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00:02ever since i was a child had been a vicious fight
00:06by 28 no man in new york would marry me so my family sold me to a widowed dawn i
00:11walked into
00:12the morety house ready to make them fear me then a little girl tugged my sleeve are you are you
00:17my
00:17mommy do i really have a mommy now she looked so pitiful for one second i was eight years old
00:23again standing in my father's house after my mother died waiting for someone to want me no
00:28one ever did to my stepmother i was trouble but for this girl i would be the mother i never
00:32had
00:33even if i had to burn every rule in this house to ash today's wedding was my stepmother's perfect
00:39chance to be rid of me for good she gripped the steering wheel lips stretched into a performance
00:44smile i watched her from the passenger seat arms crossed the car stopped at the church doors
00:49she dabbed under her eye with one finger nothing came out not one real tear oh sloan baby i'm gonna
00:54miss you so much i looked at her smiled slow you know what mom if it doesn't work out i'm
01:00coming
01:01back keep my room exactly how it is
01:06go go go god bless you sweetie go she shoved me toward the church door so hard i nearly tripped
01:11on my own dress the dress was blood red i picked it myself if i was going to marry a
01:16ghost i might as
01:17well look like i meant it because there was no groom at the altar don dominic moretti was feared
01:21filthy rich and untouchable he was somewhere in eastern europe handling a shipment that couldn't
01:26work in his place stood a framed photograph dominic's conciliere and a signed proxy contract
01:30300 guests in the pews whispering poor thing can't even get a real husband to show up lucky anyone took
01:37her at all i walked to the altar picked up the pen signed the conciliere stamped the papers slid a
01:44cold
01:44ring onto my finger no kiss no bowels just ink on paper done i turned and walked back down the
01:50aisle
01:50chin high heels clicking marble every eye on me let them pity me i didn't need a husband
01:56i needed a house an empire and two walls between me and my family forever the meretti estate car
02:02pulled up outside a driver in a black suit opened the door i slid in kicked off my heels and
02:07leaned
02:08back against the leather the mansion appeared 20 minutes later iron gates stone walls red camera
02:13lights blinking in the dark no one greeted me no flowers no welcome a housekeeper led me upstairs
02:19without a word the master bedroom was cold and untouched i stood in the middle of it and waited
02:23then a knock barely a sound i opened the door a little girl five years old dark curls brown eyes
02:31too
02:31big for her face a nightgum swallowing her whole she was trembling she reached up and grabbed the edge
02:36of my sleeve are you are you my mommy now do i really have a mom that tiny cracked voice
02:48split
02:48me open i knelt down until we were eye to eye yeah kid you've got a mom now she grabbed
02:55my hand her name
02:55was mia five years old behind her half hidden in the dark hallway stood a boy maybe 10 years old
03:01arms
03:01crossed jaw tight leo dominic's son his eyes were full of something i recognized instantly distrust
03:07he didn't say a word didn't move just watched me the way animals watch a trap i didn't blame him
03:11every adult in his life had already failed him then i heard it feels the conclusion sharp and deliberate
03:16a woman appeared at the end of the hallway elena moretti dominic's sister-in-law the widow who ran this
03:21house she looked me up and down so you're the replacement behind me mia pressed closer to my leg
03:27leo didn't move elena's gaze dropped to mia kids it's past your bedtime neither child moved elena stepped
03:34forward grabbed mia's arm mia flinched her whole body went rigid but she didn't make a sound my hand
03:39shot out caught elena's wrist the grip alone made her freeze don't excuse me she's shy first time
03:46meeting me there's no reason to hurt her i didn't hurt her you're seeing things she looked down at
03:51mia voice sweet poison underneath tell her sweetheart did i hurt you mia shook her head too fast i knew
03:57that move i'd done it a thousand times as a kid the children can show you around tomorrow need anything
04:03ask the staff i stood there with two broken children i'd known for less than five minutes mia was still
04:09gripping my sleeve leo still hadn't said a word but somewhere behind those guarded eyes something changed
04:15the next morning the house showed its real face elena owned the west side nana owned the east
04:21dominic's children had two tiny rooms near the service entrance leo's closet was empty mia had three
04:27outfits too small worn thin their rooms had bare walls no toys no books one thin blanket lay on a
04:34mattress on the floor this was the richest mafia estate in new york and these children lived like
04:39orphans in their own father's house meanwhile marco had a room like an apartment new clothes new toys
04:45staff calling him golden boy leo and mia avoided him like a disease the staff avoided me too they took
04:53orders from elena i closed the last closet door my hands curled into fists but that was over i was
04:59here now the rules of this house were about to change 7 a.m the dining room glittered with money
05:04elena
05:05sat at the head silk blouse diamonds shining nana sat to her right espresso sharp little eyes watching
05:11me enter a plate was set at my place i looked down a single piece of bread stale green at
05:19the edges elena
05:20had eggs fruit and silver caviar nana had fresh bread and cheese i got mold oh the kitchen wasn't sure
05:28what
05:28you liked hope that's all right she smiled nana smiled too the staff lined against the wall did not
05:36smile they knew exactly what this was i picked up the bread studied it then set it back down
05:42you're right i should eat what the house provides i stood up walked to her end picked up the silver
05:48caviar dish what are you i flipped it onto her blouse black pearls slid over five thousand dollars
05:55silk elena screamed nona's espresso cup cracked against the saucer i leaned in close voice low just
06:03for her let me be clear
06:07if i eat garbage you eat worse
06:13if my children starve your son starves elena's mouth opened nothing came out try again and you'll beg
06:20dominic to save you elena sat there dripping caviar shaking with rage i turned to the kitchen staff
06:26remake breakfast for everyone
06:30nobody moved from now on the children eat first before anyone else touches food
06:37the staff looked at elena first that told me who they feel am i clear
06:44yes ma'am yes ma'am they ran 20 minutes later the fresh plates appeared eggs toast fruit juice set
06:51in
06:51front of leo and mia first the children ate quietly glancing at me every few seconds as if the food
06:57might be taken away it would not be taken away not anymore leo's hands stayed steady mia ate two full
07:03pieces of toast elena watched from across the table still in her ruined blouse still dripping she didn't
07:08dare leave so she sat there humiliated silent nana said nothing but her eyes stayed on me let her
07:15calculate i didn't need approval after breakfast i stood one more thing post the meal schedule by
07:22tonight the children finish first break that rule and you're dismissed
07:34then midnight came a sound slipped down the hall muffled choked i stood and followed it the crying
07:39came from leo's room i didn't knock marco sat on leo's chest one hand pinned leo's wrist the other
07:47held a lit cigarette near his face leo did not fight back he lay stiff tears slid into his hair
07:51his jaw
07:52shook from holding everything in someone had taught him fighting back made it worse marco's voice was low
07:56and cruel shut up want my mom to know she'll lock you in the basement again shoved the door open
08:03wider marco looked up at me annoyed not scared get out this isn't your business nine years old already
08:09trained like a monster i stepped into the room get off him marco sneered at me i crossed the room
08:14in
08:14three steps i grabbed the back of his shirt touch me and my mom ruins you your mom isn't here
08:22i lifted him
08:23clean off leo marco kicked and screamed let go my mom's gonna kill you then she can get in line
08:31marco kept screaming in my grip i did not loosen my hand i dragged him to the balcony door and
08:36shoved
08:36it open then i dumped him onto the second floor terrace he hit the outdoor couch not injured just
08:41terrified i locked the door he pounded on the glass let me in i'm telling my mom good tell her
08:47i said hi i
08:48turned back to leo he was sitting up now i sat on the edge of his bed how long has
08:53he done this he
08:54didn't answer leo how long his voice cracked since i was seven three years three years and nobody stopped
09:02it why didn't you fight back antelina said if i ever hurt marco she'd tell dad i was violent she
09:08said dad
09:09would send me away and i'd never see mia again look at me a marati man can die fighting but
09:19never lying
09:20down marco touches you again break his hand let alina scream let nana faint then come find me i'll
09:28handle the rest but no butts you're dominic morelli's son your future belongs to you go to sleep i'll be
09:35right outside i stood outside his door for an hour outside marco finally stopped banging he curled
09:40up on the couch and fell asleep good let him learn fear for one night seven a.m elena's fist
09:45couldn't
09:46open door what did you do to my son what did you do to my son he was outside all
09:54night he could have
09:55died i opened the door in my robe coffee in hand your son was burning mine with a cigarette be
10:01grateful
10:01i only put him on a balcony elena's smile vanished her fingers tightened on the door if you ever touch
10:06my son again if your son ever touches mine again the balcony will be mercy she opened her mouth i
10:12shut
10:12the door in her face behind me a sound i'd never heard in this house leo was laughing small quiet
10:19but
10:20real i opened the door again he stood at the end of the hall arms crossed grinning for the first
10:25time
10:25he looked like a kid mia peeked out from her room is marco in trouble big trouble good i crouched
10:33down
10:34she ran into my arms nobody hurts you too anymore promise promise over her shoulder leo watched
10:45he didn't join but he didn't look away something had shifted the children weren't hiding anymore
10:52two days later nonna summoned me to the chapel and elena stood right behind her
10:59elena couldn't beat me alone so she went to nonna
11:04two days later nonna summoned me to the chapel a crucifix hung over the altar nonna sat in the
11:10front pew elena stood behind her sit i stayed standing her eyes narrowed in this family a wife has
11:17duties dominic is a way of protecting us you will pray for his safe return pray every morning 5 a
11:25.m
11:25one hour on your knees that is tradition elena smirk told me everything this was not tradition this
11:32was punishment dressed as faith and if i don't then you don't deserve the moretti name
11:39i will write to dominic i'll tell him you dishonor god and family he will know what to do elena's
11:45smirk widened they thought they had me cornered kneel or be reported submit or be removed i looked
11:51at the altar they thought rules belonged to them they were wrong 5 a.m you said nonna nodded i'll
11:56be
11:56here elena almost laughed i walked out but i wasn't coming to kneel 4 55 a.m the chapel was
12:03cold nonna was
12:04already there a kneeling cushion waited for me elena sat behind her waiting to see me break i
12:09walked in wearing a silk robe and holding a bottle of whiskey from dominic's study i sat in the nearest
12:14pew crossed my legs opened the bottle took a long drink nonna's cane struck the floor what do you think
12:22you're doing if god worked dominic wouldn't kill for a living and i wouldn't need to beg for miracles
12:29you dare i dare plenty i took another sip i'm not kneeling not ever write to dominic if you want
12:38but mention his children too the thin clothes the empty rooms the bruises nonna went still
12:46she's lying i looked at elena am i should i bring leo here let him show the burns marco left
12:54elena's mouth
12:54snapped shut nonna's grip tightened on her cane the chapel went silent their weapon was mine now
12:59but nonna still thought she had a choice
13:04i set the whiskey bottle on the altar here's the deal i run this house you stay in your room
13:10say your prayers drink your espresso nobody bothers you but you do not give me orders and you do not
13:16threaten me with dominic and if i refuse then i hand dominic the receipts every dollar elena stole
13:24every bruise you ignored then we'll see who he blames no one spoke nonna looked at me i looked back
13:3010 seconds then 20 nonna's fingers tightened around her cane you are a vile woman i know
13:38that's why they married me to your grandson i walked out without looking back we can't just let her enough
13:45i need to think that was her surrender that night mia grabbed my hand they won't make you go away
13:56kid i only leave this house in a box and i'm very hard to kill down the hall leo looked
14:02up he didn't
14:03smile but he nodded from leo that meant everything nonna had backed down elena had lost her ally
14:09but before i touched elena's money i would break the house itself at 4 a.m sharp i pulled the
14:14alarm
14:16the alarm screamed through the house red lights flashed down every hall at 4 a.m the moretti
14:21spot death had arrived i stood in the main hall arms crossed kevlar vests over my nightgown elena came
14:26first she stumbled down the stairs clutching the rain what's happening are we under attack nonna came next
14:31pain tight in both hands two guards flanked her guns drawn the staff pulled in from every direction
14:35robes bare feet half button shirts marco ran out crying hiding behind his mother i waited until
14:42everyone stood in front of me then i shut off the alarm the silence hit harder than the siren good
14:49morning what the hell is wrong with you this was a drill the moretti family has real enemies
14:57people outside these gates want us dead and what did i just learn this household took four minutes
15:03to assemble four minutes means dead this is insane from now on when i pull that alarm everyone moves
15:08no questions fast nonna sander came against the marble you have no authority i have every authority
15:17i am the donna of this house and since none of you respect that during the day we practice in
15:23the dark
15:26nobody moved but i wasn't done yet because four minutes was unacceptable and these people needed
15:31to learn what happened when they were too slow i pointed at the staff kitchen now full breakfast for
15:3910. you have 20 minutes nobody moved i reached behind the hallway table pulled out a shot i racked it
15:45once
15:46the sound echoed through the marble hall like a thunder clock 18 minutes they ran elena stood
15:53shaking fists clenched at her sides dominic you'll hear about this tell him his wife runs drills at 4am
16:01tell him his household can't leave breakfast under pressure see if he gets angry at me or at you
16:07she had nothing nonna lowered herself into a chair she said nothing but she understood now breakfast
16:12came in 19 minutes leo and mia sat on either side of me leo's hands did not shake mia leaned
16:17against
16:18my arm toast in her small fist i set the shotgun on the table this drill happens again random nights
16:23until this household earns the morelli name dismissed people scattered nonna stayed in her chair
16:28you are either very brave or very stupid i'm both that's what makes me dangerous three weeks in
16:34i've broken their routine in their chain of command now it was time to break their wallet
16:39i found the receipts at 2am the staff feared me enough to stay out of my way now elena's office
16:45second floor west room i let myself in pulled every file from every drawer dominic sent money home every
16:53month enough for luxury enough to fill a trust fund the trust was empty every dollar moved out
16:58transfers to one name victor salis 50 000 at a casino 30 000 at a poker club
17:0380 000 to salis in one month elena's lover gambling away the children's future leo didn't
17:08have a winter coat mia's shoes had cardboard inside the holes heirs to a fortune dressed like orphans
17:13dominic was still overseas waiting for him would give elena time to hide everything i needed someone
17:18who moved faster danny cho an old rossi contact who fixed ugly problems danny freeze the moretti credit
17:25lines who's access elena moretti's her cards her accounts you're picking a dangerous fight
17:32can you do it by noon give me till 10. by 10 a.m elena's world would collapse and she
17:38wouldn't
17:38see it coming by 10 a.m every account elena controlled was locked at 10 15 we walked into
17:45her bedroom elena was at her vanity applying lipstick get out of my room i dropped the files
17:51on her bed statements wire transfers casino photos of salas elena's hand froze three million dollars
17:58that's what you stole from the children's trust gone to your boyfriend's poker habit
18:04you don't understand your cards are frozen salas is cut off it's done she grabbed her phone called the
18:10bank her hand froze around the phone she dialed again then again nothing worked elena stood so fast
18:18her chair fell you can't do this already did that money is mine i raised those brats you starved them
18:26you dressed them in rags you didn't earn it you stole it she gets the vanity knuckles white i'll tell
18:33dominic you stole from us tell him when he asks for proof i'll show him these i tapped the files
18:39her mouth opened closed but i wasn't done then i took the diamonds
18:48i picked up the velvet box on her nightstand a necklace 40 000 at least this goes to auction today
18:55so does everything in your jewelry safe no consider it interest you owe those children
19:00three million and i collect with interest you're a monster i paused at the door looked back no elena
19:07i'm their mother and you just found out what that means i walked out elena locked herself in and
19:13screamed for an hour nobody came to help her by evening leo had a winter coat mia had boots that
19:18fit
19:20the trust had its first deposit back not enough but a start
19:27leo came home with blood on his collar he walked past me and shut his door
19:30i gave him 10 minutes then i opened his knuckles were raw the blood on his shirt wasn't all his
19:36he'd hit back badly without technique who doesn't matter leo
19:46he finally looked at me eyes wet jaw tight furious and humiliated carter reed and his two friends carter
19:53reed the senator's grandson rich spoiled untouchable what did they say
19:59his hands curled into fists on his knees they said dad married a psycho because no real woman wanted
20:05him they said my real mom killed herself just to get away from us my fingers tightened around the door
20:12frame and you swung first yes good but you lost he flinched
20:26and you lost him there were three of them i don't care if there were ten
20:31i crouched in front of him you're a moretti if you fight you win period
20:41beaten again pathetic weak just like his father come with me where the training facility
20:52the moretti estate had a private range mats bags a weapons rack i pulled a tactical knife from the wall
20:58take it don't swing wild look for balance look for openings fast clean then get away you want me to
21:06stab someone i want you to never lose again the knife is a last resort
21:14but confidence changes how you stand confidence is a weapon leo nobody leaves you alone because you're
21:20nice if you want them to stop make them hurt make touching you cost too much the next day leo
21:28went back
21:28to school and by lunch time my phone rang my phone rang before lunch
21:38the headmaster's voice was shaking mrs moretti this is an emergency leo had pinned carter's hand
21:44to a desk with a compass harder scream his friends froze mrs moretti this is assault your school let
21:50three boys beat my son for weeks i have photos of every bruise should i send them to the reed
21:54family
21:55lawyers or to the press i thought so leo stays enrolled carter transfers are we clear yes mrs
22:01moretti leo came home walking taller mia ran over and grabbed his hand she chattered like nothing had
22:10changed but everything had changed he looked at me over her head for the first time leo moretti
22:15smiled at me a real smile small private earned elena watched from the stairs arms crossed silent smart
22:21woman she was finally learning but elena was not the only danger outside these walls the school had
22:25learned my name soon so with the rest of new york three months after the wedding the front gates
22:31opened without warning no call no message from his men four black suvs rolled up the driveway at 7 00
22:37i was in the dining room with the children leo helped mia with homework i had wine in one hand
22:42budget papers in the other the butler appeared in the doorway white-faced mrs moretti the don is home
22:49leo's head snapped up mia dropped her pencil i took a sip of wine set the glass down
22:56well about time i heard him before i saw him heavy footsteps men moving aside a short command in
23:02italian then the dining room doors swung open dominic moretti walked in with blood still on his
23:06shirt he was taller than his photo broader dark hair pushed back eyes sharp from sleepless nights his
23:11black shirt was stained with blood forearm collar jaw not his blood looked around the room he saw the
23:16children first leo sat straight strong mia was bright eyed her cheeks full again no one spoke
23:21no one breathed then mia broke the silence daddy daddy mommy taught me big words leo does push-ups
23:28now and we eat breakfast first every day mommy dominic's eyes found mine i was sitting in his
23:37chair the big leather one at the head of the table the one nobody had touched in years lifted my
23:42wine glass
23:42eyes welcome home darling you're three months late and leo stood from his chair he didn't run he
23:49walked to his father shoulders back chin level dad dominic looked down at his son his face changed for
23:54half a second leo you've grown three inches mom measured last week mom no one missed it elena stood
24:01stiff near the fireplace barely holding her composure dominic set mia down gently
24:08he looked at elena and at me in his seat his jaw did not move the whole room felt the
24:13warning
24:13someone will explain what happened here elena rushed forward grabbed his arm dominic thank god you're back
24:20that woman is insane she terrorized us she stole from me turned the children against me i did not
24:28answer i looked at leo for the first time my son stepped forward leo looked at me once then he
24:34faced
24:34his father dominic's eyes settled on him leo speak elena reached for dominic's arm dominic she's
24:43poisoned him tell me everything leo's voice was steady no begging no shaking he told him about the
24:48empty trust about marco's cigarette burns about mia crying herself to sleep hungry then leo pulled up
24:54his sleeve slowly all the way past the elbow the scars were still there round old clear one after another
24:59dominic looked at them his face stayed still but his fist closed until his knuckles cracked the guards
25:04near the door shifted they felt it too elena's tears stopped at once he's lying she coached him
25:10dominic did not blink mia baby mia looked up from my lap is leo telling the truth mia nodded small
25:18certain
25:18mommy fixed it mommy made elena stop that sentence broke elena harder than any slap
25:28dominic dominic you can't believe a child over me dominic finally turned toward her his eyes had
25:32changed dominic reached behind his back pulled a black gun set it on the dining table no one moved
25:42his voice was low that was worse than shouting i trusted you i sent money every month i called every
25:50week i asked if my children were okay every time you said yes they were okay three million dollars elena
25:58he tapped the table once you think i don't check my own accounts
26:03you think i missed sloin freezing your life elena's mouth open nothing came out he already knew before he
26:09walked in he had chosen her sentence my wife didn't kill you he looked at me then back at elena
26:15that was her
26:15mercy it won't be mine elena grabbed the chair her knees almost gave out you have until sunrise take
26:23nothing not a ring not a dollar if i see your face after dawn i will not ask again dominic
26:29please where
26:30am i supposed to that is no longer my problem she looked at the guards at me i sipped my
26:38wine elena turned
26:39and walked out halfway down the hall she started running the front door slammed is she really gone
26:45daddy mia tugged dominic's hand he lifted her up pressed his forehead against hers yeah sweetheart
26:53she's really gone over mia's shoulder he looked at me we need to talk tonight i set down my glass
26:59i'll be
27:00waiting he came to my room at midnight the door opened and dominic stood there black shirt sleeves
27:06rolled a trace of blood still marked his collar he closed the door behind him locked it three months
27:13i left you here with nothing no backup no authority and you rebuilt my house someone had to
27:26he stopped two feet away close enough to smell smoke on him what do you want sloan excuse me from
27:33this
27:34from me the name the money what's your price you think i did all that for a paycheck everyone has
27:43a
27:43motive i stepped closer i want a husband who shows up i want those children strong and never left
27:49unprotected again if you can't do that stay out of my way i'll do it for you you're not afraid
27:54of me
27:54no everyone is afraid of me i'm not everyone you knew that when you chose me
28:02i picked you for one reason his hand came up fingers closed around my jaw firm but careful
28:07three years ago i saw you fight your stepmother you won then bought yourself dinner
28:14you saw that i saw everything the fight the tears you wiped when no one was looking and the coat
28:20you gave
28:20that homeless kid everyone said you were vicious but i knew better i needed someone vicious someone
28:28who would protect my children the way no one protected her so you used me yes and now now i
28:35don't want it to be an arrangement anymore he kissed me hard i kissed him back not gently not sweetly
28:38with every bit of anger i had carried for three months he pulled me close i did not step away
28:43partners
28:45partners that night the proxy contract stopped mattering we were not strangers anymore we were
28:50something more dangerous a blood partnership at dawn dominic opened a map on the desk one city was
28:55circled in black las vegas new territory new rules our rules we left new york on a tuesday no announcement
29:07no farewell before we left i had one last thing to do nana sat in her parlor pearls cane i
29:12pulled off
29:12the donna ring and set it in front of her keep it or sell it the children will they be
29:17all right
29:18they'll be untouchable she closed her fist around the ring turned to the window i left without looking
29:24back outside dominic waited by the suv
29:32done done leo and mia were already inside mia climbed into my lap
29:40mom will there be a pool three three leo hid a smile behind his book at the airport dominic took
29:49my hand
29:52no more new york no more new york
29:56the jet lifted three months ago my family sold me to a stranger they expected me to suffer to fail
30:02to
30:03crawl back instead i took a dead woman's place and made it mine i raised her children until fear left
30:09their eyes i married the most dangerous man on the east coast not by kneeling by standing my ground
30:19mom can we get a dog
30:23we'll get two
30:26dominic took my hand he said nothing he didn't need to i did not come to be a quiet wife
30:30i came to change
30:31everything and from that day on no one called the moretti's week again
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