My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 610

Chapter 610

He walked past me, “Study,” he said quietly, “Now.”

I fell in behind him. Neither of us spoke as we made our way downstairs. Guards stood at every entrance. Nobody looked relaxed anymore.

When Vincenzo pushed open the study doors, everyone was already inside. Dad, all of my brothers, even Maddle and Claire sat together on the sofa.

I slipped my hands into my pockets. I already knew what this meeting was about.

Gianna and I.

Vincenzo walked behind his desk but didn’t sit. His eyes moved across the room before settling on me.

“How,” he asked evenly, “did Gianna leave this house in the middle of the night without a single guard noticing.”

I had spent the last three hours running that exact question through my head. I’d reviewed camera footage, checked guard rotations, reviewed entry logs but found nothing, not one broken lock, not one disabled camera, not one guard leaving his post.

I opened my mouth, “I checked-”

Vincenzo lifted one finger and I stopped talking.

Then he turned his head, “Silvio.”

Every pair of eyes landed on my brother.

Silvio looked around at all of us before giving a small shrug, “Why are you looking at me?”

Vincenzo sighed, “Because if there’s one person in this family who knows how to disappear from this house without leaving a footprint… it’s you.”

Silvio’s expression stayed blank.

Vincenzo folded his arms, “So let’s not waste each other’s time. Gianna almost died tonight. If you know something… this is the moment to speak.”

Silvio let out a slow breath, then rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah. I showed her. I showed her one of the old service routes.”

Claire’s eyes widened, “You what?”

Intent reduced blame. It didn’t erase consequences.

Gianna had almost died because one piece of information had been given to the wrong person. That alone made the mistake catastrophic.

Vincenzo laughed dryly, then he looked around the study, taking his time. His eyes landed on each of us one by one.

Dad.

Adriano.

Dante.

Sílvio.

Me.

Finally, Claire.

“Tell me something. So am I a fucking joke now?” he asked but nobody answered, “Because that’s what it feels like,” he spread one hand across the room, “I spend every hour making sure this family stays alive. I build security. I make alliances. I bury enemies before they become problems. I think ten moves ahead so the rest of you don’t have to. And what do I get back?”