ra

shut, the sound reverberating through the space.

loosening his silk tie. The cloying scent of ex

the open vault and immed

I had humiliated him in front of the Underboss. He then lavishly praised Livi

esser, he unclasped hi

om my laundering accounts by tomorrow morning. He insisted he needed th

g from the vanity and thr

cheek before dropping h

ned instantly as he

if he was aware that Livia had stolen

lapels of his suit jacket. He dismissivel

ed to dress up or use expensive creams anymore. The gold and the goo

tell me that my using them was

zed by the sheer disbelief of t

e said I was the one who had ordered him to keep an eye on Livia in the fir

anger flared hot an

ce. "The contraband she took is valued at

o return the goods by midnight, or I would

e stark threat of the Consigliere gettin

sickeningly sweet as he took a st

hand away

agic soul from the slums who had never had anything nice i

g that ruining his standing before we offi

, highlighting Livia's pitiful background and remin

cal face, feeling my hear

ther respected a charitable woman, weaponizing my desperate desire for a real family against me. Sponsoring a

s accepted into the Family'

lably. She had held my hands, swearing absolute

s-giving up my education to run illicit operations on the unforgiving streets, all so

from him, leaving him standing ther

t, the penthouse wa

k, holding my daughter close to

ip of yellow light spilling from under

Walking quietly down the hallway, I pressed my

s voice a low, hurried rasp

king to th

ack off, insisting that she needed to s

that if Clara brought the Consigliere into

would find out the truth about Livia's rigged scholarship. Th

h-all poured into a man who was now conspiring with his mother to protect a thief. My eyes drifted back toward

ion began to take shape in my mi