Chapter 4

Outside the Council Room, Vincent blocked my way.

He put on a fake, worried face. "Clara, I know you wanted to prove you're good enough for me. But faking deals is wrong. Admit it now before it gets worse."

"Who do you think you are to question me?" I slapped his hand away. "You're just the Underboss. Respect your place and address me as Lady Clara."

Vincent's face darkened, his eyes turning mean. He adjusted his tie and sneered, "Don't throw away my kindness, Clara. Let me see who saves you inside."

Inside the Council Room, the air was freezing cold.

Three Elders sat high up, surrounded by armed guards. The Chief Elder slammed his gavel down with a loud bang: "Clara Rossi, you are accused of working with enemies, faking your wins, and selling out the Rossi family. This is treason!"

"I didn't."

I raised my head and threw my encrypted tablet onto the table. The deed to Vegas Pier No. 1 and all payment records popped up on the big screen. "The deed and payment records are fully legal. The dark web contract is clear. Where is the enemy?"

The Chief Elder narrowed his eyes. "Fifty dollars? A girl who never shot a gun took down that old man in Vegas for fifty dollars? That makes no sense."

"Because I was blind before and trusted the wrong person. I underestimated myself," I said, glaring at Vincent.

Vincent stepped forward, bowing to the Elders with a pained look: "Elders, as the Underboss, I must speak truth. Clara has the Godfather's blood, but she used to shake when holding a gun. She could never pull off this tactic with a fifty-dollar advisor."

He paused, his voice turning heavy: "I suspect she's controlled by outside forces. She might have leaked our main firepower map."

He slammed the trap shut, pinning the crime of treason onto me!

I laughed out of sheer anger, staring straight into his eyes. "Vincent, you sound so noble, but you just can't accept the truth—without you holding me back, I do better! My success crushed your weak pride!"

Vincent's jaw tightened, his eyes filled with pure hate.

"Clara, how can you say that to Vincent?" Bianca appeared at the door, her eyes red, dropping poison with every word. "Vincent is doing this for the family. You never even came to meetings before, and now you are so brutal... We are just worried you were used by some dangerous mob group."

Calling it a "dangerous mob group" turned the issue from poor skill straight into treason.

The Elders' faces changed. The Chief Elder slammed the table: "Enough! Freeze all of Clara's power and lock her first-place rank until we investigate! Hand over the advisor's real name and all logs now!"

When I walked out of the Council Room, heavy rain was pouring down.

Along the hallway, guards threw mocking looks at me, talking loudly without care.

"I told you she sold herself. Turns out she's just a traitor!"

"Without Underboss Vincent, she is nothing! Bringing shame to the Rossi family!"

My phone buzzed. Old officers who once swore loyalty to my father called me with cold voices: "Lady Clara, for your father's sake, just admit it and step down. Don't push us to the edge."

My hands turned cold as ice.

A black umbrella shaded me from the rain.

Vincent stood in front of me with the umbrella, looking down like a savior. "Clara, do you hear them? Nobody believes you. Listen to me, come back inside and confess. Blame everything on that dark web advisor. Say he forced you. For your father's sake, I will save your life."

Looking at his selfish, fake face, a cold smile touched my lips.

"Blame the advisor?" I stepped closer, my eyes dead cold. "Vincent, did you forget? You were the one who threw me away like trash. Who are you to act like a savior now?"

Vincent's eyes narrowed. He froze on the spot, his face turning pale as paper.

In the dead silence, the dark web terminal in my pocket buzzed hard.

[I'm here. Clara, hold your gun tight. Nobody touches you today.]