Semua Bab The Underboss's Kingdom : Bab 21 - Bab 30

I walked into the courthouse feeling untouchable. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. The moment Sara finally slipped up. The moment the system, a system I’d paid for, manipulated, and bent, handed me exactly what I wanted.Gabe. My leverage. My weapon.My way to destroy the Riccis from the inside out.Kara found me in the hallway, jittery and pale, but smiling like she’d done something brilliant.“Sit behind me in the front row,” she whispered, tugging at my sleeve. “I’ll call you when I’m ready.”I smirked. “Shouldn’t take long.”She shook her head. “Not at all. The mother won’t show. She thinks the hearing is Friday.”I chuckled. “Good work.”Kara preened under the praise. “Once the judge sees she didn’t bother to come, he’ll rule neglect. Then you can request custody as the only family member available.”She said it like she’d already won. And why wouldn’t she? She’d lied. She’d falsified. She’d done everything I paid her to do. This was in the bag.I took my seat behind her

I stood outside the courtroom doors, hands clenched so tight my knuckles ached. I could hear everything happening inside, Kara’s voice, smug and poisonous… Sara’s voice, steady but trembling underneath… Ava guiding her through the questions like a shield.Every instinct in me screamed to walk in there and end this. To tear apart anyone who dared speak against Sara. Against Gabe. Against my family.Talia planted herself in front of me, arms crossed. “You need to breathe.”“I am breathing,” I growled.Daniel snorted. “You’re vibrating, Sal. That’s not breathing.”I shot him a glare, but he didn’t flinch. Politicians. They were used to angry men. Talia stepped closer, lowering her voice. “You walk in there too early, and you give Juan exactly what he wants, a reason to paint you as a threat. Let Ava do her job. Let Sara speak. Then we go in.”I hated that she was right. I hated that I had to wait while Sara fought alone. But I trusted Talia. And I trusted Ava, the young attorney who had

The moment I sat down at the witness stand, I felt the entire courtroom shift. People always underestimated me because I didn’t raise my voice. Because I didn’t posture. Because I didn’t need to. I protected children for a living.Real children. In real danger. Not the ones dragged into fabricated cases to settle debts or stroke egos. Ava stepped forward, calm and precise. “Mrs. Morales, please state your position for the record.”“I am the acting head of Internal Affairs for Child Protective Services.”A ripple of whispers spread through the room. Kara went rigid. Juan looked like someone had pulled the floor out from under him. Good. Ava nodded. “How long have you held that position?”“Three years.”“And what are your responsibilities?”“I investigate misconduct within CPS. Falsified reports. Improper removals. Bias. Corruption.”I let my gaze slide to Kara. She flinched. Ava continued, “Mrs. Morales, did you review the case file for Gabriel Vega?”“Yes.”“And what did you find?”I

Walking out of that courthouse with Sara’s hand in mine and Gabe holding tight to her other side felt like stepping out of a nightmare and into sunlight. But the moment we hit the steps, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Juan was outside. Not close. Not talking. Just… watching. His eyes tracked us like a predator sizing up prey.I didn’t break stride. I didn’t look at him twice. I just pulled my phone from my pocket and typed a single message to Roc.Shadow him. Find out where he goes. Don’t lose him.The reply came instantly.On it.Good. Because whatever Juan thought he was planning next, I wasn’t letting him get anywhere near my family again.We reached the cars, and Gabe tugged on my sleeve. “Are you coming home with us?” he asked, eyes wide and hopeful.I crouched down so we were eye level. “Yeah, buddy. I’m coming home.”His whole face lit up. “And guess what?” I added. “Your abuela and your aunts are cooking all your favorites. They want to celebrate you coming home.”

The drive to Salvatore’s house felt like stepping into a different world. I’d seen pictures of the Ricci estate before, usually in news articles or whispered gossip, but nothing prepared me for the real thing. The house was huge. Not just big, massive, sprawling across the property like something out of a movie. Stone, dark wood, tall windows, and a front entrance wide enough to fit three cars side‑by‑side. It looked exactly like the home of a man who ran an empire. And somehow… it was about to be our home.The front doors opened before we even reached them. A butler, an actual butler, stood waiting, dressed in a crisp suit.“Welcome home, sir,” he said with a respectful nod to Salvatore. Then he smiled warmly at me and Gabe. “Mrs. Vega. Young master.”I nearly choked. Gabe puffed up like he’d just been knighted. Inside, two maids were already moving through the foyer, adjusting vases and straightening rugs. Somewhere deeper in the house, I heard voices, two cooks preparing lunch, jud