Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 1 - Chapitre 10

I lent Don Vincenzo my private club. Now his new plaything thinks it’s hers, and she’s using it to come after me.“Vincenzo, I accuse her! Skimming from the family business, betraying the family!”Ava’s voice cut through the dining hall. She puffed out her chest and slammed a thick ledger on the long table.I slowly set down my wine glass and looked at the dancer who’d crawled up from the streets of Brooklyn.Poor thing. She had no idea what she was talking about.“Look at these numbers!” Ava flipped through the cooked books, her finger jabbing at the red marks. “Every month, Isabella moved hundreds of thousands of dollars out of ‘The Siren’s Song’!”She turned to Vincenzo, her voice trembling just right. “This is betrayal! Vincenzo, the family is expanding. We need every dime. If we don’t get rid of leeches like her, how can we expect the men to trust you?”I felt a flash of pity for her.The “family business” she was talking about was the private, hundred-million-dollar club my fathe

“Miss Isabella, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this.”The next morning, Vincenzo’s right-hand man, Marco, stood in front of me, his eyes darting around nervously.“The Boss has decided you’re out. Effective immediately.”I put down my coffee cup and looked at the man who used to bow and scrape before me.“By the book,” Marco added, his voice even lower, “you need to hand over your ring.”I calmly slid the ring I’d worn for ten years off my finger and placed it on the tray he was holding.“Ava’s taking over all your operations.”“I understand,” I nodded. “Is there anything you need from me for the transition?”Marco looked stunned by my cooperation.“Uh… Miss Ava said she’ll contact you directly.”As if on cue, the sound of high heels echoed from the hallway.Click, clack, click.Ava strode in, followed by two young men I didn’t recognize.“Isabella, I’m here to take over your work,” she announced proudly.Today she was wearing a red suit, like a peacock showing off its feathers.“

Monday night, 9 PM. “The Siren’s Song” was lit up like a jewel box.Vincenzo stood in the center of the main hall, dressed in a custom-tailored black suit.His men were scattered around, every one of them on edge.Tonight’s meeting was everything.The Moretti family’s backing meant Vincenzo could finally plant his flag firmly in New York.“Is the wine ready?” Vincenzo asked, one last check.“The 1947 Macallan is ready to go,” Ava answered confidently. She was wearing a black silk gown, a diamond necklace sparkling at her throat. “I told the bartender to go get it.”A few minutes later, the bartender ran up to them, his face pale. “Boss, Miss Ava… the wine cellar… it won’t open. The display says it’s on Isabella’s biometric lock.”Ava’s face froze. Vincenzo’s jaw tightened.At the mention of my name, his expression darkened, but he didn’t say a word.At 9:20, Ava came downstairs, forcing a look of calm.“I’m ready,” she said, her chin high. “Mr. Moretti will be impressed by my professio

The next day. Three PM. I walked into Mr. Cohen's office. Right on time.This office was tucked away in the heart of Manhattan. It had seen its share of the city's secret wars."Isabella. Have a seat." Mr. Cohen poured me a tea. "Last night's business went well."I nodded, sliding a file folder across his desk."I'm suing the Vincenzo family. Officially.""The charges?""Illegal seizure of private property. Cooking the books. Slander." I listed them off. "And I'm collecting on a debt. Thirty-seven point one million dollars."Mr. Cohen flipped through the evidence."This is enough. But Isabella, forget the courts for a minute. We need to go to the Commission. That's what will really break them.""Of course." I tapped the copy of the 'betrayal' announcement. "And for the personal slander. I want Ava's name dragged through the gutter. I want her finished."Mr. Cohen adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. "Don't worry. The recording from the dinner party is all the Commission needs to blacklist

A week later, every paper in New York ran the same story:"New Family Declares Bankruptcy, Assets Seized by Court."The Vincenzo family was finished.Bank accounts frozen. Allies gone. Even their estate was padlocked.I sat in my office, looking at the auction list Mr. Cohen handed me."Vincenzo's assets... all of it... covers about a third of the debt.""And the rest?""By law, he's personally liable for the remainder." Cohen adjusted his glasses. "He'll be paying for the rest of his life."I nodded, flipping to the last page of the list."What about Ava?""Vincenzo threw her out. Word is, he slapped her so hard she went lights out. Threw her on the street that same night."I pictured it. A small smile touched my lips."Where is she now?""Back in Brooklyn. Heard she's working at some strip joint."From family princess to a pole at a strip joint.A month later, I was in a meeting in Mr. Moretti's new office tower.As the sole partner for the East Coast operations, my days were packed.