Chapter 3 - The Mafia Boss Discovered His Own Uncle Had Sold His Pregnant Secretary to a Rival—And the Secret Behind Their One Forbidden Night Was More Dangerous Than Either ImaginedDominic Bellano had trusted Anthony Bellano for twenty years.
His uncle had helped raise him after his father died.
He had taught him how to negotiate.
How to read people.
How to survive.
And how to recognize betrayal before it destroyed him.
Now Dominic stared at financial records suggesting Anthony had betrayed him.
The irony was almost unbearable.
Gabriel stood beside the desk.
“Boss.”
Dominic didn't answer.
Gabriel continued.
“We need to be careful.”
Dominic looked up.
“I know.”
He stared at the transfer record.
Five million dollars.
To Victor Raines.
The morning after the gala.
The same morning I left Dominic's penthouse.
The same morning everything between us changed.
Dominic swallowed.
“Find out what Anthony bought.”
Meanwhile, I was beginning to understand how dangerous the situation had become.
Detective Ellis advised me to vary my routine.
Avoid posting my location.
And report suspicious contacts.
I followed her instructions.
But I refused to stop living.
I attended my prenatal appointments.
Worked reduced hours.
And spent evenings with Claire.
Dominic accompanied me to my next ultrasound.
He arrived ten minutes early.
Wearing a dark suit.
Holding a folder.
I stared.
“What is that?”
He looked down.
“Questions.”
I laughed.
“Questions?”
He nodded.
“For the doctor.”
I smiled.
“How many?”
He hesitated.
“Twenty-three.”
I burst out laughing.
Dominic looked embarrassed.
“Too many?”
I shook my head.
“Maybe a little.”
He smiled.
During the appointment, the technician showed us the baby.
Dominic leaned forward.
His expression changed.
For a moment, he looked completely overwhelmed.
The heartbeat filled the room.
Fast.
Steady.
Alive.
Dominic reached for my hand.
I held it.
He whispered, “That's our baby.”
Tears filled my eyes.
I nodded.
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then he smiled.
A real smile.
Warm.
Unprotected.
And I realized I had never loved him more.
Afterward, Dominic took me to lunch.
We sat beside the river.
The sky was pale blue.
The city moved around us.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then he asked, “Have you thought about names?”
I laughed.
“Dominic.”
He smiled.
“What?”
“We don't even know whether it's a boy or girl.”
He shrugged.
“We can make lists.”
I smiled.
“Of course you can.”
He grinned.
“I like lists.”
I laughed.
“That's why you hired me.”
Dominic's expression softened.
“No.”
I looked up.
He continued.
“I hired you because you were the only applicant who told me my filing system was terrible.”
I stared.
Then burst out laughing.
“I was right.”
He smiled.
“You were.”
But the happiness didn't last.
That evening, Detective Ellis called.
Anthony Bellano had been questioned.
He denied wrongdoing.
But investigators discovered communications between Anthony and Raines.
The messages suggested they were planning to use Dominic's relationship with me to pressure him into surrendering control of several shipping contracts.
They believed I was his weakness.
And when they learned I was pregnant, the leverage became even more valuable.
Dominic listened in silence.
Then asked, “What do they want?”
Ellis hesitated.
“Control.”
Dominic looked toward the window.
“Of the company?”
“Of you.”
The following morning, Anthony arrived at Bellano Tower.
He entered Dominic's office without knocking.
Dominic stood beside the windows.
Anthony smiled.
“Nephew.”
Dominic didn't return the smile.
“Sit down.”
Anthony frowned.
“What's this?”
Dominic placed the financial records on the desk.
Anthony looked down.
His expression changed.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Dominic asked, “Why did you pay Victor Raines five million dollars?”
Anthony laughed softly.
“You don't understand.”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
“Then explain.”
Anthony sat.
He looked older than Dominic remembered.
More tired.
More desperate.
“Your father built this company.”
Dominic nodded.
“Yes.”
“And you're destroying it.”
Dominic stared.
Anthony continued.
“You've been selling off profitable operations. Cooperating with regulators. Cutting ties with people who kept us powerful.”
Dominic looked down.
“Criminal operations.”
Anthony scoffed.
“Necessary operations.”
Dominic shook his head.
“No.”
Anthony leaned forward.
“You're becoming weak.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“Because I'm trying to build a legitimate future?”
Anthony laughed bitterly.
“Because of a secretary.”
Dominic went still.
Anthony smiled coldly.
“She got inside your head.”
Dominic's voice lowered.
“Don't talk about Penny.”
Anthony leaned back.
“She's carrying your child, isn't she?”
Silence.
Dominic stared.
Anthony smiled.
“I thought so.”
Dominic felt something old and dangerous move inside him.
The instinct to threaten.
To punish.
To make Anthony regret every word.
But he remembered my face.
The ultrasound.
The heartbeat.
The future he wanted.
He took a slow breath.
Then said quietly, “You're finished.”
Anthony laughed.
“You can't remove me.”
Dominic looked at him.
“I already have.”
He pressed a button.
Gabriel entered.
Anthony stood.
“What is this?”
Dominic looked toward the door.
“Security will escort you out.”
Anthony's face reddened.
“You ungrateful—”
Dominic interrupted.
“You betrayed me.”
Anthony stared.
Dominic continued.
“And you put Penny in danger.”
Anthony's expression changed.
For a moment, he looked almost ashamed.
Then he smiled coldly.
“You think Victor Raines is your biggest problem?”
Dominic went still.
Anthony leaned closer.
“You should ask Penny what she saw at the gala.”
That evening, Dominic came to my apartment.
Claire had returned to Iowa.
I was alone.
When I opened the door, he looked exhausted.
“Dominic?”
He stepped inside.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then asked, “What happened at the gala?”
My stomach tightened.
I looked down.
He continued.
“Before Victor confronted me.”
I swallowed.
I had never told him everything.
Not because I wanted to deceive him.
Because I hadn't understood what I'd seen.
Earlier that evening, before the confrontation, I'd gone to a service corridor looking for a missing contract folder.
I heard voices.
Anthony Bellano.
Victor Raines.
And another man.
They were discussing a shipment.
A payment.
And something called Project Meridian.
I didn't understand.
But I heard Anthony say, “Dominic will never approve.”
Victor laughed.
“Then we'll make sure he doesn't have a choice.”
I stepped backward.
My heel struck a metal cart.
The men turned.
Victor saw me.
He smiled.
And said, “Well, look who found us.”
I ran.
Minutes later, Victor confronted Dominic.
The rest happened exactly as I remembered.
Dominic listened.
His expression changed.
“Project Meridian?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
He looked away.
For a moment, he seemed unable to breathe.
Then whispered, “That's impossible.”
I stared.
“What?”
Dominic looked at me.
“Project Meridian was my father's final operation.”
My stomach dropped.
He continued.
“It was supposed to be destroyed fifteen years ago.”
The investigation into Project Meridian uncovered a network of shell companies used to move illegal profits through legitimate shipping contracts.
Dominic's father had allegedly tried to dismantle the operation before his death.
Anthony had preserved parts of it.
Victor Raines wanted control.
And I had accidentally overheard the men planning to revive it.
That was why Victor followed me.
Why Anthony paid him.
Why the men broke into my apartment.
They feared I had evidence.
But I didn't.
At least, I didn't think I did.
Three days later, Claire called.
Her voice trembled.
“Penny.”
I sat up.
“What happened?”
“Someone broke into the bakery.”
My heart stopped.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
She swallowed.
“But they took something.”
I felt cold.
“What?”
Claire hesitated.
“The box you mailed me after the gala.”
I stared.
The box.
I'd forgotten.
After the gala, I'd packed several work documents I'd accidentally taken home.
I mailed them to Claire because I planned to sort them during my visit.
Among them was a small black flash drive I'd found beneath the contract folder in the service corridor.
I had assumed it belonged to the company.
Now I understood.
Victor Raines wasn't simply hunting me.
He was hunting something I had unknowingly carried away.
I told Dominic.
His face went pale.
“Penny.”
I looked down.
“I'm sorry.”
He shook his head.
“No.”
He took my hand.
“You didn't know.”
I swallowed.
“What was on it?”
Dominic looked toward the window.
Then whispered, “Enough to destroy Anthony.”
That night, I received another message.
Unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
Claire.
Standing outside her bakery.
Beneath it, a sentence.
MIDNIGHT. COME ALONE.
BRING DOMINIC'S BABY.
My blood turned cold.
I stared at the screen.
Then looked toward the bedroom.
Dominic was asleep.
For one terrible moment, I considered leaving without telling him.
Then I remembered his promise.
No secrets.
No disappearing.
May you like
I woke him.
And showed him the message.
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