Chapter 3

My gaze landed on Sofia’s chest.

Pinned to her dress was an ancient bronze brooch shaped like a double-headed serpent. In the eyes of the snake sat two incredibly rare blood diamonds.

That wasn't just jewelry. That was the Sigil of the Papa—the supreme token left to me by my father, the previous "Pope" of the Mafia. I kept it locked in a hidden safe.

Noticing my stare, Sofia gasped theatrically, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Oh! Isabella, I saw this old thing gathering dust in the study's secret drawer. I thought it was such a shame to leave it there, so I borrowed it. You aren't mad about such a little thing, are you?"

Before I could speak, Mia jumped to her defense.

"Mom, just give it to Auntie Sofia. That piece of junk looks like something an old woman selling bootleg cigarettes would wear. It only looks classy because Auntie Sofia is wearing it."

Leo chimed in, "Yeah, Mom. You lecture us for twenty minutes about saving a few percent on laundering fees, but you hoard expensive stuff that doesn't even suit you."

The absurdity of it almost made me laugh.

When I married Lorenzo, he couldn't even pay the priest.

I hid my identity to protect his fragile male ego. I walked on knives for him. I used the Corleone intelligence network to feed him territory.

Every bullet I saved, every discount I negotiated on arms deals, became the foundation of Lorenzo’s power in Palermo. It was the bedrock of their spoiled, luxurious lives.

And now, my prudence was my sin.

"Take it off," I said. My voice wasn't loud, but it carried the weight of absolute command.

Sofia flinched, startled by the sudden shift in my aura. She fumbled with the clasp. "I-Isabella, don't be angry, I'm giving it back..."

As she handed it to me, her fingers "slipped."

Clack.

The brooch, the symbol of the highest authority in the underworld, hit the marble floor. One of the blood diamonds shattered upon impact.

"Ah! I didn't mean to!" Sofia shrieked, instantly cowering behind Lorenzo.

"Get out." I pointed at the door. I articulated every syllable with lethal precision. "Take your people and get the hell out of my house."

"Mom! Are you crazy? It's just a broken pin!" Leo stepped in front of Sofia, looking at me with the hatred one reserves for a rival gang member.

Mia stomped her foot. "Why are you so aggressive?! You scared Auntie Sofia!"

Lorenzo frowned, looking at me with exhausted disappointment, as if dealing with a hysterical woman.

"Isabella, you're losing your mind. It's an accessory. There’s a limit to how petty you can be. Sofia is my sister. Where is your grace as the Don’s wife?"

I looked at these three people—the people I had vowed to protect with my life.

And I felt nothing. The love was dead.

I didn't scream. instead, I smiled. A cold, terrifying smile.

"Fine. Very well."

I turned and walked up the stairs without sparing them another glance.

Back in the master bedroom, my phone buzzed. A Facebook notification.

Sofia had just posted a new status.

The photo showed her flanked by my children, who were kissing her cheeks. On her finger was a ring Lorenzo had just given her—a ring reserved strictly for Capos and inner circle members.

The caption read:

"To the victor go the spoils. Some people only have the title, but I have the Empire."

I swiped the screen blank, my expression unchanging. I dialed my Chief Financial Advisor.

"Effective immediately, sever all of Lorenzo's money laundering channels. Freeze his assets in Colombia. Burn the bridge."