Chapter 2

I stood frozen, holding the necklace in both hands.

"What do you mean?"

Mia gave a soft laugh.

"Before I married into the family, of course I had to keep you happy."

She casually took the necklace out of my hands.

"Everyone knows Oliver treats you like his own sister. If I upset you and you threw a fit, there's no telling whether all those generous gifts would have made it to the Nolan family.

"But it's different now. I'm Oliver's wife.

"Of the 13 docks and 72 crews, which one doesn't Oliver run? The managers listen to him, and when something goes wrong, they go to him. You're just an orphan the Don picked up."

As she spoke, she took a black envelope from my desk.

Inside were the keys to the family's safe house network, the informant list, and the keys to the offshore accounts.

"I'll hold on to this for now."

I reached out to stop her, but she dodged.

"What gives you the right?"

She braced both hands on the desk and looked at me.

"Then tell me this: How much money went through that seafood company in Miami last year?"

I faltered and said nothing.

"How long has Hansen at the north dock union worked for us?"

I still didn't say anything.

"And the man we planted in the police department? What rank is he now?"

I stayed silent.

She scoffed.

"You don't even know what those three things are.

"Of the 47 safe houses, nine were due for inspection last month. You didn't go. Oliver sent people. There are 31 names on the informant list, and half their files need updating this year. Oliver signs them. If the offshore account keys expire, the bank recognizes only the person registered most recently. That person is Oliver too."

She sat back on the couch.

"And who knows how much of the family's money you've spent over the years. So from now on, you only get a little pocket money every month. That's plenty for you. Don't be so greedy, Sofia."

"I'm spending my own money."

My voice rose in anger.

She sneered.

"Your money?

"Have you handled a single deal all these years? Without Oliver working himself to death for you, do you think the Norman family's money just appears out of thin air?"

I was about to answer when she raised a hand to cut me off and had her people bring over a stack of papers.

The top document was titled "Asset Transfer Agreement."

"Oliver has run the docks, casinos, and crews in your name for years. You don't understand any of it. Sign the agreement and put the assets in his name, so the books are easier to keep straight."

I flipped through it.

There was another sheet tucked in among the papers listing my holdings. When I picked it up, my hand froze in midair.

It was a marriage agreement.

I held back my anger and demanded an answer.

"What is this?"

"He's the Velli family's advisor, out on the East Coast. I already looked into him for you."

She took out another agreement.

"As long as you marry him, our two families' decades-long feud will be over, and we'll get a big pile of money too.

"If you agree, I won't make you pay back everything you've spent over the years."

She looked down her nose at me, like she was doing me a huge favor.

I stared back at her, my voice ice-cold.

"Who said you could arrange a marriage for me?"

"I made that call for the good of the family, obviously."

She laid a hand on her stomach, smug and greedy.

"Once you're married off, our baby will be here before long.

"My child would make a better heir to the Norman family than someone like you who can't even read a ledger."

Now I finally understood.

She didn't just want my money. She wanted to use me as a bargaining chip and marry me off, then have her own child take my place as the Don's heir.

I picked up the marriage agreement and tore it up right in front of her.

"Mia, let me tell you something. I'm the only heir to the Norman family. You don't get to decide what happens to my property or who I marry."

Her expression darkened. She stood up and got right in my face.

"Heir? You don't even know how much the family makes, how many businesses it has, or who the managers are. You just got a title because you're the favorite."

I didn't flinch. I answered calmly.

"You need to understand that Oliver works for me too. Everything you have belongs to me. Even his position as advisor is something I gave him."

Mia gave me a cold look.

"Enough! How many more years are you going to keep telling that bedtime story?

"Everyone knows Oliver has kept the Norman family running for ten years. You're just a spoiled adopted daughter, and you think you can be Donna?"

She stared at me, and when I didn't react, the last of her smile disappeared.

She grabbed my wrist and slapped the transfer agreement down on the desk.

"Sofia, have I been too easy on you? You're signing this today!"

Still gripping my hand, she tried to force it onto the paper.

I struggled to pull away. Then someone kicked the door open and roared.

"Mia! What are you doing?"