CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY SEVEN - THE HIDDEN BLADE

"Dante, we have a problem," Mari's voice crackled through the speaker, her tone urgent and low. "There's an investor interested in Amelia's bakery. If this goes through, it could ruin everything we've worked for." Alessandro's fists clenched at his sides as he continued to listen, his suspicions confirmed with each passing word. Mari and Dante quickly formulated a plan to sabotage the meeting, unaware that they were playing right into Alessandro's hands. As the day progressed, Alessandro, Claudia, and Sophia watched Mari's every move. They observed her slipping out of the mansion and returning with a small package, which she quickly hid in her room. Later, they saw her tampering with Amelia's car, likely in an attempt to delay her return from the bakery. By the time evening fell, they had gathered a wealth of evidence – recordings, photographs, and eyewitness accounts of Mari's suspicious activities. It was time for the final act of their plan. Alessandro gathered the family in the