Chapter 6 Chapter6

Lola's face turned as white as a sheet instantly.

Tears streamed down like broken pearls, splattering on the custom-tailored suit Daniel wore-she shrank deeper into his arms, her nails digging into the inner pocket of his jacket.

Daniel immediately wrapped his arm tightly around her, his gaze fixed on me with unmasked reproach.

His Adam's apple bobbed, as if suppressing a violent rage:

"Anna, she's pregnant! Do you really have to make a scene like this at the Nightingale Club? Are you declaring war on Boss Ivan by bringing these 'bodyguards' here?"

Before I could speak, a sudden realization dawned on him.

His tone softened abruptly, patient as if coaxing a child, and he even reached out to touch my hair: "I get what you're doing. Isn't it just because I've been busy with the arms deal with Italy and haven't come home much? Once Lola gives birth, I'll send her to a safe house in the suburbs. We can go back to how we were-you'll still be the most respected 'Mrs. Brown' in Ivan House, and no one will dare touch you."

I suddenly burst out laughing.

If I'd listened to my family's arrangement and married into that mafia clan on New York's Fifth Avenue, I wouldn't have cared how many mistresses my husband had.

I could've even smiled as I handed his pregnant mistress a bottle of prenatal vitamins, along with a vial of poison labeled "accidental death."

But Daniel was different.

It was he who, on that Chrismas eve, risked having his legs broken by Boss Ivan to steal a bunch of red roses from the warehouse.

He knelt in the slums of the Bronx and promised me the purest marriage:

"Anna, I won't let you get your hands dirty. I'll shield you from all the darkness."

It was he who, when I was kidnapped by a rival family, charged in alone. He took three stab wounds to the back, yet looked at me with red eyes and swore our love would never be as hypocritical as other mafia marriages.

He'd even forgotten that Lola was originally sent to his side as my "spy" through the Brown family's connections. After all, how could a mafia head keep an unknown tattoo artist close by?

I thought, deep down, he must still have a shred of decency left.

I couldn't bear to look at Daniel any longer.

I turned to Lola, who was still sobbing, and tapped my finger lightly on the table.

"Lola just said she only loves him for who he is?"

Lola's sobs stopped completely.

I slowly flipped through the divorce papers on the table, my fingers gliding over the clauses written in both Italian and English-including the Whites' equity, real estate, the arms channels and underground casino shares he controlled in Ivan House, and even his "dirty money" account hidden in a Swiss bank.

"The Whites' equity, the safe house in Brooklyn, the Cartier jewelry. and 'child support' for the baby in your belly-oh, and Daniel's phantom shares, the kind that pay out five million dollars a year."

I looked up at her, a faint smile playing on my lips:

"Since you only want him, you surely won't care about these trivial possessions."

Lola instinctively clung to Daniel's sleeve, her nails almost digging into his flesh.

Of course she cared-when she'd seduced Daniel, the first thing she'd asked was, "How much is Mrs. Brown's diamond necklace worth?"

I smiled and pushed the papers toward her, clicking open the pen cap with a crisp sound: "Why not sign now to prove you don't want the Whites' money? After all, you must want to be the legitimate '-oh, I forgot to tell you, in Ivan House, only the boss's wife can be called that. A second-in-command's mistress is nothing more than a 'plaything.'"

Lola's face flushed bright red.

She lifted her chin, feigning contempt to hide her unease:

"I'm nothing like you! I love Daniel for who he is-whether he's the second-in-command or a street thug, I'll always love him!"

I clapped softly.

I turned to Daniel,

"Did you hear that? Your 'true love' is so noble, she doesn't even care if you lose your mafia position."

At that moment, Daniel's phone rang.

He answered it, and his already tense expression grew darker by the second.

His fingers tightened around the phone until they turned white, the old scar on his knuckle-from saving me back then-standing out sharply.

"Don. the overseas arms account has been frozen? How is that possible! It's under a Panamanian shell company!"

"What? The Italian clan has terminated our cooperation too? They said. they said the mafia princess issued an order-whoever does business with you is declaring war on the entire Brown family?"

"And. Boss Ivan just sent word. He said you 'harbored an outsider' and broke the rules. He's taking back all your territories and power."

He slammed the phone down on the table.

On the screen, the chat with the Italian clan still displayed their final message:

"The Brown family's cleaners are on their way. Good luck."

His eyes were bloodshot.

He stared at me fiercely:

"You did this? Anna, you actually used the Brown family's power against me? Have you forgotten how I saved your life back then?"

I pushed the pen toward him: "Sign the divorce papers, and I'll ask Boss Ivan to show mercy-spare your life. Otherwise. do you think a 'traitor' who's lost his power and is being hunted by the Syndicate can survive the night with a pregnant woman?"

I paused, glancing at Lola: "Oh, and Lola here-she was my spy all along. Her parents are still in the 'nursing home' I run-or should I call it a 'hostage camp' instead?"

Lola's face drained of all color.

She abruptly let go of Daniel's sleeve, her eyes filled with terror.

Daniel stared at the paper, trembling as he gripped the pen. Under Lola's anxious gaze, he finally picked it up and scribbled his signature-for the first time, he couldn't even write his own name neatly.

He gritted his teeth, his voice hoarse as sandpaper: "Anna, you're going too far. You'll regret this. When I make a comeback, I'll make you.."

"Make me what?"

I cut him off.

"Kneel and beg you like the woman in your arms? Daniel, have you forgotten? I'm the heir to the Brown family-a mafia princess. I was born to die standing."

I nodded, ignoring the sharp pain in my chest.

I turned and handed the signed papers to the Brown family's lawyer, who had a silenced pistol tucked in his waist: "Please handle the rest-including making Lola 'voluntarily' give up all her assets, and. eliminating Daniel's remaining forces in Ivan House."

Then I faced the syndicate members and family guests hiding behind pillars, pretending to drink. My voice rang out clearly across the room:

"From this day forward, the Brown family formally terminates all cooperative relations with Daniel White. Anyone associated with Daniel must surrender to the Brown family headquarters within three days-otherwise-"

I raised my hand and pointed toward the port outside. There, a yacht flying the Brown family flag was approaching slowly. On the deck stood several men in black suits, holding sniper rifles.

"-you'll face the consequences."

My high heels clicked against the marble floor.

Behind me, gasps and whispers erupted:

"Mrs. Brown is really going for the kill."

"I should've never sided with Daniel. The boss will definitely treat us as traitors."

"I heard the Brown family's cleaners never leave survivors."

Lola's tearful voice shrilled:

"Daniel, what do we do now? I don't want to die. my parents are still in their hands."

I pushed open the heavy carved wooden door.

I looked up at the night sky. New York's stars were hidden by neon lights-just like the light that used to be in Daniel's eyes.

Now, that light was gone forever.