Ch-8
Private Lounge – A secluded section of the gala, dimly lit. Georgie, Ethan, Luca, and Santiago sit around a table. Tension crackles in the air.
Luca Moretti
(Low voice) You’re lying.
Santiago Moretti
(Smirks) You think I’d waste my time making this up?
Georgie May Adler (fl)
(Ice-cold) My father wants me dead?
Santiago Moretti
(Leaning back) Not in those exact words. But he put things in motion.
Ethan Aviel (ml)
(Watching Santiago carefully) You expect us to take your word for it?
Santiago Moretti
(Amused) No. I expect you to survive long enough to prove me right.
Georgie taps her fingers on the table, thinking.
Georgie May Adler (fl)
(Flatly) Who else knows?
Santiago Moretti
(Shrugs) No one who’d tell you.
Luca Moretti
(Glaring) Then why are you telling us?
Santiago Moretti
(Eyes dark) Because despite everything, I’d rather not see you die.
Georgie May Adler (fl)
(Scoffs) Touching.
Ethan Aviel (ml)
(Eyes narrowing) Or maybe you’re just saving your own skin.
Santiago Moretti
(Smirks) Self-preservation is a powerful motivator.
Georgie May Adler (fl)
(Quietly) And what does my father gain by getting rid of me?
Santiago Moretti
(Sips his drink) Control. Total, unquestioned control.
Luca Moretti
(Voice sharp) You’re saying he’s cutting ties.
Santiago Moretti
(Nods) Exactly. And you? You’re his biggest liability.
A heavy pause. Georgie’s jaw tightens, but she doesn’t let emotion show.
Ethan Aviel (ml)
(Murmurs) And the hit?
Santiago Moretti
(Glancing at Ethan) You were supposed to take it.
Ethan Aviel (ml)
(Deadpan) And yet, here I am.
Santiago Moretti
(Chuckles) Guess you’re more loyal than people think.
Georgie May Adler (fl)
(Eyes flicker to Ethan) He is.
Ethan holds her gaze for a second. Something unspoken passes between them.
Luca Moretti
(Tense) We need a plan.
Georgie May Adler (fl)
(Coldly) No. First, we need confirmation.
Ethan Aviel (ml)
(Leaning in) And how do you plan to get that?
Georgie May Adler (fl)
(Smirks slightly) By asking dear old dad myself.
Luca Moretti, the younger brother of Santiago Moretti, has spent his life in the shadow of a legacy he never asked for. Once seen as nothing more than the second son, he was forced to rise when Santiago abandoned the Moretti empire. Now, he bears the weight of expectations, power, and the ever-present ghost of his brother’s betrayal.
Luca is ruthless, calculating, and unwavering in his beliefs—a man who does what must be done, no matter the cost. His loyalty is unquestionable, but his hatred for Santiago burns deep, making their encounters charged with tension and unresolved history.
With enemies closing in and alliances shifting, one question remains—can Luca truly escape Santiago’s shadow, or is he doomed to follow the same path?
“Loyalty isn’t given—it’s earned. And betrayal? That’s never forgiven.”- Luca Moretti
Comments