“Mr. Caprione, I need your approval on the shipment schedule,” the voice on the phone insists, pressing for a decision.

Shipment schedules. Profits. Deals. It’s all just noise.

But the guilt… it’s not about him. Or my dead men. It’s about her. It’s about what I’ve dragged her into, the danger I’ve brought to her doorstep. The man is dead, but the threat isn’t gone. It’s just waiting for the next opening, the next weakness.

I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the glass—cold, unfeeling, just like I’ve always been. But for the first time, I see the cracks. I see the doubt.

“Fine,” I say, cutting the call short. “Do it.” I hang up before he can ask any more questions, before he can demand more of my attention than I’m willing to give.

The silence of the office settles around me, thick and suffocating. The deal is done, but the weight on my chest hasn’t lifted. I wonder, not for the first time, if this is what victory feels like—empty, unsatisfying, leaving me with more questions than answers.

I’ve built my empire on ruthlessness, on being the man no one dares to cross. But now, sitting in this chair, I’m left wondering if I’ve crossed a line even I can’t come back from.

What good is power and wealth if it means putting the only person who matters to me in danger?

I shouldn’t have slept with her. Should have pushed her away as soon as I felt the spark between us. This is my fault. She could die because of me. The purest thing in the city and I might be responsible for its destruction.

I stand up, pushing away from the desk, needing to move, to shake off the thoughts that have been plaguing me all night. The city stretches out below, oblivious to the wars being fought in its shadows, to the blood that’s been spilled to keep it in my control. But tonight, the view offers no comfort.

I glance at the door to my office, knowing that just beyond it, Emily is somewhere in this penthouse, likely unaware of the storm raging inside me.

The thought of her—safe, unaware—should be enough to steady me. But it isn’t. Because I know the truth. She’s not safe. Not as long as I’m in her life.

And yet, I can’t let her go.

I turn away from the window, the darkness outside no match for the shadows creeping in on me. Greg’s death was supposed to solve a problem, but it’s only created new ones—ones that I’m not sure how to handle.

I need to see her. I need to remind myself why I’m doing this, why I can’t afford to let my guard down, not even for a second. But as I step toward the door, a part of me wonders if she’ll see the cracks too—if she’ll see that beneath all the power, all the control, I’m just as lost as anyone else.

I close the office door behind me, but the weight of my thoughts follows me, refusing to be left behind. The penthouse is quiet, too quiet, every sound amplified in the silence.

My footsteps echo off the marble floors as I pace through the hall, my mind still tangled in the web of doubt that’s been spinning since last night.

This isn’t me. I’ve always been able to compartmentalize, to keep my business and my personal life separate. But ever since Emily came into my world, those lines have started to blur, and I’m not sure how to keep them from crossing anymore.

I stop at the window overlooking the city, the same view that used to make me feel invincible. But now, all I can see are the threats, the dangers lurking in the shadows, waiting for a chance to strike. And the worst part is, I’ve brought those dangers into her life—into the life of our unborn child.

The thought twists like a knife in my gut. I want to believe that I can protect her, that I can be both the man who rules this city with an iron fist and the man who keeps her safe. But the truth is, I’m starting to realize that I can’t have it both ways. Not without putting her at risk.

My hands clench into fists at my sides as I wrestle with the duality that’s tearing me apart. I’ve built my empire on fear, on being the one no one dares to cross. But now, I’m starting to crave something different—something softer, something that feels like peace.

For her, for our family. But the blood on my hands doesn’t wash off that easily, and the barman’s death is a reminder that my world is one of violence, not peace.

Retaliation is inevitable; it’s the only language men like us understand.

And that’s the crux of it, isn’t it? Men like us. Albrecht and I aren’t so different. We’re both willing to do whatever it takes to win, to protect what’s ours. But the stakes are higher now, and I’m no longer sure where I stand.

The guilt gnaws at me, a constant presence that I can’t shake. I’ve made decisions that I thought were necessary, but now I’m not so sure. Is this what it means to win? To sacrifice everything, even the people you care about? And if it is, do I still want it?

I turn away from the window, feeling the weight of the city pressing down on me. I’ve never allowed myself to doubt before, never questioned the path I’ve chosen. But Emily’s changed that.

She’s made me see that there’s more to life than power, more than control. And yet, I can’t bring myself to let go of the empire I’ve built, even if it means putting her at risk.

The sound of water running pulls me out of my thoughts, and I realize I’ve wandered into the hallway outside Emily’s room. The door is slightly ajar, and I can hear the faint sound of the shower coming from the en suite. The image of her, standing under the water, so close yet so far away, tugs at something deep inside me.

I know I shouldn’t go in. I know I should keep my distance, let her have her space. But I can’t. The pull is too strong, the need to be near her too overwhelming. Maybe it’s selfish, maybe it’s wrong, but right now, she’s the only thing that makes sense in this twisted world I’ve created.

I push the door open and step inside, the steam from the shower wrapping around me like a warm embrace. For a moment, I just stand there, watching her through the frosted glass, my heart pounding in my chest.