DIVORCE 1

Ocean is in his office reviewing territory reports when Daniel walks in with an expression that means bad news.

"Boss, we have a situation."

Ocean sets down the report and looks up. Daniel has been his right-hand man for twenty years. He knows the difference between a problem and a crisis. That look means crisis.

"What is it?"

Daniel closes the door even though Ezra is standing guard outside. Whatever this is, it's sensitive.

"It's about Ethan." Daniel sets a folder on Ocean's desk. "He filed divorce papers this morning."

Ocean goes very still. "He what?"

"Divorce. From Lola. The papers went through our family lawyer about three hours ago. It's official."

For a moment, Ocean just stares at the folder. Then he opens it with careful, controlled movements.

Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. Ethan Moretti versus Lola Moretti. Filed today. Already processed through the family's connections in the court system.

Already done.

"That fucking idiot." Ocean's voice is quiet, but there's steel underneath. "Does he understand what this means?"

"I think he understands perfectly." Daniel's face is grim. "That's why he did it."

Ocean leans back in his chair, his mind racing through the implications.

In their world, divorce isn't like it is for normal people. You don't just file papers and go your separate ways. There are rules. Old rules that have been in place since long before Ocean became Capo.

When a man divorces his wife in the organization, she becomes unmarked property. Unprotected. And unprotected women in their world have only two fates: elimination or the brothels.

The collection crew comes within seventy-two hours. Usually Volkov's men, since they handle that particular side of the business. They take the divorced women and either kill them quietly or ship them to the brothels in Eastern Europe where they disappear forever.

It's a brutal system. Ocean has always hated it, has privately thought it's barbaric and outdated. But he's never challenged it because challenging the old rules means making enemies with the traditional families, and he's had enough wars over the years.

But now that rule is going to kill Lola.

"He's doing this deliberately," Ocean says. "After I confronted him about the abuse, he decided this was the easiest way to get rid of her. Make it look legitimate. No one will question a divorce."

"That's what I figured too." Daniel shifts his weight. "And she has no family. No one to protect her. No one to claim her as their responsibility."

"So the collection crew will come for her in..." Ocean checks the date on the papers. "Seventy-two hours from this morning. Three days."

"Less now. It's already been a few hours."

Ocean stands and walks to the window. His mansion sprawls below, guards patrolling the grounds, staff moving through the halls. All this power, all this influence, and he can't simply order the collection not to happen. The rule is older than his authority. Backed by all the traditional families who see it as necessary for security.

If a divorced woman lives, she might talk. Might give away family secrets. Might become a liability.

It's better to eliminate the problem.

That's the thinking, anyway.

"Does she know?" Ocean asks. "Does Lola know what divorce means in our world?"

"I don't know. Ethan might have kept her in the dark about the darker rules. She's been isolated for four years."

So she might not even realize she's been sentenced to death. Might think divorce means freedom, a chance to start over.

She has no idea that in three days, men will come to collect her and she'll never be seen again.

Ocean's hands curl into fists. His son did this. His own son signed a death warrant for his wife because she had the audacity to be abused by him and have someone notice.

"There has to be a way to stop it," Ocean says.

"Only one way, boss." Daniel's voice is careful. "If another man claims her before the seventy-two hours are up. If someone marries her immediately, she's protected. That's the loophole in the rule."

Ocean turns from the window. "Then we find someone to marry her."

"Who?" Daniel spreads his hands. "Who in our organization is going to marry Ethan's ex-wife? That would be seen as a direct insult to him. A declaration that you think he's wrong, that you're protecting someone he threw away. It would cause problems. Maybe even open conflict."

"I don't care about Ethan's feelings..."

"It's not just about his feelings, boss. It's about respect. Hierarchy. If someone in our organization marries her, it looks like they're defying Ethan's decision. Taking his property. Even though she's divorced, there's still... politics involved."

Ocean knows Daniel is right. The organization runs on respect and hierarchy and unspoken rules about who can do what. Taking another man's ex-wife, even to save her life, would be seen as aggressive. Provocative.

"What about someone outside our organization?" Ocean suggests. "Someone neutral? Or from a different family?"

"Same problem. Whoever marries Ethan's ex-wife is making a statement. They're saying he's wrong. They're painting him as the villain. No one wants that kind of enemy, especially not over a woman they don't even know."

"So we're saying no one in London will marry her because they're afraid of offending my son?" Ocean's voice is hard with anger.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Daniel looks uncomfortable. "I know it's not fair. I know she doesn't deserve this. But that's the reality of our world."

Ocean starts pacing. There has to be a solution. Has to be some way to save her.

"What if I ordered someone to marry her? As Capo?"

"You could try. But forcing someone into marriage... that's going to breed resentment. And whoever you pick will be a target for Ethan's anger. You'd be putting them in danger."

"What about paying someone? A substantial amount of money?"

"Maybe. But again, money doesn't protect them from Ethan's retaliation. And most of our men are smart enough to know that no amount of money is worth being on his bad side."

Ocean stops pacing and stares at Daniel. "So you're telling me there's no one in our entire organization who will marry her? No one with enough courage or compassion to save an innocent woman's life?"

Daniel meets his gaze steadily. "I'm telling you that fear of consequences is stronger than compassion. You know that, boss. You've built your power on that principle."

It's true. Ocean has spent thirty years making people afraid to cross him, afraid to disobey, afraid to show weakness. He's created a culture where people protect themselves first and worry about morality later.

And now that culture is going to kill someone who doesn't deserve it.

"Start making calls," Ocean says. "Contact every captain, every soldier, every made man in our organization. Offer money, offer favors, offer whatever it takes. Someone must be willing."

"Boss..."

"Do it, Daniel. We have less than seventy-two hours."

Daniel nods and pulls out his phone. "I'll see what I can do."

He leaves the office, and Ocean is alone with his thoughts. He walks back to the window and looks out at his empire. All this power, and he can't save one woman without causing a political shitstorm.

The irony isn't lost on him.