Chapter 1 - The Shattered Facade
"Drop another, lose dinner."
Bianca Hayes forced three-year-old Noah Bellacorte against the heavy mahogany coat table.
His small arms disappeared completely under a massive pile of heavy guest jackets.
She never noticed Rocco Bellacorte standing directly behind her in the silent hallway.
Within seconds, Rocco grabbed her wrist and violently pulled the engagement ring off her finger.
"There is no wedding," Rocco stated with a voice colder than absolute ice.
Bianca did not cry or beg for forgiveness like a normal caught gold-digger.
Instead, her face went completely pale with genuine, unadulterated terror.
Her fear should have easily solved the mystery of her cruel behavior.
Instead, it created an entirely new and terrifying one.
Bianca was not just being a wicked stepmother to a helpless toddler.
She was frantically searching the little boy's pockets for something specific.
Rocco knelt down and gently pulled his crying son away from the cruel woman.
He reached into Noah's small jacket pocket and pulled out a small, metallic object.
It was a highly encrypted digital drive that Rocco had never seen before in his life.
Bianca stared at the drive as if it were a highly venomous snake.
"You have absolutely no idea what you are holding," Bianca whispered in pure panic.
May you like
Before Rocco could demand any answers, the heavy wooden doors of the mansion burst open.
Five heavily armed men in black tactical gear poured into the grand foyer.
