جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

On the phone screen, Bianca and Carmine were raising glasses at the club.The caption read: [Closed a huge deal with the Don. All this hard work, it was worth it.]I couldn't help but laugh coldly.Every proposal was signed off by me. She just drank with Carmine.I shut off the phone and stared at the IV bottle by the bed.Saline dripped at a constant rate, like someone's tears.By the time the IV ran dry, Carmine arrived at the hospital.But the first thing out of his mouth was a defense of Bianca."Bianca has to entertain clients with me. Don't make things awkward for her.""Don't be so petty, like she's after your piece of the pie.""You're pregnant. I had her take over for you so you could rest."His breath reeked of alcohol. He glanced carelessly at the IV stand."Why are you in the hospital? You look fine to me.""You kept saying Bianca blocks your requests. Didn't she approve this one pretty fast?"I gripped the edge of the blanket.The pain in my heart pressed down on my lips,

At seven in the morning, I zipped up my suitcase.I'd just reached the door when a black Maybach pulled up in front of me.The doors opened. Carmine and Bianca stepped out one after the other.Carmine's face was cold and dark. Bianca trailed behind him, her eyes red-rimmed.When she saw me, she deliberately shrank back behind his shoulder."Claire, everyone in the back room was there yesterday."Carmine blocked my path, his tone edged with impatience."Just because I'm signing off on your requests now doesn't mean you get to humiliate Bianca in front of everyone."I let go of the handle.He hadn't even asked where I was going.Bianca sniffled, her voice catching."I only asked her to fix a receipt.""She tore it up in front of everyone. How am I supposed to keep the other family members in line after that?"Carmine raised a hand, signaling her not to explain.He sighed and looked down at me."I know you don't like Bianca. But she's only following my orders."He paused. "Apologize to he

After I got off the boat, Enzo arranged for me to stay at a Falcone family hotel.The key card was handed to me, and no one took my ID.Once the door closed, I stood leaning against it for a long time.The tension in my shoulders slowly unwound.I'd boarded that ship, crossed the sea, and left that old cage behind.But when my hand drifted to my belly, my brow still creased faintly.That hundred thousand dollars saved my baby.But what Vito would make me pay for it—I still didn't know.Three days later, a knock came at the door.I opened it to find Vito standing there.His black coat was draped over his arm. He took off his hat and bowed his head to me."Long time no see, Claire."That face was still strikingly handsome.Deep blue eyes. A straight nose. A jaw sharper than I remembered.Seven years apart, and fine lines had gathered at the corners of his eyes.But time hadn't carved age into his face. It had carved authority.Vito glanced past me into the room. "May I come in?"I steppe

Carmine's POVBianca snapped back to her senses and jerked her head up."Impossible. I reviewed the accounts myself. There's nothing wrong!"She scrambled to her feet, her skirt still dripping.Carmine's eyes flicked down to the stain, then he holstered the gun."You can't even hold onto books that were handed to you on a platter. You're useless."Bianca's lips went white."From now on, you're a secretary. You drink with clients. Be a decoration. At least that way you won't screw up again."Bianca spoke up, unwilling to let it go. "But I've always been the family consigliere—"Carmine backhanded her across the face. "Shut up! Open your mouth again, and next time it's a bullet."Bianca hunched her shoulders and didn't dare make another sound.The finance director clutched his files and stepped forward hesitantly."Don, what about the mining operation?"Carmine sneered and yanked his collar open."Is that the priority here? Hire a consulting firm. Pay them to fix it. Right now the only t

After the meeting ended, Vito took my hand and walked me back to the car.Two-and-a-half-year-old Luca was sitting quietly in the car, hugging his little bear, waiting for us.The car had just started moving when a dark figure suddenly lunged out and threw himself in front of it.The driver slammed the brakes. The screech of tires tore through the night.But it was too close. The man was struck by the hood and thrown hard onto the ground.The escort vehicles' doors flew open. Bodyguards poured out and pinned the man down.I rolled down the window.One look was all it took to recognize the face pressed into the ground.Carmine.Rain had started falling outside the window.His coat was soaked with mud. One side of his face was scraped raw. He was a wreck.The Don who'd once been spotless now looked like a stray dog with nowhere to go on a rainy night.But he was still straining to lift his head, screaming like a madman."Claire! Don't be afraid, I'm here! Come back with me, I'll protect