Page 70 of Of Lies and Shadows

He smirks. “Get pregnant.”

My heart stumbles. “There will be no children.”

He waves his hand like I’m being dramatic. “Oh, please. He says that to you. But poke holes in the condoms, or forget your birth control. Accidents happen. You get pregnant.”

“And then what?” My voice shakes. “You kill him?Raise the baby like some kind of puppet heir?”

“Exactly. You’ll be the mother of the Forzi heir. And when we eliminate Danteandthe boy, I’ll be the legal guardian. The real power.”

I go still. Ice-cold.

“There will be no baby. I can't have children.” I whisper. “Those twins, Lucia and Alessio, they are the only grandchildren you will ever have. And you should consider yourself lucky because they are extraordinary. But if you ever try to touch them…” I step closer, my voice low and lethal. “If you ever threaten them, I will find a way to kill you. Slowly. Loudly. No matter what it costs me.”

He watches me, unimpressed. “You love them?” His lip curls. “The children of the man who took you and raped you into submission?”

I flinch, but I don’t back down. “Dante didn’trapeme.” It’s the truth. And somehow, that makes it worse because my body accepted it. Because I never said no. I just… surrendered.

He hums, mockingly thoughtful. “No, I suppose he didn’t. Because you’re a whore.”

The word hits like rot, sour and slick. I don’t respond. I can’t. I want to vomit, but I stay standing.

He takes a step closer, his voice dropping like poison into water. “Tell you what. We take Dante out. You raise his heir. I hold the throne for fifteen years, and then… boom. Our blood controls the Forzi.”

“You don’t know anything,” I say coldly. “If Dante dies, I have no rights to the twins. None. His uncle takes custody. And all your brilliant little fantasies die with him.”

His expression shifts, just for a second, and I see it: the flicker of uncertainty. The rage beneath.

“So you’re useless.”

“Pretty much, yeah. But that’s a woman’s lot, isn’t it?” I straighten my spine, my voice like ice. “But here’s the thing, I might be a whore, and I might be useless, but I’ve got something you’ll never have.”

He sneers. “Oh? Enlighten me.”

“Loyalty.”

His face tightens.

“And every disgusting word you just said to me?” I take a step forward, close enough to see the crack in his mask. “I’ll bring it back to Dante. I think he already suspects you’re making a move, but I’ll confirm it.”

His expression curdles. “What do you think he’ll do, huh? You think this is just about you and me? You stupid girl.” He shakes his head. “It’s bigger than both of us.”

I hold his gaze, fire burning in my chest. “Then maybe it’s time someone burned it all down.”

I shoulder past him, my head high, pulse roaring in my ears.

But his hand shoots out and grips my arm. “I want Bruno back.”

I shrug him off. “That’s not up to me.”

“The judge said if Bruno requests it, he can come home.”

I turn slowly to face him. “Then maybe you should ask him again.” I tilt my head. “Oh, right. You did. And he said no… didn’t he?”

His face flushes red, his jaw twitching. “You’re useless.”

I smile without warmth. “I’m the product of my upbringing, Father.”

He steps forward, sneering. “You care about children who aren’t even yours, and you ignore your own blood. You’re not loyal. You’re not righteous. You’re just a bitter, angry woman grasping for revenge.”

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