Chapter 2 - My father was Elias Bennett, Luca
If the security cameras in the showroom had captured that precise, paradigm-shifting fraction of a second—they would have documented the exact moment the youngest mafia boss in New York realized he was no longer the apex predator in the room. In the image, I am standing tall in my black maternity coat, completely unbothered, radiating the cold, untouchable power of a woman who holds all the cards. Luca is frozen in his black cashmere coat, staring at me with a mixture of dawning horror and furious realization. And standing just behind him is Vanessa, her elegant posture entirely shattered, looking at the armed men with wide, terrified eyes.
"Bennett," Luca breathed, the realization hitting him like a physical blow. "Your maiden name. It wasn't just a cover."
"My father was Elias Bennett, Luca," I said smoothly. "The man who handled the money for the Five Families before you were even born. Did you really think I was just a naive girl who fell for a mob boss? Or did you just forget to run a background check on the woman managing your offshore ledgers?"
