Chapter 1

I placed an onyx signet ring on the desk.

The mark of the Corleone family’s consigliere.

“I’m out, Godfather,” I said, my voice calm.

Henry froze. For a split second, I saw a flicker of relief—no, joy—in his eyes.

“Out? What kind of joke is this, Madeline?” He frowned. “The family is in the middle of crucial negotiations with the Colombians, and you pick now to leave?”

“This isn’t a joke.” I ignored his anger. “The handover files are ready. As of now, I’m no longer your consigliere.”

I knew Henry had wanted me gone for a while.

For the last five years, I was the brains of the operation. I’d taken this broke-ass street crew on the verge of collapse and built it into a real family, something with a name.

But as my reputation grew, the gratitude in Henry’s eyes turned to fear.

“Are you threatening me, Madeline?” Henry sneered, leaning back in his chair. “You think the Corleone family can’t run without you? You really think you’re some kind of savior?”

“I never thought that,” I replied coolly.

“Hmph. You’d better not,” Henry seethed, his voice dripping with jealousy. “The old-timers run things by you before they make a decision! Who’s the Godfather here, me or you?”

There it was. The truth.

Paranoid, greedy, and arrogant.

To reclaim his power, he’d spent the last six months chipping away at my influence, peeling off my accounts and turf and handing them to his newly promoted capo, Lucy.

He thought I didn't see it.

In my last life, I stayed because I was sentimental. I couldn't bear to leave the family I’d built from nothing.

But now that I’d seen his true colors, I wasn't about to make the same stupid mistake.

This whole damn family was about to fall apart, and if someone wanted to save it, it wasn't going to be me. I was done.

“If you’re so set on leaving, I won’t stop you.” Henry couldn't wait. He snatched the onyx ring, clutching it in his fist like he was afraid I’d change my mind.

His eyes gleamed with the thrill of having all the power back in his hands.

“But, Madeline, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Henry said, his chin held high in triumph. “Lucy has already promised me she can handle the Colombians. She can even get us a seventy-percent cut. No more of your weak-kneed ‘diplomacy.’”

I laughed to myself.

Lucy. All looks, no brains, and a thirst for power.

She had no idea how savage the Colombians could be.

Of course, she was going to screw it up.

Because she was a plant from a rival family.

I’d found that out by accident while I was on the run in my past life. It explained why she’d deliberately provoked the Colombians. And now, Henry was walking right into her trap, completely clueless.

“Is that so? Well, I wish you both the best,” I said with a slight smile.

The meeting was in three days, right before Christmas. Once she pissed off the Colombians, the war would start. The end of the Corleone family was just days away.

Henry pressed the intercom on his desk.

“Get Lucy and all the elders to the conference room. Now.”

Five minutes later, the room was full.

When Henry announced my official departure, the elders were in an uproar.

“What do you mean? Madeline is the brains of this family!” Vito, one of the old-timers, shot to his feet. “How are we supposed to negotiate with the Colombians without her?”

“Quiet!” Henry shot Vito a cold glare. “Madeline is tired. She needs a rest. We should respect her decision.”

The elders exchanged glances. Anyone could see the desperate haste in Henry’s eyes.

Just then, the conference room doors swung open.

In walked Lucy, teetering on killer heels and dressed in a flashy red suit.

She wore a victor’s smile, and when her eyes landed on the onyx ring on the table, the greed was practically pouring out of them.

“Godfather, you sent for me?” Lucy’s voice was sickly sweet as she shot me a defiant look.

Henry picked up the ring and waved her over.

“Lucy, as of today, you are the new consigliere of the Corleone family. The Colombian negotiation is all yours.”

Lucy’s face lit up. She hurried forward, accepting the ring with both hands.

“Thank you, Godfather! I won’t let you down.” She stared at me, as if declaring my era was over.

“In three days, you will represent the family and meet with the Colombians.” Henry’s voice trembled with excitement. “Remember, our bottom line is a seventy-percent cut. Not a penny less.”

Lucy clutched the files, her laughter echoing. “Don’t you worry, Godfather. I’m not a coward like some people. I’ll make them sign on the dotted line.”

She gave me one last triumphant look and eagerly slid the ring, the symbol of her new power, onto her finger.