Chapter 3

After Marlow left, Nina circled me once, and finding my face calm, she felt a little deflated.

I couldn't stop myself from asking, "Why did you tell the Don all that?"

Nina folded her arms, lifted her chin, and answered like she had every right to. "I'm an honest good girl. If I lie, my nose grows like Pinocchio's."

"And yesterday you said it yourself. I'm stolen!"

It was true. I'd said it the day before, to punish her.

So this was deliberate. She was punishing me right back.

And even "a bullet from the Family" hadn't fazed her.

A chill went through me. I made myself ask, "What if you really aren't mine? What if your real parents were bad people, and I took you away from them?"

I paused, clinging to one last thread of hope. "Would you really call the Don?"

"He's Daddy and Mommy's boss. His word is law. He really will put a bullet in Mommy."

Nina clapped her hands, thrilled.

"Of course I would! I'm an honest good girl!"

The words knocked the breath out of me.

I didn't know when Vincent had come back, but he'd been standing in the doorway for a while.

His face was dark. "Nina, I'm warning you. No calling the Don whenever you feel like it, and no posting videos about this family. You hear me?"

Then he sighed and rubbed my back. "She's still little... maybe when she's grown... she'll understand when she's grown."

Watching the hurt on my face, Nina covered her mouth and giggled.

Was she actually pleased she'd gotten away with it?

Seven years of caring for her, and this was what it bought me.

With my temper, I should have cut ties long ago.

But seven years. Seven whole years.

Did she really not care about us at all?

Nina, I would give you one more chance.

But this was the last one.

Looking at the number clutched tight in her hand, I said, deliberately, "Nina, you really aren't mine by blood. The file on your real parents is locked in the safe at home."

"From now on you learn to respect your mom and dad. If you don't change, we'll send you back to them."

At that, the careless look finally vanished from her face.

In its place came a flicker of unease.

She tugged at Vincent, her voice catching. "Daddy, is it true what Mommy said?"

In the end, Vincent went soft, though he kept his tone rough. "Mommy's just scaring you, since you can't keep that mouth shut. Let's see if you run it again."

Nina's tears turned to a grin. Hands on her hips, she pouted. "I knew you were just scaring me! I knew it wasn't real!"

"Hmph! This year I'm wishing on Santa to send me back to my real parents. I hate Mommy!"

She said it, then stared straight at my face on purpose.

I gave her the hurt look she wanted, and sure enough she smiled wider.

So that was it. She just liked hurting me.

She'd always believed she was mine by blood, and that was why she felt safe enough to wound me however she pleased.

Seven years of love, and she'd turned it into a license to do whatever she wanted.

Something in me went cold for good.

I didn't say another word to her.

And I didn't see the venom crawling into her eyes at my silence.

That night, I heard the bedroom door handle turn.

A small shape slipped inside.

Three minutes later, it slipped back out.

A little while later my phone chimed with a text from Marlow. "Your daughter called me. Says I should punish you, and hard... Sophia, if it comes to it, let the child go."

I gripped the phone and got up to deal with the safe. I'd made my decision.

But just then a new notification came in.

The Family group chat.

"@Sophia, uh oh, your Nina's acting up again!"

Nina had posted another TikTok.

I opened it and went rigid.

In the video, Nina sobbed straight into the camera for a crowd of total strangers.

"Somebody please save me! My mommy stole me! The proof is hidden in the safe at my house!"

"My mommy's a scary mafia lady! Bring lots of people!"