Dominic let out a cold snort.

Ironically, he had once tried to say the same thing to Stephen. He had tempted him, persuaded him to betray the core team, and join hands with him. But that fool had betrayed him and had died in the end.

Dominic’s eyes darkened. He wanted Mathias dead too.

That man had murdered Alejandro, hunted down his gang, destroyed everything he had built, and turned his life into hell.

And now, Luke Bellini was offering him the perfect chance for revenge.

"But destroying him won’t be easy," Dominic warned coldly. "Mathias is powerful, wealthy, and dangerous. His influence stretches everywhere. Politicians, high-ranking officials, authorities... they all dance to his tune. The moment he realizes we are plotting against him, he’ll crush us without mercy."

Luke’s expression turned grim.

"I already know that," he muttered. "I thought about this for a long time before making my decision."

Silence lingered briefly before he continued calmly, "Mathias controls everyone not only because of fear or influence. It’s because of money."

His eyes darkened dangerously. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"He owns countless legal and illegal businesses. Casinos, clubs, transport companies, real estate, underground trades, weapon routes... money flows into his empire from every direction."

He leaned back slowly, smoke curling around his face.

"But what happens if those businesses begin collapsing one after another?"

A vicious smirk tugged at his lips.

"What if his shipments start disappearing? His warehouses suddenly burn down? What if his trusted allies disappear without a trace or are killed in accidents? What if investors begin losing confidence in him? What if fear starts spreading among his men?"

His tone grew colder with every word.

"An empire doesn’t collapse in a single day, Dominic. It rots slowly from the inside."

Dominic watched him silently.

Luke’s eyes gleamed with ambition.

"I’ll cut off his income little by little. I’ll buy his people. Corrupt his allies. Turn his own men against him. The businesses that once earned him millions will start bleeding money instead."

He crushed the cigar into the ashtray beside him.

"And while his empire falls apart, mine will rise."

A dangerous calmness settled over him.

"When my businesses become bigger than his, the balance of power will shift naturally. Officials don’t serve loyalty, Dominic. They serve money."

His lips curled faintly.

"And I can pay far more than Mathias."

The room fell silent again.

"I know we can’t destroy him overnight," Luke admitted. "But if we start now... within a few years, we’ll watch him fall."

Dominic narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He still didn’t trust Luke completely.

The man was manipulative, dangerous, and impossible to read. But Luke was also his only opportunity. Without his protection and resources, Dominic wouldn’t survive outside for long.

"Fine," Dominic finally said. "I’m willing to work with you."

Then his gaze sharpened. "But I won’t remain hidden forever. I want freedom to move around."

Luke studied him with interest. "How exactly are you planning to hide your identity?"

Dominic’s lips curved faintly. "I’m good at disguises. For years, no one knew what I actually looked like because I never showed my real face."

Luke knew that already.

That was the very reason Mathias had failed to find Dominic for so long.

Luke tapped his fingers against the armrest thoughtfully. He didn’t fully trust Dominic either.

A man like Dominic Russo was impossible to control completely. If released freely, he could easily betray him someday.

Luke wanted him close, where he could watch him.

"Alright," Luke finally agreed. "You can move freely."

Dominic’s expression remained unreadable.

"But," Luke added slowly, "you’ll work as my secretary."

Dominic raised an eyebrow. "Your secretary?"

"Yes."

Luke stood and walked toward him slowly.

"You’ll stay in my office during the day. My informers will provide updates about Mathias’s businesses, allies, and movements. And at night..."

His eyes turned ice-cold. "You’ll eliminate them one by one."

Dominic remained silent.

"Every death must look natural or accidental," Luke continued calmly. "No one should suspect we are behind any of it."

A chilling smile appeared on his lips. "We won’t attack Mathias directly yet. First, we’ll isolate him."

Dominic listened quietly.

"Once fear starts spreading among his allies, they’ll begin abandoning him themselves," Luke muttered. "And when that happens..." His voice lowered dangerously. "Mathias will fall alone."

Silence stretched between them.

Dominic thought carefully.

Working beside Luke would give him access to everything—his businesses, his secrets, his connections. And with Luke’s resources, he could finally destroy Mathias.

But Dominic had other plans too.

’Once Mathias falls, I’ll deal with Luke Bellini.’

His fingers tightened around the shackles.

Then Mila’s face flashed through his mind. His chest tightened painfully.

’And Mila... I’ll take her back.’ A dangerous possessiveness rose inside him. ’She belongs only to me.’Top of Form

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day of the party...

Elite businessmen, politicians, celebrities, and influential figures mingled with glasses of expensive wine in their hands. Soft classical music floated through the banquet hall.

Dominic stood in the corner, sipping his wine lazily, his sharp gaze scanning the guests.

No one recognized him.

His shoulder-length hair fell loosely around his face. A thick beard covered his sharp jawline completely. Deep green contact lenses had replaced his naturally dark eyes, while thick black-rimmed glasses hid his piercing gaze further.

Even his posture had changed slightly. He no longer looked like Dominic Russo.

Luke had ordered him to keep an eye on Mathias throughout the party. But Dominic’s attention was elsewhere.

His eyes searched only for Mila.

It had been two months since he had last seen her. Two long, torturous months.

He wondered if she was truly happy with Max now.

The sudden commotion near the entrance pulled him out of his thoughts. Dominic turned instinctively.

Mathias had arrived.

The man entered the banquet hall surrounded by bodyguards. Tall, broad-shouldered, and imposing, he carried an overwhelming aura of authority. Even in his fifties, his body remained fit and powerful.

The entire hall seemed to quiet down the moment he stepped inside. All eyes turned toward him.

Luke Bellini immediately approached with a welcoming grin and hugged him warmly. Mathias returned the embrace.

"Thank you for coming," Luke said graciously.

"I had to," Mathias replied smoothly. "I wanted to meet your son and daughter-in-law personally."

Luke noticed the hidden sharpness beneath the smile but maintained his composure.

"Of course," he chuckled. "This party is for announcing their marriage officially."

"I heard your daughter-in-law is pregnant," Mathias remarked casually. "They only got married recently, yet she is already expecting."

Luke sensed the suspicion buried beneath those words. He laughed lightly.

"What can I say? They love each other too much. Perhaps they couldn’t wait any longer to start a family."

Then he leaned slightly closer and lowered his voice carefully. "But it’s still early. Only six weeks."

It was a lie. Mila was already twelve weeks pregnant.

But Luke could never reveal that truth.

"We haven’t announced the pregnancy publicly yet," he added smoothly.

"Oh..." Mathias nodded slowly. Yet the doubt in his eyes remained. "Where are they?" he asked, glancing around the crowded hall. "Aren’t they here yet?"

"You know how doctors are," Luke replied proudly. "Both of them are busy. I told them to come early, but they’ll arrive after their shift."

Mathias laughed. "You are quite fortunate, Luke. A heart surgeon and a neurologist in the family. You’ll never have to worry about your health."

Luke laughed louder. "That’s true."

Then his gaze shifted toward the entrance. "Ah... they are here."

Mathias followed his line of sight and saw Mila and Max entering together. The smile on his face faded slightly.

Mila looked radiant. A soft smile rested on her lips as she walked beside Max with her arm linked through his. Her skin glowed. And she looked happy. Truly happy.

Mathias narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He had never fully believed Luke’s story about Mila and Max being deeply in love.

But looking at her now, smiling beside Max so naturally, his certainty began to waver.

On the other side of the hall, Dominic froze.

The moment his eyes landed on Mila, the world around him seemed to disappear.

She was breathtaking, more beautiful than he remembered.

Her silver gown hugged her figure perfectly. She wore only light makeup, yet it highlighted her delicate features beautifully. Her loose curls framed her glowing face perfectly.

And that smile... that smile shattered him completely.

His grip around the wine glass tightened unconsciously.

Mila was supposed to stand beside him. She was supposed to be his. Yet now another man stood beside her proudly while she smiled as though her world was complete.

Dominic’s chest tightened painfully.

She had once told him he was the only man in her heart. Then how could she move on so quickly? How could she marry someone else within only two months?

And now, she was carrying another man’s child.

The thought tore through him mercilessly. A suffocating ache spread inside his chest.

He couldn’t breathe properly.

Every memory they had shared crashed into him violently—her tears, her laughter, the way she clung to him and whispered that she would never leave him. Yet here she was, glowing, smiling, happy without him.

Dominic felt like someone was crushing his heart slowly with bare hands. Every instinct inside him screamed at him to run toward her, to pull her into his arms, to tell her he was alive, and to ask her why she hadn’t waited for him.

He wanted to kiss her desperately. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her every single day while rotting away in chains.

But reality slammed him hard. He couldn’t move an inch.

Dominic remembered promising her that he would always protect her. But he had failed.

His eyes burned as emotions overwhelmed him. For the first time in years, Dominic felt truly powerless.

Mathias was too strong.

Dominic couldn’t even survive now without Luke Bellini’s protection.

And Mila... She was safe with Max, protected by the Bellini family. Perhaps this was better for her. Perhaps staying away from her was the only thing he could still do for her.

His throat tightened painfully. ’I should step back and never disturb her life again.’

His chest felt hollow.

Dominic turned away slowly and took a large swallow of wine, trying to drown the unbearable ache inside him.