Chapter 5
Arthur never approved of Sofia.
I knew that.
What I did not know was why.
She came from another Mafia family, so blood was not the problem.
Money was not the problem.
Reputation was clean.
The problem was me.
Sofia made me harder to direct.
Mercer said it plainly.
“Before her, Arthur could change your mind.”
My father laughed bitterly.
“That is called advice.”
Mercer ignored him.
“After Sofia, Lucas started asking why.”
I remembered.
Sofia challenged everything.
Not for drama.
Because she hated inherited answers.
Why must widows leave council rooms?
Why do sons inherit debts their fathers created?
Why should a boss never apologize?
Why does family mean obedience?
Arthur hated her questions.
I loved them.
Mercer continued.
“When Ella was born, it got worse.”
I looked at my father.
His face had become stone.
“You mean better.”
Arthur shook his head.
“You became divided.”
“No.”
“I watched you become divided.”
“Between what?”
“Duty and home.”
I smiled faintly.
“They were never supposed to be enemies.”
“To men like you, perhaps.”
There.
Men like me.
Not men like Gavin.
Arthur had always believed my brother understood hierarchy naturally.
I asked Mercer:
“What did they plan while Sofia was alive?”
He looked ashamed.
“Nothing directly.”
“Try again.”
“They wanted Gavin placed beside you.”
My jaw tightened.
“As what?”
“Second.”
Gavin smiled.
“That would have made sense.”
“No.”
I looked at him.
“You wanted the position because Dad told you I was distracted.”
“You were.”
“By my wife.”
“Yes.”
“By my newborn daughter.”
“Yes.”
He said it without shame.
That was useful.
I turned toward Arthur.
“And after Sofia died?”
His expression softened slightly.
He believed grief gave him a better argument.
“You should have returned fully to the family.”
I stared.
“I did.”
“No.”
His eyes moved toward the room where Ella slept.
“You became both parents.”
Silence.
That sentence told me everything.
Arthur had expected my wife’s death to return me to him.
Instead, it made Ella more central.
May you like
The tragedy he thought would clean my priorities had deepened the attachment he considered dangerous.
And from that moment, my daughter had become the obstacle his favored son could replace.
