No Turning Back

The call cut off abruptly.I could feel his anxiety crackling through the static.I pressed a hand to my abdomen. The pain there was nothing compared to the tearing inside me.Hot liquid seeped through the fabric of my evening gown.The agony was so intense it left me numb, sharp and clear.Thirty minutes ago, I'd been ambushed during a Black Hand operation at the Ricci compound.I needed Dante's private seal, the only way to get me access to the family's medical team.Facing death, I shakily dialed the encrypted number only core family members knew."Dante… I'm trapped at the North Docks. Get me the seal. I need a doctor…""What is it now?" Dante's voice was a heavily impatient scoff, devoid of any real concern."What a coincidence. Sofia's sick, and now you're hurt, too?""Listen, Elena," he cut me off, his tone ice-cold. "Don't call again. Don't disturb Sofia's rest. I'll hold you responsible."His indifferent words still echoed in my ears.With what little strength I had left, I se

"Fifty million dollars."Marco slid the bill file across the table to me."Seventeen transfers within the last month, all going to Miss Sofia's personal account."As I checked the assets, I found my personal account held only three thousand dollars.Not enough for Sofia's tea.But the transfer records were pulled up, each bearing my digital signature.I frowned. "I didn't authorize these transactions."Marco looked uneasy. "The signature is real, and your private seal is on it. It looks like Don Ricci stamped it himself."I was silent for a moment, then remembered that when we got married, I'd given Dante my private seal as a sign of trust."There's worse," Marco opened another file. "Three days ago, Don Ricci borrowed three hundred million dollars from the Escobar cartel in Colombia, in the family's name. He invested it in a crypto mining project with a ten percent weekly interest rate."My fingernails dug into the table."Notify all core members. Emergency meeting in one hour."The a

"This is impossible!"Dante snatched the contract from Carlos's hand.There, stamped clear as day, was the Ricci family's crest of black thorns."Impossible!" he scowled. "This contract's been tampered with… Elena! It was you, wasn't it?"Hearing this, Sofia looked at me with watery eyes."Elena, I don't know how you managed this, but I'm telling you, just pay. You don't want to know what happens if Escobar finds out."I looked at them innocently."Dante, didn't you say you borrowed the money under the family name? Why are you so surprised now?"As soon as I finished speaking, the clock struck midnight.With a nod from Carlos, the men behind him scattered, beginning to take whatever they could see.Dante's face darkened at the sight."What is this?"Carlos just smiled."If you can't produce the cash, we'll find it ourselves.""Just know I warned you. If it's not enough to cover the debt, don't blame us if things get rough."Dante seemed to realize something and turned to me."You… you

"We should be the ones thanking you," the voice on the other end said, a hint of amusement in his tone. "The money laundering evidence against the Ricci family is solid.""It took three years of dealing with scum," I let out a breath. "Was it worth it?""You'll have other rewards, Miss Moretti." The agent paused. "In exchange, the FBI will cease investigation into your Sicilian assets.""Thank you."I hung up.My mind flashed back a few days.The man who’d given me the calling card was now an SAIC at the FBI.If my father hadn't saved his life when he was a junior agent, none of this would have been this easy.After hearing about my difficulties, he took only half a day to finalize the contracts.The cold wind hit my face. I realized I had unconsciously rolled down the car window.In the past, Sofia disliked the smell of smoke, so I always opened a window to air the car out. Not anymore.Marco glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Donna, where to next?""The airport," I said, crushing

Three months later."All rise!"The marshal's voice cut through the federal courthouse.I sat in the front row of the gallery, watching the two defendants being led into the courtroom.Dante wore an orange jumpsuit, handcuffs glinting under the harsh lights.His hair was a mess, his eyes hollow. He looked like a ghost of the Don he once was.Escobar had broken one of his arms that day. To save his own skin, he'd finally coughed up whatever few secret assets he had left.With what the Ricci family paid back, it was just enough to clear the debt.He'd saved his skin.And Sofia—The metal wheels of her wheelchair let out a shrill screech.Her legs were wrapped in thick bandages, her face ashen.Escobar's men had spared her life, but the price was her legs."Defendant Dante Ricci," the judge rapped his gavel, "you are charged with money laundering, illegal asset transfer, embezzlement..."The list of charges took a solid five minutes to read.Dante kept his head down, silent."Defendant So