Chapter 1 – Who Made This Dish?

Don Carmine walked into the smoke-filled room with the calm demeanor of a man strolling through his private garden. His polished leather shoes clicked rhythmically against the hardwood floor, stepping over the spent shell casings without a second glance.

"Father," Matteo said, shifting his weapon toward the old man.

"Put the gun down, Matteo," Don Carmine said softly, his voice echoing with absolute authority. "You always were too dramatic. Just like your mother."

Julian backed toward the broken window, his submachine gun still raised, but his knuckles were white with terror. "Carmine... stay back."

"Julian, please," Don Carmine scoffed, waving a hand casually toward one of his guards.

A single suppressed gunshot shattered the silence. Julian collapsed instantly to the floor, his weapon clattering harmlessly against the baseboards.

Elena gasped, stepping back until her spine hit the cool wall. She raised the small revolver toward Don Carmine, her arms shaking uncontrollably.

The old Don turned his cold, pale blue eyes toward her, studying her face with unsettling intensity.

"Look at you," Carmine murmured. "You have her eyes. The exact same stubborn, worthless glaze."

"Don't talk about my mother," Elena spit out, her finger tightening on the trigger.

"Your mother was a thieving peasant who nearly ruined thirty years of work," Carmine said coldly. He turned to Matteo. "And you... my own son... ready to tear down our empire for a ghost."

"You lied to me," Matteo said, his voice deadly low. "You told me Isabella ran away with a rival's lieutenant. You told me she abandoned the child."

"She was supposed to die twenty-six years ago, Matteo," Carmine said, leaning heavily on his gold cane. "She was a waitress who saw too much. But you had to fall in love with her, didn't you? You had to make a mess of things."

Carmine pointed his cane at Elena. "She carries the vault code, Matteo. Give me the girl, and you keep the city. Refuse, and I’ll bury you both in the foundation of the new casino."

Elena looked at Matteo. His jaw was clenched, his breath heavy. The decision hung in the air like a swinging blade.