Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Debt Without Proof
The protagonist returns from prison to accusations surrounding a missing fortune. Pressure comes from criminal associates, the police, and Nelly's distrust.
Key Events
-
Release From Prison — The protagonist leaves prison and is immediately confronted by former criminal associates over missing money.
Location: Milan
-
The Missing Fortune — Former associates accuse the protagonist of stealing 300,000 dollars during a past handover.
Location: Milan
-
Coerced Denial — The protagonist denies taking the money despite coercion from a volatile enforcer.
Location: A criminal hideout
-
Nelly Suspects Him — Nelly, the protagonist's girlfriend, also believes he stole the missing money. Characters: Nelly
Location: Milan
-
Failed Police Recruitment — A police commissario unsuccessfully attempts to recruit the protagonist as an informant.
Location: Police station
-
Meeting The Old Godfather — The protagonist meets his blind former godfather and the godfather's remaining capo.
Location: Don Vincenzo's residence
The Money Trail Turns Violent
A forced exchange ends in murder and theft, causing the criminal organization to seek revenge. The protagonist is drawn into an attack against his former criminal elders.
Key Events
-
Meeting The Old Godfather — The protagonist meets his blind former godfather and the godfather's remaining capo.
Location: Don Vincenzo's residence
-
Ultimatum From The Boss — The criminal boss orders the protagonist to return the money and resume working for him.
Location: A criminal headquarters
-
Couriers Become Targets — Paranoia over additional thefts leads the enforcer to kill money couriers.
Location: Milan
-
Bowling Alley Exchange — The protagonist is sent to complete an exchange involving 30,000 dollars.
Location: Bowling alley
-
Scarfed Assailant Strikes — A mysterious assailant kills the client and steals the brown leather bag.
Location: Bowling alley
-
Forced Retaliation — The boss orders the protagonist and the enforcer to kill those blamed for the robbery.
Location: Milan
-
Godfather Betrayal — The accused men are revealed to be the blind godfather and his loyal capo.
Location: A criminal hideout
Survival Through Deception
The protagonist refuses to kill his former godfather but survives by redirecting suspicion. The criminal boss is later ambushed at a rural estate.
Key Events
-
The Old Man Is Shot — The protagonist refuses to kill his former godfather, but the enforcer shoots the old man.
Location: A criminal hideout
-
The Protagonist Is Beaten — The protagonist is beaten for insubordination and nearly executed.
Location: A criminal headquarters
-
A Convincing Accusation — He survives by arguing that the enforcer and the crew were behind the 30,000-dollar theft.
Location: A criminal headquarters
-
Ambush At The Estate — The criminal boss retreats to a rural estate with bodyguards and is ambushed by the surviving capo.
Location: A rural estate
-
The Boss Is Killed — The protagonist turns his gun on the boss's men after the boss is shot.
Location: A rural estate
The Fortune Revealed
The protagonist retrieves the hidden fortune and reveals that he orchestrated the conflict to eliminate the criminal boss. A minor driving violation briefly places him in police custody.
Key Events
-
The Hidden Blue Bag — The protagonist retrieves the hidden 300,000 dollars and reveals that he originally stole it.
Location: An abandoned church near Milan
-
Unexpected Police Detention — Police detain the protagonist for driving with an expired license and bring him in for questioning.
Location: Police station
-
A Partnership Offer — The enforcer sees the money and offers the protagonist a partnership, but the offer is rejected.
Location: Police station waiting room
Love, Betrayal, And Blood
The protagonist goes to Nelly expecting escape, but discovers her secret conspiracy. The final betrayal ends in multiple deaths and police intervention.
Key Events
-
Nelly's Secret Plot — The protagonist finds Nelly with her secret lover, who helped plan the theft of the money. Characters: Nelly
Location: Nelly's house
-
Final Betrayal — Nelly's lover shoots the protagonist, while the protagonist kills Nelly with a single punch. Characters: Nelly
Location: Nelly's house
-
The Enforcer's Revenge — The enforcer beats Nelly's lover to death for betraying and disrespecting the protagonist.
Location: Nelly's house
-
Police Take Control — Police, who followed the enforcer, drag him away from the bloodied corpse.
Location: Nelly's house
Milan, Nowadays: Fernando, son of Ugo Piazza, is a brilliant criminal defense lawyer whose mother, Nelly, has done everything in her power to raise him different from his father, a deplorable gangster.
