Chapter 3

Victor immediately straightened.

“Aunt Rosa?”

Everyone in New York's old circles knew her.

Even men who had never met a Caruso knew enough to lower their voices when she entered a room.

She ignored Victor completely.

She came to me.

When she saw the blood on my face, something dangerous flashed in her eyes.

“Young Don.”

She bowed her head.

“I failed you.”

The entire room froze.

Victor's smile disappeared.

Rosa turned toward Lily.

Then saw the wounds covering her arms.

Her hand tightened around her cane.

“Who did this?”

No one answered.

Victor took a step back.

I caught Rosa's sleeve.

“The doctors?”

Her expression changed.

“Selena stopped them.”

She handed me her phone.

A recording played.

Selena's voice.

“Rosa, Lily is fine.”

“The school told me she has a habit of exaggerating.”

“Stop wasting Vesper resources every time she wants attention.”

My fingers tightened around the phone.

Rosa looked ashamed.

“For the past three years, Selena has gradually removed the old Caruso staff.”

“She sent me to one of the family estates under the excuse that I was too old to work.”

“I only learned today what had been happening to Lily.”

Three years.

While I was overseas protecting the empire—

Selena had been dismantling my house from the inside.

A medical team suddenly entered.

Rosa exhaled.

“At least she changed her mind.”

She was wrong.

The doctors walked directly past Lily.

They surrounded Victor.

“Mr. Hale, Ms. Hart sent us.”

“She heard you'd been injured.”

Victor's confidence returned instantly.

He looked at Rosa.

Then threw a document at her feet.

“Since you're here, read this.”

Rosa picked it up.

Her expression darkened.

Victor smiled.

“Effective immediately, you're removed from all positions connected to Vesper Holdings.”

Rosa laughed once.

Coldly.

“Selena Hart does not have the authority to dismiss me.”

“You're an old servant.”

Victor shrugged.

“My wife runs Vesper now.”

His eyes shifted between us.

Then understanding dawned across his face.

“Oh.”

He smiled.

“So that's why this guy acts so arrogant.”

He pointed at me.

“Rosa's little kept man?”

The room erupted in whispers.

Rosa's cane struck the floor.

“Mind your tongue.”

“You are speaking to—”

I raised one hand.

She stopped.

Victor laughed.

“What?”

“Going to tell me he's secretly some prince?”

He turned toward the giant screen overlooking the pool.

“Actually, this is perfect.”

He opened an encrypted application.

The Black Ledger.

A private bounty and sanction network used by several syndicates across the East Coast.

He pointed at Lily.

“Let's see how brave Daddy is when his daughter has a price on her head.”

My eyes cooled.

Victor typed Lily's name.

Then mine.

He pressed CONFIRM.

A red loading symbol appeared.

Everyone waited.

Then—

ACCESS DENIED.

Victor frowned.

He tried again.

ACCESS DENIED. MASTER-LEVEL PROTECTION.

Silence.

Victor's fingers began moving faster.

Again.

Again.

Again.

The same message appeared every time.

Whispers spread through the room.

“He can't add them?”

“Who has master-level protection?”

Victor slammed his fist against the screen.

“System glitch.”

I looked at him.

“Try again.”

He turned sharply.

I smiled.

“Please.”

“I'd like to see how far your authority goes.”

The main doors opened.

High heels clicked across the marble.

A woman entered surrounded by black-suited guards.

Perfect dress.

Perfect posture.

Perfectly controlled expression.

Selena Hart.

My wife.

Victor's face lit up.

“My love.”

He walked straight toward her.

Then kissed her.

Right in front of me.