The Mafia Boss Froze When A Poor Waitress Ran Out With His Dying Daughter — But His Wife’s Smile Exposed A Betrayal So Cold It Nearly Stole His Child, His Empire...

Roman stepped into his private study, closing the thick oak doors behind him. Marcus stood by the desk, a file folder opened wide.

"What did Vance do?" Roman asked, his tone shifting instantly back to the ruthless strategist.

"He tried to execute a forced takeover of your primary shipping terminal at the south port tonight," Marcus reported. "His men attempted to bribe the harbor master and seize three cargo vessels containing high-value electronics. We repelled them, but Vance is getting desperate. He thinks you're completely paralyzed by Lily's illness."

Roman sat down behind his heavy mahogany desk. "He's moving faster than I anticipated. He wants to consolidate power before anyone realizes Vanessa has been sidelined."

"There's more, Boss," Marcus said, his voice lowering with hesitation. "Our forensic team finished auditing the medical records from four years ago. When your first wife, Emily, passed away."

Roman froze. The air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. "What about Emily?"

Marcus placed a yellowed medical file on the desk. "We bribed the private coroner who signed off on Emily's heart failure. He confessed, Boss. Vanessa paid him off four years ago. Emily didn't die of a natural cardiac arrest. Vanessa had been administering small doses of the exact same synthetic toxin to Emily's daily vitamins over six months."

Roman’s hands began to shake—not with fear, but with an overwhelming, apocalyptic rage.

Emily. His sweet, soft-spoken Emily, who had hated the violence of his world, had been murdered slowly right under his roof. And the woman who killed her had then walked into his life, married him, taken her place, and begun doing the exact same thing to Emily’s daughter.

Roman stood up so fast his leather chair slid back and slammed into the bookshelf.

"She took Emily," Roman spat, his voice trembling with a terrifying fury. "And she tried to take my child."

"We can eliminate Vanessa tonight, Boss," Marcus offered grimly. "One phone call to the guards at Lake Forest. It will be clean."

"No," Roman growled, his eyes burning with cold fire. "Death is too easy for her. Too quick. Vanessa wants wealth, status, and power. She wants Vance to elevate her to the top of Chicago society. I am going to tear down everything she ever dreamed of, piece by piece, in front of the entire city."

"What is your command?"

"Call a full summit of the Five Families for Friday night," Roman commanded. "Announce that I am hosting a grand banquet at the Grand Regent Hotel to announce my retirement due to 'family tragedy.' Invite Vance. Tell him I am ready to hand over the shipping docks. And bring Vanessa out of Lake Forest. Tell her she gets her grand finale."

"Understood, Boss."

Roman walked out of the study and down the quiet hallway toward Lily’s bedroom. He pushed the door open softly.

Inside, Claire was asleep on the armchair beside Lily’s bed, a blanket draped over her lap. Lily was curled up peacefully, her breathing deep and rhythmic.

Roman walked over to Claire, bending down carefully. He picked up a second blanket from the foot of the bed and gently laid it over her shoulders. Claire stirred slightly, opening her eyes, heavy with sleep.

"Roman?" she murmured.

"Go back to sleep," he whispered softly, his hand lingering on her shoulder. "Everything is going to be alright. I'm going to end this."