One

***

10 YEARS LATER.

Gabrielle pulled on a white shirt, watching her reflection in the mirror. Faded scars littered her back, a bullet wound at the side of her hip. A deeper scar from a butcher knife graced her stomach like an eerie reminder of how close she had gotten to death at the hands of her own family. She smiled as she remembered the scream of her eldest uncle as she chopped off his toes and fingers. She had wanted to end him, but he was family and Genovese hadn't given her permission.

She grimaced at the memory. Even if she was the Capomandamento, her grandfather was still- what the weaklings that thought knew their family- referred to as Capo dei Capri, the boss of all bosses. A grin tugged on her lips. It was a suitable name when she thought about it. He wielded all control, choosing only to give pieces of the crumbs to those he felt were worthy. He was a snake. He'd lied to her and he was still lying. 

Gabrielle tugged on her three-piece suit, ruffled her short silver hair that highlighted her gray eyes, gave more manliness to her lithe frame, and turned away from the mirror. 

Gabrielle's face was what most people described as a work of art because it was perfectly flawless and she'd have had a lot of suitors asking for her hand but for the fact that her eyes were always afire and her jaw set with a stubborn edge that seemed to warn people off. She also never bothered with accessories. She preferred weapons.

Gabrielle did things on her terms when or how it suited her. Those who challenged her authority never lived to tell the tale.

Picking up her wristwatch, she took a last glance at the mirror, turned, and stepped out of her room. The two bodyguards guarding the door acknowledged her with a short bow. They were her most trusted Soldata. They also treated her as an equal, considering how many times she'd come close to killing them in the heat of the moment when they had fight training. 

She regarded the two men, looking thoughtful. "Words on the street is that the press thinks I've been skipping work because I want to take over the Genovese cartel. Isn't that the most ludicrous thing you've ever heard?" She fixed her wristwatch, her eyebrow furrowed. "I already own the cartel" she got out, meeting the unwavering gaze of her bodyguards. They both said nothing, their mouth set in a thin line. She smiled. They learned fast. They knew not to answer her when she spoke out loud and didn't direct her speech to either of them. 

The two men positioned themselves by her side, as they approached her car. Gabrielle kept her eyes trained for any vulnerable spot. Her rival clan had seemed to be growing more balls as the month rolled by with her quietude. She made a mental note to change the status quo and nip the uprising in the bud. You lay low too much, and children start coming out to play. She shook her head, yanked open the door, and got inside. The guard shut the door and she watched him as he relayed orders to the other undercover guards. 

The ride to their only legal enterprise- that was what her grandfather thought- gave her time to make calls to her most trusted Capo Bastone- Luciano Capone. He'd offered to work with her as soon as she became second in command and Gabrielle didn't regret hiring him. He was competent, money flowed from his enterprise daily, and he was also efficient when it came to tying up loose ends.

It was everything she needed from her workers and more. She assigned him new orders, reminding him of the task she had given him an hour back. She knew such reminders always made him scared shitless but that made him more efficient. There were a lot of ways she used to get people's loyalty. At the moment she wielded violence- both physical and psychological. She also surrounded herself with men. They were easier to work with. They knew what she represented, and they respected It.

The ride to the company was uneventful. Once they arrived, she stepped out of the car and for once let the bodyguard do their jobs, making sure the paparazzi came nowhere near her. The paparazzi- whom she had come to regard as hungry vultures- always wanted to get her image since she was the richest woman at present. 

Their company was the main exporter of the country's precious stones and jewelry. They had their private mine where they employed labor, helping out the unemployed youths, and acting like they were the good guy. No one knew the shady parts of their life- they had their suspicions, but no one dared to question the Genovese. 

Gabrielle also made sure she looked innocent and normal enough. To them, she was just the cartel princess who had everything served on a silver platter. Everyone wanted a piece of the Genovese corporation. They also wanted to unravel the rich heiress that seemed to wield all the powers, the girl who was left in charge of the business despite all the male counterpart Genovese could have had in her place, and whose business ideas brought more wealth to the Genovese empire.

Gabrielle got into the elevator, ignoring the flanks of workers on the lower level who bowed to her in greeting. The ride was noiseless and She stood with her hands in her pants, her thoughts firing off in different directions.

Gabrielle took her cover business seriously, employing only suitable candidates for each position. The business fetched her a lot of money, which in turn helped in facilitating her other enterprises. It was a satisfactory investment. Her consigliere had been the one to plant the idea in her head, and after nights of deliberations, she'd realized that the pros were more than the cons, so she'd plunged everything she could into it. The idea had developed and the pros, as she had predicted outweighed the cons.

The elevator pinged open and She strode out, her gaze fixed on the door to her office, but then she noticed that her assistant spot was empty. Elena quickly ran towards her before she could turn to ask why. 

Gabrielle hated incompetence. It grated on her nerves, making her finger itch to do something.

Elena's voice was a quivering mess when she spoke. "The replacement would be here shortly Sir. you had fired Martin without my knowledge that I only found out about it this morning Sir."

Gabrielle glanced at her. "Is that the excuse you wish to use? Because that would show how ineffective you are," she arched a perfect eyebrow and watched as the woman twiddled her thumbs together and visibly squirmed.

"Let this never repeat itself. Also make sure the next assistant you bring to me knows what he's doing".

Elena nodded, her head almost snapping."Yes Sir. And I am so sorry for my incompetence, this will never happen again. I'll work hard on becoming better" " She rushed out, bowing her head.

"Good," she proceeded to her office, Simone getting the door behind her. The two men took a position at each end of the glass door.

Elena rushed back to her seat, her hands trembling and her heart racing like she had run a marathon. The other five workers cast furtive glances at the other but remained silent.

People who worked on the top floor got paid more, but the fear that went with working with the ice-cold rumored killer didn't help them relax. They all knew Genovese was no ordinary man. He was a Mafioso, and Gabrielle being his successor and also a woman was intriguing. It could only mean she was exactly like him or more evil. It was all speculation but they knew deep down, she was more brutal than all the rumors they had heard about her. 

Making up rules and finding faults were her trademarks. She made sure everything was done to perfection. She handled negotiations like a pro, always getting the best deals out of them, and those who tried to double-cross her ended up in the news, on the obituary section. Freak accident. Happened all the time.

The elevator pinged open, a man stepping through, and distracting them from their reminisce. Their gasps of surprise were the only sound that permeated the otherwise silent room. They watched in a trance as he walked towards Elena. 

The man was fucking gorgeous. He had dark hair, and they were wavy in a sort of mused-up way. His eyes were an Intense blue, that managed to look warm and harsh at the same time. They were such a deep blue, it was hard to look away from. His lips were full, and a sharp jaw completed his flawless striking look. 

It was a face that was meant to be gazed at in craving. He was also tall and was almost as built as the bodyguards that stood guarding the door. He looked like he would make a cool Mafia don, especially with the way he carried himself. Elena was almost speechless by the time he got to her and sat down.

"Hi, I am Angelo Andriacchi. You told me to come in today and start immediately" he brought out his file, his voice a low rumble, accompanied by an easy smile.

Elena cleared her throat, licked her suddenly dry lips, and tried her best not to flirt.

"Yes, but you are late and the boss is already inside. But please, can you try not to get fired on your first day of work? Your resumé looks promising, and I really can't afford to look for another replacement for you. Just listen to everything he tells you and try to do it to perfection. You'll be getting paid triple what we do. Try to last by his side for a month at the most"

His brow furrowed in confusion." I don't understand. I thought the boss was a woman... You keep referring to her as he" he pointed out.

Elena arched an eyebrow, a habit she had picked up from Gabrielle.

"Well, I think you will do well here since you're already making such an observation. Just adhere to it. You'll last longer here with such a mindset. Now, go. You've already kept him waiting for too long, and trust me when I say, he doesn't like to be kept waiting" she got out gravely. 

Angelo twisted to get a better look at the formidable glass door, noticing the men that stood at either side. He collected his working material, discreetly taking note of all the security details put in place. Everything was top-notch. A small smile played on the corner of his lips. Time to enter the lion's den.