Chapter 4

By September, the Feast of San Gennaro had come around again.

Fall in New York brought cold wind and rain. This was the family's most important day of the year.

By tradition, the first glass of wine offered at the start of the festival procession had to be poured by a Moretti.

It wasn't just a show of reverence for the patron saint. It also told all of New York whose territory this was.

This year, the main altar stood along Mulberry Street in Little Italy.

The rain had stopped, and the air smelled like grilled sausage and zeppole.

I stood at the far edge of the viewing stand, a black umbrella in my hand.

At the altar, Victoria cut a dignified, commanding figure in an elegantly tailored black coat.

Vince was at her side in a well-cut suit. Together, they looked like power personified.

Uncle Silvio had been invited too, but he'd only been given an armchair in the second row.

He gazed up at Victoria on the stage, beaming with pride.

The appointed hour arrived.

"Let the offering begin," the master of ceremonies called out.

Victoria didn't call for me.

She walked straight up to the statue of the saint, opened an expensive bottle of Barolo herself, and poured it into a golden chalice.

Then she and Vince stood side by side and raised their glasses to the neighborhood below.

Thousands of mobsters and locals broke into thunderous applause.

"Long live Victoria!"

"Here's to the Moretti family having a prosperous year!"

The cheers rolled on, wave after wave. No one noticed me standing in the corner.

It was as if I'd become invisible, as if I didn't matter at all.

After the festival, the crowd slowly thinned out.

I closed my umbrella and got ready to leave.

"Isabella, wait a second."

Victoria's voice came from behind me.

She and Vince came over together, her expression as composed as ever.

Vince took a thin white envelope out of his briefcase and held it out to me.

"Isabella, today was so busy I almost forgot something important."

His voice carried clearly down the emptying street.

"At last week's family meeting, the committee voted to freeze your dividend account because you missed it without an excuse."

He looked at me with something like fatherly concern.

"Sweetheart, it's time you grew up and learned how to support yourself.

"There's $500 in cash in here. From now on, the finance department will transfer the same amount to you every week."

He tucked the envelope into my coat pocket and straightened my collar while he was at it.

"Learn to manage your money. No more spending like you used to.

"This is so you can become independent sooner."

Victoria stood to one side, took a sip of strong coffee from her thermos, and nodded.

"That's right, Isabella. Vince is only doing this for your own good.

"A hothouse flower can't survive a storm.

"Once you can support yourself on $500 a week, you'll understand what we're trying to do for you."

I looked at the envelope in my pocket. Honestly, it was hard not to be amused.

Over a million dollars a week in dividends had been cut down to a $500 handout.

They made robbery sound so wholesome that even I almost wanted to applaud them.

"You've cut off my dividends, taken the old headquarters, and now you won't even let me pour the offering."

I looked at them calmly, without anger or hurt.

"Victoria, do you really think this family belongs to you now?"

Victoria frowned a little, like she was disappointed I didn't know what was good for me.

"Isabella, you're always so childish.

"This family belongs to everyone who's bled for it, not just to someone with the right name who only knows how to take."

She checked her watch, already losing interest.

"All right, we have to get back to the office for an international video call. Take your time and look around."

With that, she and Vince turned and walked toward the bulletproof Mercedes parked by the curb.

I didn't stop them. I just watched in silence as the car pulled away.

Half an hour later, Victoria and Vince returned to Moretti Tower.

The Don's office was on the top floor.

They stepped out of the elevator, chatting and laughing, and walked up to the office's bulletproof door.

Victoria took out the platinum key card that gave her top-level access and tapped it on the reader.

[Beep. Access denied.]