Son of the Devil

Chapter Seven: From Bad to Worse

From her perch in the private box, Ella observed Enzo and his friends huddled together, deep in discussion about how to kick off their mission of "burning the cash" she had provided earlier. Without shifting from her seat, she quickly dialed Lucio's number, her fingers tapping nervously on the screen of her phone. "Hey, boss," she greeted as soon as the call connected. "They're on the move."

There was a brief pause before the man on the other end responded with a crisp tone. "Did you stress the importance of burning the cash?"

"I told them that several times," Ella replied without hesitation. "I think Enzo really got the message, but I can't say the same for the others."

"But the rest follow his lead, yeah?"

Ella paused, considering her response carefully. "I think so. They seem to trust him and his words."

"Good. That's all that matters to me."

"Boss, are you sure this young man is going to be your fiancé?" Ella couldn't help but inquire. From the beginning, Lucio seemed to put his complete faith in this stranger for reasons they couldn't comprehend. She added, "Even after what Gio told us, I can't believe he has what it takes to be part of our world."

Lucio, who was staying in a hotel nearby, had an ironic curl on his lips. "Only when he passes this test. When the package is retrieved and everything goes smoothly, bring them all here but separate him from the rest of his crew."

With that, the call ended, leaving Ella to ponder the outcome of their latest scheme. Turning her attention to the monitor, she watched intently as Enzo and his friends moved through the bustling crowd, anticipation coursing through her veins. She couldn't help but wonder what they would do next, eager to see if they had what it took to succeed in the world of deceit and danger.

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The best way to distract a large number of people at a party was to provoke one drunk to get everyone's attention. Moving to the baccarat table, Enzo met Giorgio's eyes who moved to the roulette table to play some cards. Knowing Giorgio's acting capabilities, Enzo trusts that his friend could pull this off. However, it was a different case now that they were surrounded by well-known mobs in the underground world. Sure, causing a scene at a regular party was one thing, but in a room full of notorious mobsters? This was a whole new ball game.

Burning the cash turned out to be the easiest part of their plan. In fact, they would have gladly done the same with Lucio Moretti's money if Stefano hadn't enlightened them about its origins. Enzo watched as Stefano and Tina eagerly placed their bets on game slots and bingo cards, carefree and oblivious to the weight of their actions. Meanwhile, Fonsie, who had claimed to be a bundle of nerves, was having the time of his life at the jackpot slots. Enzo couldn't help but be surprised at how effortlessly his friends attracted attention from the other players, their nonchalant demeanor suggesting that money held no importance to them.

"Your bet?"

Enzo blinked, momentarily lost in thought about their actual mission. When he refocused on the game, he found the banker staring expectantly at him, waiting for his bet. Glancing at the gaming table, he realized it was already the third round. They had nearly exhausted the cash Ella had given them, but that didn't mean they weren't replenishing it with their winnings.

Enzo wasn't exactly a casino expert, but he understood the basics of baccarat and other games. Betting smart, he knew that wagering on the banker side was usually the safest bet in terms of the house edge, even though the casino often took a commission on banker wins.

However, the money they were using wasn't theirs, and their mission was to get rid of it before causing a scene. So, for Enzo, the specifics of the game didn't matter much.