The Unseen Hand

The Unseen Hand


IZZY'S POV

I knew something was off the second I stepped into the west corridor. It wasn’t anything obvious, there was no shouting, no mess. Just… different.
The guards at the door stiffened when they saw me, then quickly straightened their shoulders like they hadn’t been talking a second ago.

I slowed down, pretending not to notice. “Everything alright here?”

“Yes, ma’am,” one of them said too quickly.

“Good,” I said, but I didn’t move right away. I let my eyes drift over the hallway, the small vase that wasn’t there yesterday, the folded linen on the side table, the door to my father’s study cracked open when I knew I had left it shut.

Something was happening and it wasn’t happening under my command.

I pushed the door open and stepped into the study. It still smelled like his cigars even though he hadn’t been in here for weeks. Papers were neatly stacked on the desk, the blinds were pulled halfway down. A fresh glass of water sat by the armchair, someone had been here this morning.

I turned around. “Who’s been in here?”

The two guards looked at each other. The younger one swallowed hard. “Just housekeeping, ma’am.”

“Housekeeping doesn’t leave water on the table,” I said. “Try again.”

They stayed quiet. That told me more than any answer could.

I walked past them and headed down the main stairs. The afternoon light coming through the windows felt too bright, like it was trying to blind me to what was right in front of me. In the courtyard, a few of the men were unloading crates from a black van. I didn’t remember approving any deliveries.

“Hey!” I called out.

They froze, then one of them, an older man with gray hair stepped forward. “Just supplies, ma’am.”

“From where?” i asked.

“From the usual place.” he said.

I folded my arms. “The usual place doesn’t move without my say-so now. Who told you to bring this here?”

The man’s eyes flickered for just a second. “Orders came down from Mr. Marino.”

My stomach tightened. “Which one?”

He hesitated, and that was enough.

“Stop unloading,” I said sharply. “Put everything back in the van and park it by the shed. No one touches anything until I check it myself.”

“Yes, ma’am.” i said.

I walked away before I said something worse. My pulse was ticking faster than I wanted it to. My father hadn’t left his bed in weeks but somehow, his orders were still being followed.

Back inside, I found Matteo waiting near the kitchen door. He had that look again, like he’d been watching me and already knew something was bothering me.

“You look like you’re about to break something,” he said.

“Maybe I should,” I muttered. “The old man’s still running this place.”

Matteo frowned. “What happened?”

“His guards, his men. They’re still taking orders, just not from me. There’s water in his study, deliveries I didn’t approve, and they’re acting like he’s the one in charge.”

He scratched the back of his neck. “Izzy… you knew it wasn’t going to change overnight.”

“It’s been weeks,” I said. “He’s barely awake most days and they still jump when he blinks.”

Matteo sighed. “They’ve followed him for decades. It’s habit and loyalty.”

“It’s disobedience,” I snapped. Then I lowered my voice. “It’s a reminder that I’m not the one they fear yet.”

He looked at me for a long moment. “So what are you going to do?”

I didn’t answer, not yet.

We walked to the security room together. The screens were lit with camera feeds from every corner of the estate, i watched the footage from the courtyard. The men were moving slower now, clearly unsure. Good. Let them feel uncertain.

“Pull up footage from the west wing this morning,” I said.

Matteo tapped on the keyboard and rewound the feed. At 7:12 AM, two guards entered my father’s study. One poured water, the other placed a folded note on the table. They left within a minute.

I leaned closer. “Zoom in on the note.”

It was blurry, but I could still make out three letters scribbled on the paper: ‘OK’.

“That’s it?” Matteo asked.

I nodded. “That’s enough, he doesn’t need full sentences. They know how to read him.”

Matteo turned in his chair. “You could replace them.”

“I could,” I said. “But half of them are tied to key businesses. Fire them all at once and we risk chaos.”

“Then make them choose.” he said.

I looked at him. “What do you mean?”

“Make them swear to you publicly,” he said. “One by one, no orders, no jobs, no protection unless they answer to you now.”

I thought about it for a second. It was risky but it might work.

“Alright,” I said. “Get them all in the hall tomorrow morning. Every one of them.”

He nodded and started sending out messages.

I stayed there, watching the screens.

“Do you think he’s doing it on purpose?” Matteo asked suddenly.

“Who?” i asked.

“Your father, sending signals. Testing how far you’ll let it go.”

I let out a breath. “Of course he is. This is a game to him, he’s seeing if I’ll step up or fold.”

Matteo gave a small nod. “Then step up.”

I didn’t reply, but something shifted in me.

Later, I went to see my father. The nurse nodded at me as she left the room. He was awake, eyes open, watching the ceiling.

I pulled a chair closer. “You’re still playing games,” I said.

His eyes moved toward me slowly. Blink, blink. Pause. Blink.

I sighed. “I know you told them to keep following you. I saw the note.”

No reaction.

“I made them choose,” I said. “Most stayed, some left. That’s on you.”

His jaw tightened just slightly. It was small, but I saw it.

“You taught me to never show weakness,” I said. “But this..this is weakness, Father. You can’t run things from a hospital bed. You can’t cling to control forever.”

Another blink, slow this time.

I leaned forward. “You can hate me for it, but I’m not you and I don’t plan to be.”

His lips twitched, maybe a frown, maybe something else. Then his eyes drifted away again.

I stood up. “Rest. I’ll take care of the rest.”

As I walked out of the room, Matteo was waiting in the hallway.

“How’d it go?” he asked.

I shrugged. “He’s still trying to hold on but he knows I’m not backing down.”

Matteo smiled a little. “Then you’re winning.”

“Not yet,” I said. “But I’m close.”