Chapter 5

I smiled faintly.

"Fine. I'll wait."

I packed my things in silence and walked out of the Moretti estate, leaving behind the Family I'd spent an entire year working for.

I'd poured everything I had into their operations.

I hadn't relied on my name or my connections. Every deal I'd closed, every dollar I'd brought in, I'd earned through my own ability.

And this was what I got in return.

They threw me out.

The thought left something cold and sharp lodged beneath my ribs.

One by one, people came to see me off, offering quiet words of comfort.

Meg's eyes were red.

"Phoebe, you're good at what you do. You'll make it anywhere. Don't listen to Bianca. Another Family would be lucky to have you."

I smiled but said nothing.

Bianca?

She had no idea what she'd just done.

The moment I stepped outside, my phone buzzed.

It was my uncle.

I hadn't heard from him in nearly two weeks.

"Phoebe, sweetheart. I'm having the alliance papers finalized with the Morettis next week. I'll be in Russia inspecting one of our operations, so I won't be there in person."

I frowned.

"Uncle... I'm no longer with the Morettis."

There was a brief silence.

"Trouble?"

His voice immediately sharpened.

"Do you need me to handle it?"

"No."

I looked back at the Moretti estate.

"I want to come back to the Modine Family and take charge of this alliance myself."

After hanging up, a faint smile touched my lips.

There was no hurry.

This was only the beginning.

A week later, I walked into the hall where the Moretti and Modine Families were supposed to formalize their alliance.

The moment I appeared, nearly every Moretti in the room stared at me.

Especially Cody and Bianca.

The looks they gave me could have cut through bone.

Bianca was the first to speak.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

She sneered.

"You've already been thrown out of the Moretti Family. You have no right to be at this ceremony."

I glanced at her.

"Just because I'm no longer with the Morettis doesn't mean I don't belong here."

I paused.

"Did it ever occur to you that I might be sitting on the other side of the table?"

Her expression changed slightly.

I smiled.

"As the representative of the Modine Family."

Bianca burst out laughing.

"Don't embarrass yourself."

She looked at me with open disgust.

"The head of the Modine Family is my father. I'm the one representing him here. I can authorize this alliance whenever I want."

She folded her arms.

"And you? A cheap woman who slept her way into a few profitable deals isn't even worthy of cleaning the floors at a Modine property."

Her voice carried across the hall.

Whispers immediately broke out around us.

"So she's Wesley Modine's daughter?"

"No wonder the Morettis treat her like royalty."

"That other woman actually challenged Wesley Modine's daughter? She must have a death wish."

"Look at her. Maybe those rumors about how she closed her deals weren't rumors after all."

"Miss Modine certainly looks more like the daughter of a Don."

Bianca was clearly used to being admired.

The more people whispered, the higher she lifted her chin.

But when she noticed the smile on my face growing wider, her expression darkened.

She snapped her fingers at the guards.

"Get this trash out of here."

Several men immediately moved toward me.

"We have an alliance to formalize."

I didn't move.

Instead, I calmly reached into my bag and took out a heavy signet ring.

I raised it where everyone could see.

"Bianca."

The guards stopped.

I looked straight at her.

"How exactly are you planning to authorize the alliance without this?"

The entire hall fell silent.

Every eye locked onto the ring in my hand.

Someone near the front sucked in a breath.

"That's Wesley Modine's signet."

Another voice followed.

"The Don's personal seal. No one touches that without his permission."

"How the hell did she get it?"

Bianca's face stiffened.

I walked past her and headed straight for the long table at the front of the hall.

Then I turned to face everyone.

"On the authority of the Modine Family, I am formally withdrawing our support for the proposed alliance with the Morettis."

Cody's eyes narrowed.

He stared at me in disbelief.

"Phoebe, who the hell do you think you are to speak for Wesley Modine?"

I met his gaze calmly.

"I already told you."

My voice was even.

"I'm the one sitting on the other side of the table."

Bianca had gone pale.

She stared at the signet ring in my hand, then at me.

"Phoebe... how did you get my father's ring?"

Her voice sharpened.

"Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to make decisions for him?"

I looked directly into her eyes.

Then I answered slowly.

"Because Wesley Modine is my uncle."