Chapter 1

When I still hadn't submitted my orders, Lorenzo frowned and told me to hurry.

"Emily and I have already locked in access to the central estate. Move it. Pick a border outpost and take it over."

I stared at the decoy coordinates marked in red on the tactical terminal and felt nothing.

I'd gotten top marks on the family's live-fire evaluation, better than I'd ever done in a combat drill.

I was more than capable of running the central defense grid they'd just been fighting over.

But once the evaluation was over, nobody asked about the wound on my arm.

When the results were posted, nobody cared about my firepower rating, either.

All because the moment Emily left the smoke-filled training ground, she'd burst into frightened tears.

"Those explosions were so scary. My hands have gone all weak. How am I supposed to get away if we're attacked?"

My mother said a firepower rating didn't mean anything. If they had to, they'd spend a fortune on an entire mercenary unit to protect her.

Lorenzo just flicked the ash off his cigarette, unbothered.

"What's there to worry about? You can have your pick of my businesses, and you can command all the family's heavy weapons.

"Emily, even if you miss every single shot, you'll still be safer than Selena.

"When things really get dangerous, I'll send every alert from my intelligence network straight to you, and I'll have Selena cover you from outside."

Deep down, they all thought I was just a stepping stone, there to make Emily look even more precious.

She was small and delicate, exactly the type who made mob bosses feel like heroes.

Every boss who came to the estate was all smiles with her and couldn't do enough for her.

Meanwhile, I was the real daughter who followed every rule. I didn't know how to charm people or show weakness.

Even my most trusted men only ever had one blunt thing to say about me.

"Selena follows the rules to the letter."

When I was first brought back to the family, I thought that was the highest praise a killer could get.

So when my mother saved the best bulletproof vests for Emily, I never complained about my worn-out tactical gear.

When my brother brought hidden sleeve darts back from the black market just for Emily, I didn't object to getting by with a knife.

Even during ambushes, when Emily hid in the basement safe room and I froze in the air ducts, I never threw a fit.

Because every time the danger passed, my mother's gaze would linger on me a few seconds longer.

She'd say in that satisfied tone, "Selena's so mature. She knows how to share the family's burdens."

Every time territory was divided, Emily got the family's most profitable businesses.

I was sent to collect protection money in the slums, a thankless job, and spent my days on small-time rackets that barely paid.

I didn't even get to stand beside them at the strategy map, let alone have a say.

This time, I'd finally fought my way into the top ranks in the evaluation.

But they took it for granted that I was still only good as cannon fodder.

I swallowed the bitterness and couldn't help asking, "Lorenzo, you told me before that the Sicilian docks were at the heart of your strategy. Are you really not going to defend them?"

Lorenzo froze for a moment, then scoffed as though the answer were obvious. "What's the difference between the central estate and the border dock? Right now, what matters is where Emily wants to go."

Lorenzo had told me countless times that his ambition was to control every smuggling route through the docks.

Now, just because Emily shed a few tears and said she wanted to stay at the central estate, he'd tossed that dream aside without a second thought.

Suddenly, I couldn't see the point in arguing anymore.

After a long silence, I let my finger hover at the very bottom of the holographic screen.

In the destination field, I entered the coordinates of a dark web base in North Africa.

It was a no-man's-land on the edge of lawless territory.

A full 1,200 miles from Sicily.

My finger came down. Submit. Access confirmed.

The argument in the hall went on and on. Nobody noticed the brief update on the screen.

Lorenzo pulled Emily behind him as if he were afraid I'd suddenly grab the access card to the core zone.

"Selena, stop standing there. Hurry up and finish the handoff for the decoy post.

"The Russian hit men will be landing soon. Get over there early and set up the defense line. Stop wasting time here."

I looked away from them and shut off the tactical terminal.

"I've already sent my orders."

Emily immediately peeked out from behind Lorenzo's shoulder.

"Selena, you're amazing. With you defending the outer line, Lorenzo and I can rest easy."

I shot her a cold look, said nothing, and walked out.

Behind me, Emily raised her voice, sounding hurt. "Lorenzo, did you see her attitude? I was being nice and complimenting her, and she won't even answer me?"

Lorenzo slammed his glass down on the mahogany table.

"Good riddance. What else is she good for besides killing people? Ever since we brought her back, she's walked around like everyone owes her something. If I'd known, I never would've brought her home."

I didn't stop walking, and the heavy door finally shut out the cursing behind me.