Part 8/9:
As the day of the planned meeting approached, the tides turned against Tessio. He noticed peculiarities: no car arrived to escort Michael, and he began to sense that something was amiss. When armed men closed in on him, the gravity of his predicament crystallized. His attempt to rationalize his actions to Tom Hagen—claiming it was merely business—fell on deaf ears.
In an alley devoid of any grandiosity, Tessio's fate was sealed. There were no long speeches or moments of reflection. His life ended swiftly, reflecting the harsh reality of betrayal in the mafia: there can be no forgiveness. The once-respected figure—who helped shape the Corleone family—met a tragic end, illustrating that the underbelly of loyalty is often fraught with peril.