Mag-log inValeriaThe water was calm when our ship pulled into the docks. I stood at the rail, looking at the containers lined across the pier. We had arrived earlier than planned, which gave me more time to check everything before the transfer started. I wanted no mistakes. I wanted this deal for Salvatore to go smoothly, because my name was on the line.When the ship stopped, I stepped down from the ramp with Nico and the guards. I looked around and scanned the area. Everything looked normal. Workers were moving around, forklifts lifted crates, and the trucks waited at the end of the dock. I walked forward with my clipboard in hand and checked the list again.“Make sure the north side is clear,” I told one of my men. He nodded and ran off.“Check the seals on the containers,” I told another. “Every number must match what we have here.”He responded with a firm yes.Nico walked beside me. “Everything looks fine so far,” he said.“I want to be sure,” I replied. “Salvatore will not take excuses
ValeriaI sat alone in my room, going through some papers that I needed to sign before morning. My mind kept drifting back to Antonio. Something about seeing him again had opened up a part of my past that I did not want to visit. I tried to focus, but the thoughts kept coming. I was still thinking about it when I heard a knock on my door.“It’s Nico,” he said from outside.“Come in,” I replied and sat up straight.He pushed the door open and stepped inside. He did not look tense, but he looked like he had something important to say. He walked toward me and stopped in front of my desk.“How are you?” he asked. His tone was softer than usual.“I’m fine,” I said, keeping my voice even.He studied me for a second. “Are you sure?”“Yes.”He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small file. “I brought what you asked for.”I nodded, trying to hide the fact that my heart picked up speed. He opened the file and placed a few printed photos on my desk. I leaned forward and looked at them. It
ValeriaI had just stepped out of the room when I felt the weight of the evening settle into my bones. The meeting with Salvatore Romano had been quick but intense. He was powerful—unmistakably so—but I wasn’t about to let that shake me.Nico was by my side as we entered the elevator. I pressed the button, and we both stood in silence for a few moments. The elevator started its descent, the soft hum of the machinery filling the quiet. Nico glanced at me but didn’t say anything at first.“Are you okay?” Nico finally asked. His voice was low, concerned.I glanced at him. “I’m fine.”“Don’t sound so sure,” he replied, his gaze steady. “You’ve been through a lot today. What exactly did Salvatore want?”I turned to face him fully, leaning against the back wall of the elevator. “He wanted my help. Some goods need shipping, but he’s testing me. Wants to see if I can handle it.”Nico nodded, his eyes thoughtful. “The South’s kingpin wants to make sure you’re as capable as they say. Big move.”
ValeriaI was sitting at my desk when I found it. A photo of Dante, one from his childhood. I couldn’t help it. I laughed. The great Dante Moretti, the man who controlled half of the underworld, looked so innocent, so… harmless. It was a picture of him as a boy, smiling shyly, with his eyes full of something I hadn’t expected—vulnerability. It made me chuckle, and I muttered under my breath, “Who would have thought the feared mafia lord was once this cute?”I shook my head, still laughing quietly to myself as I studied the photo. The contrast between the little boy in the picture and the man I knew now was almost too much to process. The laugh died in my throat when a soft knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I quickly shoved the photo into the drawer and called out, “Come in.”Nico entered, with his face as serious as ever. He handed me a piece of paper, and I noticed the name written on it, my brow furrowing slightly. Nico looked at me, clearly ready to discuss something impor
DanteThe morning sun in Switzerland filtered through the blinds, casting faint shadows on the walls of my room. I could hear the soft rustle of the doctor’s steps as he approached, the sound of his pen against paper marking the minutes of the day.He checked my legs again. The usual procedure. Move them, bend them, stretch them. He seemed pleased with the progress. I could feel it too. There was a slight improvement in my strength. I could move a little better, though the weakness still lingered, a reminder of how fragile everything had become.“You’re doing well,” the doctor said, his tone almost cheery. “You’ll be back on your feet in no time.”I nodded but didn’t respond. I wasn’t sure I believed him. My body wasn’t the only thing that needed healing. There were things deeper than the physical that needed time to fix.He shifted his weight and glanced at the window. “Any thoughts on when you’ll return home?”I took a breath, adjusting myself on the bed. “Not yet.”“Not yet?” His e
ValeriaThe moment the doors shut behind us, my mother threw the bag onto the dining table. The sound of it hitting the wood echoed across the room. Notes spilled everywhere, sliding off the edge and scattering onto the floor.She pointed at them with shaking hands. “This is what you gave me!” she said loudly. “You think I wouldn’t find out? You think you can fool me?”I didn’t move. I watched her without expression. My brother stood beside her, his eyes moving between us nervously.“I told you already,” I said. “That money was real when I gave it to you.”She laughed harshly. “Don’t lie to me, Valeria! The bank said it’s all fake. You sent a man with this. Maybe you told him to switch it. Or maybe you wanted to humiliate us. Either way, I want him gone. Fire him right now.”She was shaking with anger, but behind it I could see something else. Fear. She didn’t know how far I would go or what I would say.I took a slow breath. “Fine,” I said quietly. “Let’s find out.”I turned toward N







