All Chapters of The Great Godmother: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

Back then, just to be with James Hill, I ignored all opposition from my family and married him under a false identity. My dad—the Don of the Gerald family in North Atlantis—saw how determined I was and made a wager with me. If, after five years of marriage, I wasn’t happy, I’d return home and inherit his position.At that time, I had sworn to him that James would never let me lose. However, in the end, our love couldn’t even last five years, and now, I was packing to leave him.[If you’re unhappy, don’t force it. I’ll always be waiting for you, and so will the family.]Tears welled up as I read the message Dad had sent.Just then, James came home. Seeing me in tears, he quickly pulled me into his arms. “Pia, it’s been a tough year for you. Why aren’t you asleep yet? Were you waiting for me?”He didn’t know that on all those nights he “spent” with his sister-in-law, Hilary Cook, I never really slept. I always left a light on in the living room, listening for the sound of the door o

The cemetery behind the estate was cold and damp. Without a care, the bodyguards dragged us, shoving us in front of a headstone. Xavier’s little hand trembled in mine, but he didn’t make a sound.I had thought James would show some mercy by letting us go after an hour or two. However, we were forced to kneel through the entire night before he finally sent someone to say we could stop.By midnight, Xavier ran a fever. I held him to my chest and understood, with a pain that burned deeper than before, just how cruel James could be.When we returned to the estate, the quiet was ripped apart by the heavy staccato of gunfire. The bodyguards who had accompanied us dropped like flies, and I instinctively curled around Xavier.Through the gunshots, Hilary’s scream cut like a knife. She was dragged out of the main hall, cradling the newborn in her arms, by a group of men in black. They then shoved the distraught Hilary, her child, Xavier, and me into a waiting car. Later, in a dark warehou

A few days later came James’s son’s two-month celebration, which was, apparently, even grander than the one held when the child turned one month old. James wanted to prove to everyone that even after “losing his brother’s widow and son,” he was still loyal, righteous, and capable of carrying the family name with honor.On the day of the celebration, a black velvet box was anonymously delivered into James’s hands. Through the security cameras, Kane streamed the entire scene to me in real time.When James opened the box, his face instantly turned pale. Inside lay a single card that read, “Have you kept your secret safe?”He snapped the lid shut, veins bulging at his temples as his cold, furious gaze swept across the crowd. Hilary, curious, tried to peek inside with a coy smile. However, James shoved her away roughly, barking, “Don’t touch it!”Hilary froze, eyes reddening with humiliation.Watching his outburst on the screen, I couldn’t help but find it funny. Then, I gave Kane my

The summit ended in chaos.News of my high-profile return spread across Eustona’s underworld overnight like wildfire. With that, James’s reputation plummeted instantly. The same mafia families that once fawned over him now avoided him like the plague.Along with Xavier, I moved into the penthouse suite of the most luxurious hotel across the river from his estate. From the floor-to-ceiling windows, I could see everything going on in his estate.Kane came in to report. “Three of James’s key shipping routes have been cut off. And his five most trusted capos have secretly pledged allegiance to us.”I nodded, gently swirling the red wine in my glass. What I wanted was to strip him of everything until he was nothing but a broken, abandoned man.Soon, James sent word asking for a private meeting. I told Kane to reject it.“Tell him if he wants to see me, he should bring Hilary with him. Also, tell him to come begging for forgiveness.”That afternoon, James and Hilary appeared at the ho

After the territories merged, I, of the Gerald Family, became the undisputed Godmother of Eustona’s criminal underworld.I took Xavier and returned to our family’s old fortress in North Atlantis. In the garden, Dad had built a small playground for him, with a carousel and swings. Bit by bit, the smile on Xavier’s face returned. He started going back to school, making new friends, and slowly stepping out from the shadows of his past. However, he never mentioned the word “Papa” again.Kane was always there with us. He patiently taught Xavier how to fight and shoot, and every night, he’d read him bedtime stories. The way he looked at me was no longer the respectful gaze of a subordinate toward his superior. There was something deeper, one I couldn’t quite understand.One afternoon, I was working in the study when Kane came in. He set a cup of hot tea by my hand.“Godmother, you should rest.”“Call me Pia,” I said, meeting his eyes.He froze for a second, the tips of his ears turni