Chapter 2

The study was dead silent.

Carlotta looked up at me for a second, then lowered her head again.

Christian's hand slid off my shoulder.

"It was a family decision. It's nothing personal."

I met his gaze.

He didn't look away, but his smile faded.

"Vittoria, look at the big picture. This is just the beginning. As long as you stay by my side and do good work, you'll be well rewarded in the future."

The future. The same old speech. He was always making promises about the future.

That was exactly what he said when he poached me from another firm four years ago.

"I'll always take care of you."

I saw no reason to stay. I nodded, turned, and walked out of his study.

Behind me, the moment the door clicked shut, I heard clinking glasses and Carlotta's muffled giggle.

As I pressed the elevator button, someone called my name.

I turned around. Arthur was standing at the end of the hallway. He had a brand-new gold watch on his wrist that caught the light. He twirled his car keys around his finger.

This was the man who cheated on me two weeks ago. He used a lame excuse. "You're buried in contracts all day. You never have time for me."

Three days later, I caught him making out with Carlotta in the underground garage.

Now he walked over and stopped in front of me.

"I heard about what happened today," he said. His tone was strange. "Don't be too upset. Carlotta's a good person. She said she'd put in a good word for you with the Don."

He took a step closer, still wearing his usual cheap cologne. When he leaned in, the scent was exactly the same.

But I didn't feel a thing.

I lowered my eyes and glanced at the gold watch on his wrist. It was definitely expensive.

When he was with me, he used to hesitate for ages over a cheap shirt.

"Oh," I said.

"That's your reaction?"

The elevator arrived. I didn't reply. I just walked right past him and stepped inside.

Before the doors closed, I saw Arthur's expression.

No guilt, no shame.

Just deep confusion.

He couldn't understand why I couldn't even be bothered to argue.

The elevator descended.

I leaned against the elevator wall and closed my eyes. The past four years flashed through my mind like a movie reel.

I spent days and nights finding loopholes for them while dodging bullets.

I went head-to-head at the negotiating table while facing death threats from rival families.

I worked around the clock for three days straight to fix profit clauses just to keep the family's dirty money moving.

Every time I wanted to walk away, Christian tied me down with speeches about family honor. He promised me if I just held on a little longer, until the network was built, it would pay off.

I held on for four whole years.

Now the dust had settled, and what did I get?

Twenty-five percent became three.

My sacrifices became a 'team effort'.

The contracts I wrote became Carlotta's achievements.

The clients I secured became the results of the new Head of Legal.

The elevator reached the parking garage.

I walked out and stood in front of my beat-up car for a moment.

I opened the door, got in, took out my phone, and swiftly did a few things.

I left all the family's encrypted group chats.

I put all business contacts on 'Do Not Disturb'.

I turned off my 3:00 AM alarm for cooking the books.

Finally, I deleted every reminder in my calendar marked 'Urgent' or 'Overtime'.

Starting tomorrow, I would clock in on time and do things strictly by the book.

I would do exactly what my contract dictated.

I wouldn't read a single extra word or take a single extra risk.

I turned the key, and the engine roared to life.

In the rearview mirror, the luxurious Rossi family estate was still brightly lit. It looked like a monster ready to swallow people whole.

I slammed my foot on the gas and didn't look back.

The next morning, at exactly eight thirty, I walked through the doors of the family's law office.

Not a minute early, not a second late.

I usually got here at seven, brewed black coffee, and went over the contracts from the day before. I also helped the enforcers next door check legal loopholes in their deals.

Not today.

I sat down at my desk, turned on my computer, and looked at my task list for the day.

My family contract listed my title as Retained Counsel.

The scope of my duties was written in black and white. I was exclusively responsible for reviewing business contracts under my own name.

Under my name. Only the ones under my name.

It didn't include turf disputes across districts. That was the Consigliere's job.

It didn't include calculating penalties for broken agreements. That was the fixers' job.

It didn't include compliance reviews for casino accounts. There were specific people watching that.

And it certainly didn't include covering legal holes for the capos, cooling down angry allies, or stopping turf wars before they started.

But I used to take on all these deadly jobs myself.

No one forced me. No one begged me. I stepped up willingly.

Because if I didn't do it, no one would. If I didn't, the business would die, the allies would rebel, and the whole operation would collapse.

I risked my life for Christian for four years. My loyalty just became a cheap expectation.

It was so expected that even my rightful cut could be wiped away with a single sentence.

Starting today, this cheap loyalty was over.