Chapter 4

"How is this possible..." Valeria stared at her blood-soaked hands. Her voice shook with panic.

She finally realized this wasn’t special effects. It wasn’t a movie.

It was dozens of real knife gashes. They nearly ended my life.

I looked at her breaking down and smirked.

I didn't get to speak. A heavy dizziness hit me.

The world twisted. Blood loss dragged my body into total darkness.

When I opened my eyes again, the room reeked of bleach.

My freshly stitched chest ached. A new blood bag dripped life back into my veins.

Valeria sat on the leather sofa across the room. Her legs were crossed.

She kept flicking a limited-edition metal lighter. Click. Clack. The sound grated on my nerves.

She avoided my cold stare. But she had to hide the truth. She almost murdered her husband. She quickly sat up straight. She put on her usual arrogant mask.

"I talked to my father," she said. She sounded like she was throwing change to a beggar. "I know Bruno really came after you."

She paused. "Look, we’ll transfer the Northside casino to your name as compensation. That should be enough."

I said nothing. I just stared at her.

She got no reaction. She gave a ridiculous smile.

"Look on the bright side, Caspian. You actually did something useful today. You stalled Bruno. Without that, I wouldn't have made it in time to save Julian. He almost jumped off the roof today."

That killed the last pathetic bit of love I had for her.

I frowned. My eyes cut her like ice.

"You let a thug nearly kill me. You tore my stitches open yourself," I rasped, every word clear. "And you think a single casino pays off the Costa family Consigliere?"

Valeria stopped flicking the lighter. She rolled her eyes like I was crazy.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Caspian?" She stood up and looked down at me. "This is just daily mob business. Who doesn't have a few scars? Why do you always blow things out of proportion?"

I had absolutely nothing left to say to this toxic bitch.

I ignored the tearing pain. I grabbed the burner phone under my pillow.

Valeria watched in confusion. I dialed The Commission’s direct line. They run the five families of the North American underworld.

The call connected. Valeria's arrogance froze instantly.

Half an hour later, the ward doors crashed open.

Two Commission bosses walked in. Four heavy hitters flanked them.

The room turned ice-cold.

"Valeria," one boss said coldly. "You broke the code. You tried to murder a Made Man. You're coming with us."

Her proud face finally cracked. She stepped back in panic. She started yelling.

"Gentlemen, what are you doing? It's just a misunderstanding between husband and wife!" She tried to throw her weight around as the heir. "This is Costa family business!"

I raised my free hand and cut her off.

"Gentlemen," I looked them in the eye. "I have Bruno's audio confession from Mexico. It proves she sold out the family. She did it to line her lover's pockets."

I pointed to my bandaged chest. My voice was calm but deadly.

"I also press charges against Valeria right now."

"Two hours ago, in this very room, she used deadly force on me. As a Made Man, I was almost murdered in my hospital bed by her."

"I demand all security footage from the halls and this room. Summon the head family doctor to testify."

Valeria stared at me in pure disbelief.

She had never seen me this ruthless. To her, I was just a punching bag. I silently cleaned up her messes.

The fear of losing her power broke her sanity.

"You dare cross me!" she screamed. She reached for her gun.

She didn't even touch the holster. The two heavy hitters pinned her to the coffee table. Her face smashed into the hard wood. They stripped her gun.

Watching her struggle felt damn good.

"Save your breath, Valeria," I leaned back on my pillows and gave her the verdict. "I will push for a full Commission trial. They will strip all your power as Underboss first."

"When that's done, we'll talk about divorce and turf."

I stared into her hateful eyes. I added softly.

"Fair warning. Your sweet Julian? He’s going to die screaming."

"Caspian! You bastard!" Valeria's face twisted wildly. She screamed like a maniac. "You think you run everything? Just you wait!"

The men didn't let her finish. They twisted her arms behind her back. They dragged her out.

She cursed me with the filthiest words. Her voice faded down the hall until it was gone.

Dead silence returned to the room.

I closed my eyes. My chest burned. The absurdities of the past five years flashed through my mind.

I laughed at myself.

For five years, I wasted my life on a piece of trash.

I ignored my own mother's family—a syndicate powerful enough to flip the entire North American underworld.