Chapter 7 - Threats in the Dark
The night of the Moretti Gala arrived,
the mansion transformed into a glittering palace of silk and steel.
The most powerful men in the underworld were there,
their wives dripping in diamonds,
their eyes sharp and judgmental.
I stood at the top of the grand staircase,
Isabella beside me in a deep emerald dress that made her glow.
Lily was in the nursery with Tony,
guarded by ten of my best men behind a steel-reinforced door.
I could feel the tension in the room,
the collective breath held as I prepared to speak.
Marcus was there,
standing near the bar,
a smug grin on his face.
He leaned over to the head of the Lucchese family and whispered something,
his eyes flicking toward Isabella.
I stepped to the microphone,
my voice echoing in the ballroom.
"Tonight is not about business,"
I began,
my gaze sweeping the room.
"It is about legacy."
"Many of you have heard the rumors."
"Many of you think I have become soft."
I paused,
the silence in the room absolute.
"Eight years ago,
a woman saved my life."
"She didn't know who I was,
and she didn't care."
"She showed me a kindness that none of us in this room understand."
"That woman is Isabella."
"And the child she carries is my blood,
my heir,
and the future of the Moretti name."
A murmur broke out,
a wave of shock and disbelief.
"Let it be known,"
I continued,
my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"That any threat against them is a threat against me."
"And I do not negotiate with threats."
Marcus stepped forward,
his glass of bourbon held high.
"A touching story,
Alessandro,"
he sneered.
"But we all know Sofia was carrying your child too."
"How do we know this isn't just another one of your fantasies?"
I looked at him,
and for a moment,
I saw the man he was—
a small,
envious creature who would never understand loyalty.
"The DNA results are on the table in the foyer,
Marcus,"
I said.
"Feel free to read them before you leave."
"Because you are leaving."
"Now."
His face turned red,
his grip on the glass tightening.
He looked around the room,
searching for allies,
but the other families were silent.
They knew better than to bet against me when I had everything to fight for.
He turned and walked out,
but as he passed Isabella,
he leaned in.
"Enjoy the castle while it's still standing,"
he hissed.
I felt Isabella tremble,
but she didn't look away.
May you like
She was a Moretti now,
and she was learning that the greatest weapon we had was our resolve.
