Chapter 15: A Promise Between Life and Death

The sirens of approaching ambulances echoed across the countryside as Marco De Luca was rushed into one of the estate's armored medical vehicles.

Devon refused to leave his side.

"Sir, you can't come inside the operating room," one of the doctors said.

"Then I'll wait outside," Devon answered firmly.

"As long as it takes."

The convoy sped toward De Luca Medical Center, a private hospital owned entirely by Marco's organization.

Every traffic light along the route had already been cleared.

Within fifteen minutes, Marco was wheeled directly into emergency surgery.

Doctors and nurses flooded the operating theater.

"Blood pressure is dropping!"

"Prepare four units of O-negative!"

"We need another vascular surgeon!"

The operating room doors slammed shut.

A bright red emergency light illuminated above them.

Devon stood frozen in the hallway.

His hands were still stained with Marco's blood.

"Mr. Hamilton," Luca said quietly.

"You should sit down."

"I'm fine."

"You've been saying that for hours."

"I'm still standing, aren't I?"

Luca sighed.

"Boss would tell you that's not the same thing."

Devon looked at the blood on his palms.

"This happened because of me."

"No," Luca replied immediately.

"Victor Kane has wanted Marco dead for years."

"You simply became another reason for him to fight harder."

"That's exactly what scares me."

"Why would someone like him risk everything for someone he barely knows?"

Luca smiled faintly.

"Because that's who Marco is."

"He'll protect the people he cares about even if it destroys him."

Devon lowered his head.

"And I accused him of using me."

"Boss understood."

"How?"

"Because if someone had hidden the truth from him, he'd react the same way."

Hours slowly passed.

Benjamin Hamilton received treatment for his injured leg in another hospital room.

Miriam remained beside him.

Every few minutes Benjamin looked toward the operating room doors.

"Any news?" he asked.

"Not yet," Luca answered.

"He's a fighter."

"He has to be," Benjamin whispered.

"Because I owe him more than I can ever repay."

Just before sunrise, the operating room doors finally opened.

The lead surgeon removed his surgical mask.

Everyone immediately stood.

"Doctor?" Devon asked.

"How is he?"

The surgeon looked exhausted.

"The surgery was successful."

Devon released the breath he had been holding.

"But..."

Everyone's relief vanished instantly.

"He lost a dangerous amount of blood."

"The next twenty-four hours are critical."

"If he doesn't wake up by tomorrow morning..."

"There's a high chance he'll fall into a coma."

"Can I see him?" Devon asked.

"Only for a few minutes."

The doctor nodded.

"He's still unconscious."

Devon quietly entered the intensive care unit.

Marco lay motionless beneath white hospital sheets.

Machines surrounded the bed.

A heart monitor beeped steadily.

Oxygen flowed through a breathing mask.

For the first time since meeting him...

Marco looked vulnerable.

Almost... ordinary.

Devon slowly pulled a chair beside the bed.

"You know..." he said softly.

"When I first kissed you, I thought you were just some ridiculously handsome stranger sitting alone in a bar."

He smiled weakly.

"If someone had told me you'd be a mafia boss willing to die for me..."

"I would've laughed."

Marco remained silent.

Only the rhythmic beeping of the monitor answered.

"I'm sorry," Devon whispered.

"For doubting you."

"For believing Victor instead of you."

"For running away every time you tried to protect me."

His voice began to shake.

"Please..."

"Don't leave now."

"Not before I get the chance to make things right."

A single tear rolled down Devon's cheek.

He instinctively reached for Marco's hand.

It was warm.

Still alive.

"You once told me that I saw the man... not the monster."

"Maybe you were right."

"Because when I look at you now..."

"I don't see a mafia boss anymore."

"I just see the man who keeps saving my life."

Outside the room, Luca quietly watched through the glass window.

Benjamin slowly approached him.

"He loves him," Benjamin said softly.

Luca smiled.

"He just hasn't admitted it yet."

"And Marco?"

"Boss fell much earlier."

"He simply hides it better."

Suddenly, alarms echoed throughout the intensive care unit.

"Doctor!" a nurse shouted.

"Patient's blood pressure is dropping again!"

Doctors rushed back into the room.

"Everyone outside!"

Devon was gently pulled away from the bedside.

"What's happening?" he demanded.

"Complications," the doctor answered.

"We need to stabilize him immediately."

The ICU doors closed once more.

Minutes later, one of Marco's intelligence officers hurried down the hallway.

"Mr. Romano!"

"Boss won't be happy when he hears this..."

"Victor Kane released a video online ten minutes ago."

"What video?" Luca asked.

The officer handed him a tablet.

Luca's face instantly hardened.

"No..."

"This changes everything."

Devon looked at the screen.

The video showed Victor Kane standing inside another unknown warehouse.

Behind him...

A frail elderly man with silver hair was chained to a chair.

Victor smiled into the camera.

"Good morning, Devon Hamilton."

"Meet the man your family buried twenty-six years ago..."

"Richard Hamilton."

"Your uncle is alive."