Chapter 4

The tension on Victor's face eased, and he reached out to touch my cheek.

"Sofia, I knew you'd always put the family first. Don't worry. From now on, I promise I'll..."

I turned my head away and cut him off.

"But this is the last time. After this, I don't owe either of you anything."

Ten minutes later, we were in the council hall.

Antonio smashed his bone china teacup against my forehead.

The porcelain shattered. Scalding tea mixed with blood ran down my face and blurred the vision in my left eye.

"You traitor! A five-million-dollar shortfall nearly got all our men at the Palermo port killed! Sofia, what do you have to say for yourself?"

I knelt on the floor with my back straight. I didn't wipe away the blood, and I didn't spare a single glance for Victor at the head of the room.

"It was my mistake. I accept the punishment."

Victor sat on the Don's throne. His fingers tightened on the armrest, and for a moment he looked pained.

But he quickly composed himself and made the announcement in front of everyone.

"Sofia neglected her duties. Starting today, she is removed as finance chief and will hand over the books! Bella will take over the accounts for now."

Antonio paused, then frowned at Bella, who stood behind Victor.

"Bella? What does she know about keeping books?"

Victor spoke in a low voice.

"Bella minored in financial management in Paris. She's been learning to manage the books lately. Haven't the elders' expense approvals been going a lot more smoothly these days?"

He pulled Bella into his arms, his gaze sweeping the room.

"And... once Bella graduates, she'll officially become my wife and the family's Donna."

The moment he said it, the council hall erupted.

A few capos whose budgets I'd blocked jumped at the chance to suck up to him.

"Wise choice, Don! We've all seen what Miss Bella can do. She's a lot better than some uptight penny-pincher!"

Kneeling in a pool of blood, I finally understood everything.

Victor had killed two birds with one stone, and brilliantly. He'd kept the woman he loved out of trouble and taken the family's purse strings back from me.

With a blank face, I took out the solid copper vault key I'd carried for five years and set it on the floor.

After I handed over the key, I stayed out of the estate's business completely.

Bella took over the finances. She approved expense requests without much scrutiny, and in just a few days, the estate's spending had multiplied several times over.

The servants always sided with whoever held power. Sometimes, when they passed me in the hallway, they didn't even say hello. They just covered their mouths, snickered, and walked off.

One afternoon a week later, I went to the archive room in the main building to get my passport. On the way, I ran into a few casino bosses coming out of the study, large checks in hand.

On the desk lay a freshly signed investment contract for the Genoa offshore gaming project.

Six months ago, I'd found signs that the Lorenzetti family, our sworn enemies, were behind it. Its ownership structure was a maze.

Victor was reading through a document. I couldn't help warning him.

"Victor, the Genoa project has too many red flags..."

Before I could finish, Bella flinched beside him as if I'd frightened her. She lowered her head, looking hurt, her eyes reddening.

Victor rubbed his forehead and frowned at me.

"Sofia, Bella already talked this through with me. Since she took over, everyone's been saying how well she handles things. Why do you insist on picking on her? I've got people keeping a close eye on Lorenzetti. In Sicily, there's no deal I can't handle."

Then he took a velvet box out of the drawer, slid it across to me, and softened his tone.

"I know you're struggling with the change. This is your birthday present. Sofia, it's time you learned to take life a little easier."

I looked at the box. Suddenly, it all seemed ridiculous.

I'd worked myself half to death for 20 years, and now I was the estate's idle freeloader, good for nothing but envying my own sister.

I didn't reach for it. I turned and walked out of the study.

That night, I went to the family chapel at the end of the second floor.

When I pushed open the wooden door, Don Cordano's black-and-white memorial portrait seemed to look back at me.

I set the gold pocket watch bearing a cross on the altar.

"Don Cordano, I'm sorry. I couldn't protect the books you trusted me with. You raised me, and I've repaid that debt with every bullet hole and scar on my body."

Outside the chapel, the Sicilian night wind carried the salty smell of the sea.

I took a black business card with gilded edges out of the inside pocket of my suit.

Two months ago in Mexico, Dante Moretti, Milan's biggest financial shark and a Don himself, saved my life. Then he watched me untangle accounts holding three hundred million dollars in three hours and pressed this card into my hand.

I took out an encrypted phone that wasn't being monitored and dialed the number.

The call connected quickly, and I heard Dante's low, rich voice.

"Ms. Rinaldi, I've been waiting 53 days for this call."

I looked out the window at the vast night sky and spoke calmly.

"Mr. Moretti, does your offer of the CEO position still stand?"