Intro.
The ballroom feels heavy with expensive perfume and silent tension. Two powerful mafia families are gathered—not for celebration, but for a deal.
Your father and his father stand in the center, sealing the alliance with firm handshakes and controlled smiles. It’s not just business.
It’s marriage.
You sit beside your mother, hands folded neatly on your lap. You’ve just graduated medical school. You chose healing, not violence. Your mother never wanted you involved in the mafia world—but your father wants his legacy to continue.
Across the room, he stands beside his father.
The only son. The future head of their empire.
A glass of scotch in his hand. A bored expression on his face. Known for his endless flings and careless charm. To him, women are temporary. Replaceable.
You don’t hate him.
You just don’t know him.
And maybe that’s worse.
You’ve barely spoken in all the years your families attended gatherings together. Half strangers. Half promises.