Six days after giving birth to our daughter, my husband walked out of our house to celebrate his mistress's birthday. He promised he'd be home before nine, but hours later, I was still alone with our newborn when a voicemail from an unknown number appeared on my phone. By the time Roman Moretti finally came home, the nursery was empty—and the most feared mafia boss in Milwaukee was about to discover what it felt like to lose everything.

I stared at Roman.

"Tell me he's lying."

Roman lowered his gun.

"I signed a document before Sophie was born. I was told it was a contingency agreement to protect our family if I was ever incapacitated."

"And you didn't read it?"

"I did. The custody clause was buried in a legal appendix. I discovered it after your delivery."

My hands tightened around Sophie.

"You knew?"

"I tried to revoke it."

Antonio tapped his silver cane against the floor.

"And failed."

He explained that the agreement had been drafted by the family's attorneys years earlier, when Roman's father still controlled the organization. It gave Antonio temporary authority over any child considered a threat to the family's succession.

The contract was supposed to expire after Antonio's death.

But because his death had been faked, the document remained active.

Roman looked at his father with open disgust.

"You used me."

"I prepared you."

"You turned my daughter into a bargaining chip."

Antonio shrugged.

"Every heir is a bargaining chip until they become powerful enough to make their own rules."

I stepped toward him.

"Sophie is not your heir. She's a baby."

Antonio's expression hardened.

"She is a Moretti."

"She's my daughter."

For the first time, he looked at me as though I mattered.

"That is precisely the problem."

He reached into his coat and produced a second document.

It transferred the organization's controlling shares to Nicholas, provided Roman was declared unfit to lead.

Laya had been promised money, protection, and recognition as the mother of the next heir.

The DNA report had been designed to destroy Roman's trust in Sophie. Victor's attack had been intended to create the appearance that Aaron had fled with a child whose paternity was disputed.

Once Roman was publicly discredited, Antonio could reclaim the organization through Nicholas.

"And if I refused?" Roman asked.

Antonio looked toward me.

"Your wife would be charged with kidnapping. Your daughter would be placed in protective custody. You would lose control of everything."

I finally understood the cruelty of Roman's absence.

He had not merely chosen Laya over me. He had been trapped inside a succession scheme that turned his own family into weapons against one another.

But that didn't excuse his silence.

"You should have told me," I said.

"I know."

"You should have trusted me."

"I know."

Antonio laughed.