Chapter 4 - The Illegitimate Heir
The weight of Mara’s confession settled over the damp room like a physical pressure.
If Leo was Marco Marino’s son, everything about my upcoming wedding was a calculated lie.
Vanessa was supposed to inherit the family throne because Marco had died without leaving any children.
If the old mafia bosses found out Marco had a living son, the Marino fortune would bypass Vanessa completely.
She was marrying me to consolidate her power before anyone could discover the boy's existence.
She wanted to murder an innocent child simply to secure her financial inheritance.
I looked down at the boy, who was struggling to draw a clean breath through the cheap mask.
He had Marco’s dark eyes, a dangerous inheritance that marked him for death.
I knew that staying in this apartment was a guaranteed death sentence for both of them.
I pulled out my encrypted phone and sent a rapid sequence of orders to Grant.
I instructed him to prepare our most secure safehouse in the Catskills immediately.
I told Mara to pack only what was absolutely necessary for the boy’s medical needs.
She hesitated, asking if I was planning to use Leo as a bargaining chip against the Marinos.
I told her that my business was built on violence, but I did not trade in children.
She threw clothes and medicine into a worn duffel bag with frantic speed.
I carefully picked up the heavy medical machine, feeling its cheap plastic casing rattle.
We moved down the back fire escape to avoid anyone waiting in the front lobby.
The rain masked the sound of our footsteps as we reached my armored sedan in the alley.
I put Mara and Leo in the backseat, locking the reinforced doors from the driver's seat.
As I pulled out onto the main street, I checked my rearview mirror out of habit.
A black SUV with tinted windows pulled out of a side street and began tailing us.
I accelerated, weaving through the early morning Queens traffic to break their line of sight.
The SUV kept pace effortlessly, proving that whoever was driving was a professional.
I told Mara to keep her head down and hold the boy tightly against the floorboards.
I drew my weapon, resting it on my lap as I steered toward the industrial district.
My phone rang loudly, displaying Vanessa’s private number on the dashboard screen.
I answered the call, keeping my voice perfectly calm and devoid of emotion.
May you like
Vanessa greeted me smoothly, asking if I had enjoyed my early morning drive.
She told me she knew exactly who I had in the backseat of my car, and she warned me that canceling the wedding would be a fatal mistake.
