Chapter 5

The first thing I did when I got back to the apartment was call Lucas, the boss of New York's second-largest mafia family, and Marcello's sworn enemy.

"Lucas, it's Cora."

A chuckle came through the line. "Well, if it isn't the Don's lady. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"The Cartel controls a shipping company that owns two-thirds of New York's routes. I hold 20% of its shares," I said bluntly. "Market price. It's yours."

There was a two-second silence, followed by roaring laughter.

"Cora, you're a crazy bitch. But I love it. Deal."

Half an hour later, the funds cleared.

The share transfer was official.

Consider it my "wedding gift" to Marcello.

With that done, I pulled a small suitcase from the closet.

A few clothes, my passport, and my own savings.

I didn't take a single thing that belonged to the Cartel.

My flight to Paris was booked for tomorrow.

If I could just survive tonight, I'd be completely free.

At 2:00 AM.

BOOM!

The reinforced apartment door was blown open.

Splinters and metal shrapnel flew everywhere.

I had barely sat up in bed when Marcello charged in, reeking of blood.

Like an uncontrollable beast, he grabbed me by the hair and dragged me off the bed.

"You vicious bitch!"

His eyes were bloodshot, veins popping on his neck as he screamed hysterically.

"Gia miscarried! Because you pushed her, she hemorrhaged! They had to remove her uterus!"

"She’s only twenty! She can never be a mother now!"

My scalp was tearing.

Forced to look up at him, I said coldly, "She threw herself down the stairs."

"You're still lying!" Marcello raised a hand as if to hit me, but smashed his fist into the wall instead.

"The boutique has cameras," I said clearly, fighting the pain. "Go check them. See who's lying."

"Fuck the cameras! I trust what I saw!"

He had lost his mind. He wasn't listening to a word I said.

"Put your clothes on. You're coming with me."

He dragged me out of the apartment like a ragdoll and shoved me into his car.

The sports car tore through the empty New York streets, running a dozen red lights before slamming the brakes in front of a private hospital.

He marched me inside and shoved open the door to a VIP suite.

Gia lay pale on the hospital bed.

When she saw me, she shrank into the blankets, trembling.

"Kneel!"

Marcello kicked the back of my knees.

I hit the hard marble floor heavily.

"Apologize to Gia!" He forced my shoulders down with enough strength to shatter bone.

I clenched my jaw, glaring at the floor in dead silence.

"You think keeping your mouth shut makes this go away?"

His cruel voice echoed in the room.

"Cora, you owe Gia a life. You owe her a whole body."

He paused, letting out a breath.

"Since you ruined her chances of having children, the first baby you have will be given to Gia to raise. It's the least you can do to make it right."

My head snapped up, staring at him in sheer disbelief.

Fighting the pain in my legs, I struggled fiercely.

"Marcello, you're insane! I told you, check the cameras! She grabbed me!"

It fell on deaf ears.

He looked down at me, his eyes entirely void of emotion.

"Not only did you rob her of her baby and her womb, but you sold 20% of the shipping shares to Lucas behind my back!"

He grabbed my jaw, grinding his teeth.

"You caused this mess. Giving her a child is your damn penance!"

Looking at his furious face, I suddenly found it hilarious.

He knew about the shares.

The man who valued his mafia empire above all else had put the 20% share loss second to Gia.