Chapter 1 Betrayed by Blood

The night was thick with the scent of cigar smoke and cologne as Alessa Russo moved through her father's lavish estate. Tonight it felt foreign-a monument to a life she was slowly realizing was no longer hers. She could feel eyes on her, assessing her, judging her, as if every whispered conversation was dissecting her worth now that her father was gone.

Her father, the powerful Don Russo, had ruled New York's criminal underworld with an iron fist. Alessa had always known she would be his successor. He'd trained her, made her into the heir who would one day take over. Yet, now that he was gone, it seemed her family had other plans.

"Alessa," her uncle Enzo's voice cut through the murmur of the crowd, and she turned to face him, masking her irritation with a polite smile. Enzo had been a fixture in her life, but there was something different about him tonight, something colder. His eyes were calculating as they swept over her, his expression betraying no warmth or sympathy.

"We need to discuss the future of the family," he said, guiding her into a small side room away from prying eyes. Once the door shut behind them, his tone shifted to something blunt and unforgiving. "The family needs a strong alliance, Alessa. And unfortunately, you alone are not enough to secure it."

Alessa felt a prickle of unease creep up her spine. "What are you saying?"

Enzo's gaze hardened. "Your father left us in a vulnerable position, and the men... they need assurance. Stability. An alliance with the DeLuca family will ensure that."

Realization dawned, and anger sparked in her chest. "You want to marry me off to Luca DeLuca." It wasn't a question-it was a revelation, a betrayal laid bare before her.

Enzo didn't flinch. "It's what's best for the family."

She wanted to scream at him, tell him that she was what was best for the family, that she was her father's heir. But years of training held her back, and she met his cold stare with a steely one of her own. "I'm the rightful heir. My father trained me to lead, not to be a bargaining chip."

"Your father's gone, Alessa," he replied, his voice almost pitying, though the glint in his eyes betrayed his satisfaction. "And the family needs someone strong enough to protect it."

Later that night, Alessa sat alone in her father's study, her fingers tracing the edges of the leather-bound ledger on his desk. She remembered the countless nights they'd spent here, her father teaching her the intricacies of the family business, entrusting her with secrets she now held in silence. He had promised her that this legacy would be hers. But now, all those promises were slipping away.

A soft knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Enzo standing there, watching her with a look she couldn't quite read. "You leave for the DeLuca estate in the morning," he said simply before turning and walking away, leaving her alone in the suffocating darkness.

As the door clicked shut, Alessa's resolve hardened. If they thought she would simply comply, they were mistaken. She might have been forced into a marriage meant to control her, but she was far from defeated. In that moment, Alessa made a vow to herself: she would learn the rules of this game, outmaneuver them all, and take back the power that was rightfully hers.

Because nothing was more dangerous than a woman with nothing left to lose.