Chapter 3

At daybreak, I took my original draft to Vincenzo's study, my eyes bloodshot. "My signal codes were right."

I put the papers in front of him. "This is the original draft from yesterday. It's the same as Papa's old booklet."

Vincenzo briefly glanced at it. "I know."

I stopped in my tracks. "Then why didn't you clear it up?"

He didn't say anything for a few seconds, then showed me the security footage on his computer.

In the video, Siena took the documents and left alone for a few minutes before setting off last night. The page she'd handed to the convoy was different from the original draft.

I looked at Vincenzo. "You should definitely tell everyone this wasn't my problem!"

He furrowed his brows. "The second shipment is due back tonight, and Siena is leading the team. If I tell them now that the mission failed because of Siena, her men will be furious."

Vincenzo walked over, his tone softening. "Just wait one more day. When the shipment arrives safely, I'll speak up for you."

"What about tonight?"

"Melisenda." Vincenzo held my hand. "It's just a formal investigation. No one will dare do anything to you."

I looked at him in disappointment and listened to the same old half-hearted remarks he would always throw my way. I nodded, defeated, and said nothing else.

Someone outside the door urged him to leave, and Vincenzo kissed my forehead.

"Everything will be over tomorrow."

But by noon, some men searched Papa's old warehouses. When I arrived, several men were moving the boxes out, one by one.

I yelled, "Stop! Who said you could touch the things in there?"

The leading man explained, "Donna Ricci, Don Ricci told us to double-check all the old dock records and make sure there weren't any other mistakes."

Word of this spread quickly through the old docks.

Everyone knew that Vincenzo had ordered a review of all the records my Papa left behind because of those incorrect signal codes. People started gossiping that an incompetent woman had taken over Donna's position.

I was leaving for good the next day, so I didn't bother with the gossip. But suddenly, angry shouts came from outside.

One of Papa's men, Marcello Rossi, was gripping a young man by the collar. The young man's nose was bleeding, but he was still smirking.

"Am I wrong, though? She even got the signal code wrong and risked the convoy's lives. What right does she have to be Donna?"

Hearing that, Marcello punched him again in anger.

Siena ran over, first telling her own man to stop, then looking at Marcello. "You acted violently and must be held responsible."

Marcello sneered. "I don't need you to teach me how to do things."

Siena didn't argue back. She just said, "Since Melisenda doesn't have what it takes, I'll temporarily take over the old warehouses with my men. That's the safest option."

"Don't you dare!" Marcello gripped the keys tightly.

Siena said no more, but gave Marcello a once-over and snorted.

The next morning, Vincenzo announced that he was stripping Marcello of his position in the Famiglia and transferring him away from the old warehouses.

The reason he gave was simple.

Marcello publicly assaulted Siena's man the night before and refused to cooperate with the investigation, defying orders.

By the time I reached the headquarters, I saw Siena standing to the side, satisfaction on her face.

I didn't speak up for Marcello. I just said, "If anything happens, I'll take responsibility."

Marcello was one of the men Papa left behind. I couldn't let Vincenzo chase him away because of me.

Vincenzo finally agreed, but asked me to keep my private warehouse and the Famiglia business separate to avoid any further complications.

That was precisely what I wanted.

I handed over the documents the lawyer had prepared in advance.

The first few pages confirmed that the old warehouses under my name would be removed from the Famiglia's operations and that I'd be responsible for them myself from then on.

The next few pages contained the divorce agreement.

Vincenzo was dealing with last night's weapons shipment, so he only briefly scanned the documents before signing each page I'd marked.

Before dawn, I went back to the manor, took the divorce agreement out of the folder, and finally relaxed when I saw Vincenzo's signature on it.

Tomorrow would be the day I leave.