaten me? You try to take the documents by force?" He gestured to his armed guards. "We're evenly matched here. Four of yours, four of mine. Bloodshed helps no one."
"Then we have a stalemate," Cesare said coldly.
"Do we? Because I still have the documents. And even if you kill me tonight, copies exist. Safe places. Instructions to release everything if anything happens to me." Viktor's confidence was infuriating. "You can't threaten your way out of this one, Cesare."
