ログインNot long after I got back to Sicily, I received the Commission's ruling. They'd reviewed the bar recordings, the money trail, and the hospital records. They found that Elena had known I was pregnant, had set up the game anyway, and had deliberately kept me from getting help after I started bleeding.The Rossi family couldn't protect her.She was stripped of protection and locked up in the Commission's private prison in Brooklyn.The ruling came with footage from the scene. Before she was taken away, Elena kept screaming Luca's name, reminding him that she was carrying his only son. He never said a word.Three weeks later, Hans told me Elena had miscarried in prison.Hans also found out it had happened in a security camera's blind spot. The guard on patrol that night had left his post, and a payment from a Moretti shell company had just landed in his offshore account.So in the end, Luca had killed the very child he'd called "an heir for both families."When I heard, all I said was, "I
"Put the gun down."Luca stopped, his finger still on the trigger.He turned toward me but kept the gun trained on Elena. "Serafina, she killed our baby. All I have to do is kill her—""Will killing her bring our baby back?"The gun dipped a little."I don't need you to kill someone to prove you love me." I looked at him. "All I want is to take back everything I gave you over the past six years."My father raised a hand, and Hans laid three documents out on the table.The first gave Moretti ships permission to enter the Mediterranean."Six years ago, your ships couldn't even get through the Strait of Sicily. The Bellini family opened those shipping routes for you. As of today, that authorization is revoked."The second showed who actually held a controlling interest in two New York docks.Luca snatched up the papers. "These are Moretti docks!""You only run them." I pointed at the signature on the last page. "The anonymous company that paid the full purchase price for you and vouched f
Luca advanced on Elena, one slow step at a time.Elena backed away in terror. "I just wanted to scare her! You're the one who didn't believe she was in the hospital. You're the one who dragged her to the bar.""Shut up!"Luca slapped her across the face.Elena stumbled against the corner of the table and clutched her cheek as it quickly reddened and swelled."How dare you hit me?" she screamed. "Luca, you're the one who offered to come to my prenatal checkups. You cooked for me. You left Sophia behind again and again. You loved being needed, so what gives you the right to put all the blame on me now?""You knew how much she went through during IVF. But you still announced to all of New York that I was pregnant with your son, didn't you? You're the one who humiliated her at the gala. You're the one who called her unreasonable!"Luca grabbed her by the jaw. "So you used me to kill her baby?""Used you?" Elena laughed through her tears. "All I ever had to do was make one phone call, and y
Hans hooked my phone up to the living room speakers.When Luca dragged me into that bar, I already knew Elena wanted more than to clear the air.As soon as we got to the private room, I'd started recording on my phone and slipped it into the inside pocket of my jacket.Hans played the first clip with the background noise reduced.On the recording, Gina asked, "When the bottle lands on Sophia, you really want her to go kiss the first guy she sees?"Elena laughed. "Luca won't allow it. He'll make her drink. Whichever one she picks, she's not walking out of here tonight with any dignity."Elena's hand froze halfway to her eyes."We were only joking!"Hans let the recording play.Glasses clinked on the recording. Then Gina spoke again. "The chair's already been moved behind her, and the floor's coated with pine oil. She'll slip on that, won't she?""Good. Let her take a nice ugly fall," Elena said.Luca clenched his fists, then turned and grabbed Elena hard by the shoulders. "You... really
Luca finally snapped out of it and seized my hand."So you're a Bellini. What does that change?" he said in a rush. "We've been together eight years. We've been married for six. You can't just walk away."Behind my father, his bodyguards all put their hands on their guns at once. Only then did Luca let go of me.His tone softened. "If it's Elena's baby that bothers you, I'll swear before the whole Moretti family that I'll never see Elena alone again. And that child... will have nothing to do with the Moretti family. I'll put it in my will. Just stay.""You're a joke, Luca. My baby died because of you, and you're still talking to me about another child's inheritance."I pulled my hand back. "I'm not leaving you over a will.""I loved you for eight years. I was with you from the days when you were a second son with no claim to anything, all the way to where you are now. I used to think that if I could just hold on a little longer, you'd finally put me before Elena. Instead, you forced li
Hans glanced at the takeout Luca had brought back. "With all the restaurants near this hospital," he said coldly, "you still managed to pick food she can't eat."Luca clenched his jaw. "From now on, I'll take care of Sophia myself. I don't need you butting in.""I got her to the hospital and looked after her until she was safely discharged. She was in your care for less than a day before she lost the baby." Hans didn't back down an inch. "Your promises aren't worth anything."Luca pressed his lips together. He couldn't argue with that."She's my wife. You're an outsider. Don't you know you're supposed to keep your distance from a married woman?"I set the spoon back in the bowl."You gave another woman your sperm behind your wife's back and didn't think you were crossing a line. What gives you the right to lecture anyone about keeping their distance?"Luca went red in the face, but this time he didn't storm out and slam the door the way he usually did.The next day, Elena showed up in







