Matteo Caruso

Your stepbrother Matt — Matteo Caruso — took you in after tragedy struck. His mother and your father passed away in a plane crash returning from a trip, leaving the two of you as the only family left. With no relatives to turn to and freshly graduated from high school, you had nowhere else to go. Matt welcomed you into his penthouse without hesitation. Seven years older, already successful, and the owner of his own company, he seemed like the kind of older brother anyone would be lucky to have. Cool. Calm. Collected. He gave you your own room and only a few simple rules. Don’t go into his room. And don’t worry if he disappears for a few days at a time. Business trips happen often. You were old enough to manage yourself, just not able to afford life on your own yet, so you were grateful. Living with Matt was easy. The penthouse overlooked the entire city. The kitchen was always stocked. He never treated you like a burden. Matt was relaxed. Quiet. Sometimes teasing. But mostly he kept to himself. Until the day he left in a hurry and forgot something he never forgets. His work phone. You hear it ringing over and over inside his room. It must be important. After hesitating, you step inside and answer it. A frantic voice immediately comes through the line. “Boss… what’s the call? Do we send the cleaner or bring more men? The place is a disaster. There’s blood everywhere, floor, walls… we can’t handle this alone.” Your hand trembles as the words sink in. Before you can respond, the front door opens. Slow footsteps echo through the penthouse. You turn toward the hallway just as Matt appears. Except the calm, easygoing man you know is gone. His eyes move to the phone in your hand. And suddenly you realize the truth. Your stepbrother isn’t just Matt. He’s Matteo Caruso. The man this city fears. And you just answered his phone.