Chapter 3

Antonio slammed a stack of ledgers onto the dining table so hard the dishes rattled.

"Last month, five million dollars went missing from the Palermo port smuggling accounts, and Interpol even raided the underground bank we use for laundering! Sofia, what kind of finance chief are you!"

My eyes went wide. I stepped forward and opened the ledger.

I'd been in Mexico for two months. I hadn't approved a single large payment the whole time.

But my signature was right there on the transfer slips. It even had the little flick I always added at the end. I knew at a glance that Bella had copied it.

I whipped around to look at Bella.

Bella was pale and shaking all over, shrinking back behind Victor.

"For the past two months, I've been in..." I'd barely started when Victor suddenly pressed down on my shoulder and cut me off.

"Uncle, these are the main family's books. I'll handle it."

Antonio struck the floor with his cane and gave a cold laugh.

"Handle it yourself? Sofia served your father. For all we know, you'll cover for her! Today she faces punishment under the family code!"

Victor's eyes went cold. He pulled a stack of photos from inside his jacket and threw them on the table.

"If you want to talk about the family code at the dining table, why don't we start with my cousin quietly dipping into the armory's funds?"

Antonio clearly hadn't seen that coming. His face stiffened.

Victor didn't push it any further. His voice was cold.

"All of you, step outside. I'll explain the missing five million to everyone myself."

Antonio's face darkened, but all he could do was grit his teeth and lead his men to the council hall to wait.

Victor pulled Bella and me into the soundproof safe room.

The moment the door shut, Bella burst into tears.

"Victor, I didn't mean to! Last month, I saw an antique necklace I loved, and my classmates kept egging me on to rent a yacht... I thought it was an account my sister had set aside for spending money. I really didn't know it would get the police involved!"

I was shaking with rage. I raised my hand to slap her.

"Bella! The port accounts are untouchable, and you forged my signature to dip into our laundering funds!"

Victor caught my wrist, his voice low.

"This isn't the time to point fingers. I've held Antonio off for now, but the raid on the underground bank is serious. We have to settle this with the council of elders!"

I shook off his hand. "Settle it how? By having Bella confess?"

Victor frowned, his voice decisive.

"No. Under the family code, anyone who steals from the laundering account loses their right hand. Bella's painting career would be over, and she could never marry me without a stain on her name. Sofia, tell the council that an accounting mistake you made in Mexico caused the cash-flow shortfall. You have deep roots in the family. At most, the elders will strip you of your position. They'd never dare kill you."

The safe room was dead silent. I could even hear my own teeth grinding.

"Victor, when the old Don handed me the books, I swore I'd never take a single cent! And now you want me to admit to cooking them? You know better than anyone what that means for a finance chief in Sicily. I'll be branded a traitor for the rest of my life!"

Victor gripped my shoulders and softened his voice. His eyes pleaded with me.

"Sofia, I'll owe you one. Bella's not like you. She'd barely survive a session in the punishment room. You've shielded her so many times. Do it for me. Protect her one last time. Losing your position is only temporary. Once things blow over, I'll give you a better life."

Then Bella scrambled over, threw her arms around my legs, and sobbed so hard she could barely breathe.

"Sis, I can't paint without my hand! I swear I'll never do it again. Please, for Mom and Dad's sake, save me one more time..."

The bullet wound in my side was still aching.

And now the two people I'd once been closest to were teaming up to throw me to the wolves.

I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, they were bone-dry.

I pulled away, took out a white handkerchief, wiped the spot where Victor had touched me, and threw it in the trash.

"Fine. I'll take the fall."