After my divorce, I became the God father's XXL wife

Name: After my divorce, I became the God father's XXL wife
Uploaded: 2026-09-17T17:38:56+00:00
Duration: 1 h 18 min 26 s
Channel: Dillip Swain
Description: Watch After my divorce, I became the God father's XXL wife - Dillip Swain on Dailymotion

00:00:01my husband kicked me out because i ate too much signing the divorce papers that night i left with

00:00:06nothing with only a duffel bag and 36 dollars in my pocket i wandered the rainy streets alone

00:00:11then i spotted a flyer on a utility pole stepmother needed room and board included

00:00:16that exact flyer changed my life it turned me into a woman far beyond my ex-husband's reach

00:00:21that night i followed the address and entered the estate of luca castellano the head of new

00:00:26york's oldest mafia family outside the mansion the butler beside me oozed quiet arrogance

00:00:32the don needs a mother for his child not a wife get that straight the don is highly attractive

00:00:39don't get any ideas i lowered my head secretly delighted honestly this job was perfect for me

00:00:44in short they just needed an upscale nanny and the last thing i wanted was another husband

00:00:49free mansion lodging at this point that felt like a miracle

00:00:53don't worry i won't get any ideas as we passed a room with its door ajar a gunshot rang out

00:00:59and a

00:00:59man crumpled to the floor instantly through the crack in the door i recognized the face i'd seen

00:01:04in the new york times the don is handling some business don't take it personally

00:01:10after i changed into dry clothes he led me to the dining room at one end of a long wooden

00:01:15table

00:01:15father and son sat in a tent standoff the man with the murderous glare was gone in his place at

00:01:20the

00:01:20table sat in exhausted helpless father just one bite one tiny bite is that too much to ask it was

00:01:27almost funny he could deal with traitors and torture enemies but now this little brat had

00:01:32him stumped feeding him was harder than running an empire don the candidate is here so this was no

00:01:37dream no scam new york's most feared man a man like luca castellano had no reason to trick some

00:01:42homeless nobody name nora bennett try so this was my interview if i failed i'd be sleeping on a train

00:01:51tonight wearing my warmest smile i stepped toward the boy he dove under the table only his big round

00:01:56dark eyes peeked out glaring furiously at me make her leave they're all bad women he'd already burned

00:02:03through countless stepmothers before me that woman you're ugly go away i was a little annoyed

00:02:08calm down he was just a kid i scanned the room and immediately spotted them action figures everywhere

00:02:13grabbing two action figures from the coffee table i crouched beside the table and held up a spoon

00:02:18don't worry i'm not feeding you i'm feeding him i pretended to scoop up a spoonful and held it to

00:02:23little hero's mouth come on open wide you heroes skip dinner look at those skinny little arms and legs

00:02:29you can't protect anybody like that oh little hero wants veggies good choice spinach makes you strong

00:02:36the boy swallowed hard i pretended not to see him on the verge of tears wait little hero can you

00:02:42share

00:02:42some with him if he wants to grow big and strong he has to eat too i nodded little hero's

00:02:48head in

00:02:48agreement then turned to the boy you want to be strong little man he nodded eagerly just a tiny bite

00:02:54only a little we don't want you to get stronger than little hero he'd be sad before the spoon even

00:03:00reached him he lunged mouth wide open why can't i have veggies are you scared i'm gonna be stronger

00:03:07than little hero you meanie i glanced at luca castellano the corner of his mouth lifted into

00:03:12a genuine approving smile i moved into the castle that same night the butler led me to my room then

00:03:17gave me one final warning do not go to the third floor ever his voice dropped the last woman who

00:03:23snuck

00:03:23up there and tried to get into don luca's bed he threw her out of a second story window i

00:03:28thought

00:03:28about the gun from an hour ago i nodded hard i promise i slipped into the silk pajamas laid out

00:03:33in the closet damn it i seriously need to lose weight come downstairs we need to talk oh okay

00:03:44luca sat in the living room legs crossed swirling a glass of whiskey i tugged awkwardly at my pajama

00:03:49him trying to hide my stomach you're good with kids do you have any of your own no i helped

00:03:57raise

00:03:57my ex's nephew for two years his family called me a glutton who made no money they forced me to

00:04:02quit

00:04:03my job fired the nanny then dumped their kid on me i wasn't their daughter-in-law i was nothing

00:04:09but

00:04:09an unpaid babysitter your file says you're divorced yes why he was ashamed of my body

00:04:19and he looked down on my small town roots i guess only a coward would say something like that

00:04:25you saw the ad i'm looking for a mother for leo not a date for myself my enemies terrified him

00:04:32when

00:04:32he was little ever since then he's never felt safe hates going outside and has zero friends

00:04:38i work long hours so i need someone patient to stay with him we'll sign a prenup everything stays

00:04:45separate especially what happens in the bedroom i looked into his eyes and my heart skipped a beat

00:04:50my ex and i signed a similar prenup over our background gap when the love died i left

00:04:55and a powerful mafia family like the castellanos they would be even more cautious i understand

00:05:03honestly if you just need someone around the house we don't have to make it legal

00:05:06i don't mind skipping all the paperwork luca shook his head he leaned forward lightly tapping his

00:05:11fingers against the table the marriage is for leo he needs a mother's love something stable and

00:05:16lasting and marriage is the strongest contract there is fine we'll do it your way don't worry

00:05:25you'll have a monthly allowance of one hundred thousand dollars that was the part i actually

00:05:30cared about if we ever get divorced will the money you've given me still be mine of course it's yours

00:05:36then okay as for sex i have no expectations of you just stay on the second floor of course

00:05:41so three days after i signed my divorce papers i got married again there was no ceremony just like

00:05:47my first wedding but at dinner luca suddenly slid a ring across the table toward me it was the

00:05:51castellano family signet ring there's no need to do this sebastian had never even given me his family

00:05:58ring this was all for leo only later did i realize he needed the illusion of a home i fell

00:06:03silent for

00:06:04a moment then i took the ring i'll keep it safe that night i had just gotten into bed when

00:06:10my door

00:06:10creaked open barefoot with wild bedhead leo stood there fidgeting with his dinosaur pajamas

00:06:16what's wrong little man nora can you read me a bedtime story i can ask dad to give you more

00:06:22money

00:06:24come here i pulled back the covers to make room for him he scrambled in beside me like he'd waited

00:06:29all day nora it's so cramped oh you little rascal i was only halfway through the story when he fell

00:06:38fast asleep against my shoulder the next morning at breakfast the butler told luca that leo had slept

00:06:42in my bed luca froze i'll add another 50 000 to your monthly allowance mr castellano that's really

00:06:49too much not even close i'd put far more into my last marriage than that an eyesore you do nothing

00:06:55but eat and sleep mr castellano you're really too generous i like leo he's a good kid reading him a

00:07:03story is no trouble at all the moment i said that leo walked over wrapping his tiny warm hand around

00:07:08my

00:07:09finger he looked up at me with big dark eyes like two grapes he was clearly touched another 50 000

00:07:14you've earned it it's not up for negotiation i gave in and thanked him from that day on leo became

00:07:20my

00:07:20little shadow luca was busy with deals guns and bloodshed he didn't come home for an entire month

00:07:25in that massive mansion it was just leo and me i poured my heart into keeping him happy

00:07:35great until my follow-up appointment the butler had warned me that leo could not leave the house

00:07:40if he did it could trigger a panic attack i crouched down in front of him sweetheart wait for me

00:07:45at home

00:07:46i'll be back in an hour he clutched my hand and refused to let go he didn't say a word

00:07:50only looked

00:07:51at me with those dark sorrowful eyes i'll be right back i'm just going to see the doctor then i'll

00:07:56come

00:07:56straight here and play okay you stay here and play before i could finish speaking he scrambled

00:08:01into the back seat the butler fought to hide his rising hope do you want to go to the hospital

00:08:05with nora thank god he's finally willing to leave the house your depression is getting better just

00:08:15take it slow and try to relax i picked up my prescription and medication then left leo was

00:08:19waiting for me in the lobby with his little little hero toy nia are you sick when i was teeny

00:08:24tiny i didn't

00:08:26eat and got super sick promise you won't do that to yourself does it hurt here you can have my

00:08:33candy

00:08:33dad says it makes the pain go away tears suddenly spilled down my cheeks i have depression quit

00:08:41faking sick just for attention the nephew i'd raised for two years stood beside his mother the day she

00:08:45came back he called me fat and ugly but this ford zanyardzan old mafia heir pressed his very last

00:08:51piece of candy into my hand i'm gonna eat all my meals so i can grow up and protect you

00:08:56then you'd

00:08:57better grow up fast sweetheart when we walked out of the hospital a black maybok was idling at the curb

00:09:02luca was leaning against it

00:09:08he pulled leo into his arms but he noticed leo was calm and composed dad as long till i'm with

00:09:14nora

00:09:14you don't have to worry anymore that night luca tried to give me another raise this time he even

00:09:21offered me a black card i refused instantly making him laugh

00:09:28nora you must want something can you help me find a used car under five grand that way i can

00:09:33take leo

00:09:33out without relying on a driver take any car you want from the garage your cheapest car is a quarter

00:09:39million i'm not driving that fine the next morning a beat-up sedan was parked beside luca's black

00:09:45bentley he'd even brought in a psychiatrist from out of town for me the diagnosis matched the hospitals

00:09:49but this time i was prescribed imported brand name meds i could never have afforded before

00:09:55your wife needs company keep her stress free

00:09:59i will the next day i took leo out with me he'd always been insecure and barely knew the world

00:10:04outside

00:10:05now i wanted to show it to him our first stop was the amusement park he grabbed my hand and

00:10:10pulled

00:10:10me over to take pictures then i took him to a farmer's market he'd never been somewhere like

00:10:14that in his entire life i don't want to carry this leo my hands are full it's only a few

00:10:21steps

00:10:21just this once okay and no more ordering lobster nora it was sebastian my ex-husband he was in a

00:10:31crisp

00:10:31suit hair perfect looking like he'd stepped out of a magazine cover it had been five weeks since the

00:10:36divorce my stomach knotted on contact sebastian and i had met in college he came from one of those

00:10:41wall street elite families the golden boy of high finance he'd ignored every objection from his family

00:10:46to put a ring on me at our wedding he'd promised to protect me for life then he took over

00:10:49crane

00:10:50capital he started finding fault with everything he wanted me to quit my job taking care of his

00:10:54parents take care of his sister's kid cook laundry cleaning i did all of it because i loved him

00:10:58because i'd never been loved by my own family and didn't know any better until one day i caught him

00:11:02in a private club with a girl in his lap my whole world shattered i cried i screamed i begged

00:11:06him to

00:11:07swear it would stop the whole crane family said i was overreacting what successful man doesn't have

00:11:11side action sebastian said i'd been spoiled rotten he blocked my number stopped coming home my depression

00:11:16cratered i filed for divorce he thought it was a bluff his family told him don't let her win he

00:11:21had his

00:11:21lawyer draft papers i walked out with nothing signed them in seven seconds four years of dating three years

00:11:26of marriage done noah ivy league degree and here you are playing nanny what were you thinking not

00:11:32your business nora try to understand the day you married into the crane family you represent the crane

00:11:39name sebastian we're divorced i have nothing to do with your family anymore even divorced you're my ex-wife

00:11:44people still bring me up when they talk about you stop embarrassing use your head for one stop being

00:11:48emotional all the time nora a few weeks out here bet you miss being mrs crane don't you

00:11:53admit you were wrong i'll think about taking you back the girls outside the marriage those were

00:11:57nothing i haven't replaced you the position's still open just swallow your pride apologize to

00:12:02my mother and my sister don't bother holding it give the seat to someone else sebastian i'm not

00:12:07interested on the drive home a new number called connor the nephew i'd raised for two years i'd blocked

00:12:12the rest of the cranes not him kids didn't pick their parents hey con nora you divorced loser my mom

00:12:19wants to talk to you my throat closed up then cassandra crane took the phone noah sebastian tells

00:12:25me you're working as a nanny have you ever thought about anyone but yourself you're slapping sebastian's

00:12:30face you're slapping the crane name what does that look like to people nora i always said it you'll

00:12:36never rise above your roots trash dressed in silk i hung up blocked her pulled over i crashed onto the

00:12:42steering wheel and bawled i cried until i couldn't breathe i cried until i was so empty i felt nothing

00:12:48then i sat up wiped my face felt the exhaustion settle bone deep nora here tissue i'd forgotten

00:12:54leo was in the back seat he was holding a tissue out from his car seat big sad eyes glued

00:12:58to me i'm

00:12:59sorry sweetheart did i scare you i'm not scared you can cry as long as you want i'll wait adults

00:13:04crying isn't shameful i won't laugh thanks my little gentleman auntie's done no more crying from now on

00:13:10let's go home i went to bed early that night didn't feel up to dinner then a knock

00:13:18nora can i come in robe tied carefully i made sure nothing was showing

00:13:23come in he was wearing a shirt making the snake tattoo stand out even more dark hair falling loose

00:13:29over his forehead whiskey in his hand looser than i'd ever seen him he sat in the chair by my

00:13:33bed

00:13:34his gaze flicked to my wet collarbone then immediately to the wall like he'd been caught

00:13:40the clothes in your closet you never wear any of them

00:13:45they're too nice i'm not used to it i'd learned one thing from the crane marriage don't force yourself

00:13:50into a world that isn't yours the fall is uglier when they shove you out are they not your style

00:13:55i'll have the designer come fit you for new ones

00:13:58no no mr castellano i i'm in the house all day with leo there's nowhere to wear that kind of

00:14:03thing

00:14:03truly i heard you saw your ex today his name's crane the stupid crane capital

00:14:10i froze leo had snitched yes that crane old news nora since you came leo's been a different child

00:14:16thank you his eyes were dark and serious on mine i shifted uncomfortable you pay me very well it's what

00:14:22i'm here for nora ask me for anything i can probably make it happen mr castellano i don't

00:14:28need anything he was quiet a long moment his fingers tightened on his knee then released he stood up

00:14:36i'll say this again i'm the don of the castillo family if you want if you want i can make

00:14:40sure he

00:14:41never speaks anymore more by tomorrow i took a step back still not used to him being this close

00:14:45without warning he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear did i scare you i said nothing his hand

00:14:50slid

00:14:51down from my cheek he gave a faint smile then walked out for the next two weeks luca started

00:14:55coming home early dinner with leo and me sometimes board games after sometimes a movie a man who ran

00:15:00half of new york's underworld didn't change his schedule for no reason i was starting to worry

00:15:04was the family in trouble not that i cared about him i just really cared about my 150 grand a

00:15:08month

00:15:09mr castellano you don't have to keep coming home this early leo has me if you've got business take

00:15:15it luca picked up a red lego brick voice perfectly neutral the psychiatrist said you need family

00:15:20leo and i are your family now we have responsibilities since when are we family

00:15:25i wanted to say i didn't honestly leo's enough the doctor said my improvement is mostly thanks to him

00:15:30he stroked his chin avoiding eye contact i grabbed leo's hand and stood come on buddy story time daddy

00:15:37still has work leo and i walked out luca's voice stopping me at the doorway yes his ears were faintly

00:15:42pink he cleared his throat tomorrow night there's an event plus sun's required would you come with me

00:15:48me you i don't have time to find someone else

00:15:54i'll pay you an appearance fee a man with his face couldn't find a date in 24 hours i didn't

00:15:59think

00:15:59too much there was money on the table sure i don't know the social rules in your world though

00:16:05i don't want to embarrass you the cranes were a moneyed family too but sebastian had never taken

00:16:11me to anything because his mother she doesn't know how to act in public don't let her embarrass us

00:16:19stand next to me that's all luca's brow eased if you want i can make the gossipers shut up for

00:16:25good

00:16:25the butler chimed in miss bennett you don't need to know the rules the dawn is the rules

00:16:32hard to argue with that the next afternoon a design team showed up at the mansion five people most of

00:16:38them flown in from paris hair makeup dress jewelry they huddled and debated each detail for 20 minutes

00:16:44at a stretch by the time luca came home i was starting to feel sick about how much was on

00:16:49me

00:16:49he walked in saw me his eyes did something a brief flash almost stunned before he caught himself

00:16:56daddy look how pretty nora is call her mom leo turned his head and her rump wouldn't say it

00:17:01i patted his hair it's okay i like nora makes me feel young the event was charity gala at the

00:17:09plaza

00:17:09every major name in new york was there old money bigger money political faces a few faces i recognized

00:17:16from the papers and a few i knew not to recognize at all they orbited luca immediately conversations

00:17:21started landing on me mr castellino who's the beautiful lady i jumped in to save him i'm a friend

00:17:27of mr castellinos my wife nora the room shifted a chorus of polite gasps compliments raining down

00:17:36my face went hot to my collarbone luca squeezed my hand leaned in nora is being my wife really that

00:17:42embarrassing you couldn't say it bourbon and cedar on his breath no i just i didn't want to embarrass

00:17:49you his eyes darkened he looked at me like he was lighting something on fire only a weak man is

00:17:55embarrassed by his wife i had to look away i'll grab a drink i bolted i'd been hiding by the

00:18:01champagne tower for about 90 seconds when there was no date just him had it luca said plus ones

00:18:06required sebastian's face was pure stunned it is you i almost didn't recognize you i've never seen

00:18:11you look like this i stepped back stay away from me nina about my sister's call that wasn't me

00:18:17i'd never authorized that truth is i only agreed to the divorce to teach you a lesson bratty wife needed

00:18:23reminding i never actually planned to let you go apologize to my mom and my sister will remarry i'll

00:18:29i'll forget the rest crane capital is bleeding right now i'm slumped stop making things hard for me he

00:18:36reached for my hand the sebastian special one slap one kiss he'd run me on that loop for three years

00:18:41i am

00:18:41not the nora he married anymore i yanked back sebastian divorce means divorced i'd rather sleep under

00:18:47the brooklyn peerage than wear your last name again find someone else for that throne still stubborn you

00:18:53haven't suffered enough crawl find me when you've actually been broken that is when luca started

00:18:58walking toward us sebastian's whole posture changed nora we'll talk later there's a heavyweight i need

00:19:03to corner don't get in the way plastered on his best smile and intercepted luca with a business card

00:19:08already out my don i'm sebastian crane crane capital i'd like to talk about the mandate you pulled

00:19:14five years crane capital ran the books on every fund castellano holdings put on the street

00:19:19then you cut us out overnight if we fell short tell me where whatever you need i'll make it right

00:19:24sebastian half bowed luca's eyes went past him straight to me nora what do you think should i give

00:19:30him a second chance sebastian's smile froze nora what does she have to do with mr castellini you should

00:19:38know nora is my ex-wife i don't know how she got in here tonight probably trying to ambush me

00:19:42into

00:19:42reckoning illusion she's just a housewife pay her no mind luca didn't even glance at him nora

00:19:48your call i'll follow your lead i kept my voice flat mr crane just asked me not to interfere in

00:19:54his business conversation i'd hate to interfere sebastian flared a man's business is none of your

00:19:59concern of course small town instincts luca's voice came in cold and final then i'd assume my wife

00:20:06doesn't approve of crane capital we'll have to pass his arm slid around my shoulders he turned us

00:20:11toward the bar sebastian was still standing there brain catching up then a man in a tuxedo brushed

00:20:16past him crane you insulted don's wife you stepped on a live mine that's the only woman who's ever

00:20:22been on his arm in 20 years castellano's wife impossible the woman's a nanny in the castellano

00:20:28house sebastian had seen nora at the farmer's market driving the cheap car carrying a lobster for the

00:20:33brat he knew what he saw a fancy dress didn't make a duchess the man shook his head and walked

00:20:37off

00:20:37some idiots won't listen let them die that night luca bit on a picasso study and three pieces of

00:20:42war era jewelry 180 million in collectibles donated to the children's hospital under my name after

00:20:48that the gala turned into a receiving line mrs castellano there's a small tea at my place next

00:20:52week would you grace us mrs castellano my husband is bidding on a castellano project just a quiet word

00:20:56to the dawn i'd never been on this side of a room i drank three glasses to keep my hands

00:21:00steady on the

00:21:01fourth luca intercepted apologies everyone my wife isn't a drinker i'll take hers then he drank

00:21:08for me three more times by the time we slid into his rolls royce we were both lit i glanced

00:21:13out the

00:21:13window sebastian was on the curb watching us mouth curled in that ugly little smirk like i was the

00:21:18punchline i closed the curtain turned to luca mr castellano thank you for tonight for what you did

00:21:24with sebastian nora we're husband and wife stop thanking me his voice came out low soft around

00:21:32the edges we're a paper husband and wife you didn't have to his arm lifted long fingers tilted

00:21:38my chin up his thumb brushed slow against my jaw nora what if i don't want a paper marriage anymore

00:21:45he was too close his face was carved out of something dangerous eyes blown black heat from his breath

00:21:51landed on my throat he smelled like bourbon and that cedar cologne and something underneath that

00:21:55was just him the most controlled man in new york was looking at my mouth like he wanted it

00:21:59mr castellano you've had too much

00:22:06you're right i'm sorry i had too much the rest of the ride was silence a heavy humming silence with

00:22:13my

00:22:13pulse loud in my ears leo saved me he sprinted at the front door with his picture book i scooped

00:22:18him

00:22:18up and ran upstairs before i had to look luca in the face again i tucked leo in then opened

00:22:22my laptop

00:22:23and started scrolling job boards sebastian was right about one thing my ivy league degree shouldn't be

00:22:28wasted by eating in a mansion playing house i'd done that marriage already stayed home made myself

00:22:32small the minute he didn't need me he tossed me into the street with nothing i'd be damned if i

00:22:36let

00:22:36that happen twice while leo needed me i had a place here the day he didn't what was i though

00:22:41i am not

00:22:42ready to go back to work yet physically or mentally but knowing the market updating a resume that

00:22:46couldn't hurt then my phone lit up a text from luca the butler did the coffee always and the

00:22:51first rule of this house was don't go to the third floor i ground a fresh espresso anyway then i

00:22:55stood

00:22:56at the bottom of the staircase hesitated was this a test did the last applicant get launched out a

00:23:00window after being summoned upstairs was this revenge the car i called him mr castellano coffee's

00:23:06here come down for it bring it up i hit the record button on my phone caught it if he

00:23:11tried anything

00:23:12sketchy i had proof i climbed the stairs knocked

00:23:19come in i pushed the door open and forgot how to breathe he'd just gotten out of the shower black

00:23:24silk robe loosely tied at the waist a drop slid from his jaw down his throat into the open robe

00:23:29bathhouse art renaissance painting holy hell he took the coffee his fingertips dragged across mine on

00:23:35purpose that scared of me nora am i a monster nora from now on you can come into my room

00:23:42whenever you

00:23:43want my face still burned the rules of this house and the rules of my heart were both breaking i

00:23:49woke

00:23:49up the next morning with a sore throat sneezing of course wet hair late night fancy dress too much

00:23:54champagne i trudged downstairs fully expecting the sprawling living room to be empty instead lupa was

00:24:00sitting on the couch and he sat down the newspaper he'd been holding you're sick a little the back of

00:24:04his

00:24:04hand landed on my forehead calm practice like he did it every morning i went stiff as a board not

00:24:09bad i'll grab some therapy you'll be fine he guided me to the couch like i was made of glass

00:24:15walked to the kitchen a six put something mafia don stirring a packet of cold medicine into a mug

00:24:21usually a don would poison the drink instead i caught myself wondering what kind of woman leo's

00:24:26mother had been to deserve a man like this i drank the theraflu and slunk back to bed i didn't

00:24:32want

00:24:32to be in his way so i just dozed off when an unknown number rang

00:24:37nora it's me sebastian don't i am parked outside the castellini gate come out or i'll be at the

00:24:43front door up to you sebastian intercepted me on the sidewalk nora how long is this stunt going on

00:24:49for mrs kerr working as a nanny you don't feel humiliated but i do i'm not doing anything to you

00:24:55sebastian stop the act you dressed up last night to make me jealous fine i'll admit it after you

00:25:01left i missed you a little here's the deal apologize to my mom and my sister we remarry

00:25:07you can stop scrubbing floors for strangers sebastian i didn't do anything wrong what am i

00:25:14apologizing for you still don't see the problem you haven't been beaten down enough i was about

00:25:21to fire back when a small round cannonball blew past me leo when he saw a strange man hassling me

00:25:26he did not hesitate my mom didn't do anything wrong my mom is the best mom in the whole world

00:25:33he glared up at him like a furious cherub protecting me something cracked open in my chest i pulled him

00:25:38in tight kid what did you just call her isn't she your nanny you're a nanny your whole family is

00:25:45a nanny

00:25:46nora is my mom my best mom he pulled back anxious i nodded my eyes were wet again

00:25:53nora you'll be my mom right i'll be so good i promise leo i am your mom sweetheart he squeezed

00:26:01me tighter and refused to let go sebastian's face twisted into a slow ugly smile oh i see it now

00:26:07nora you're putting a child up to it you're playing the long game on castatoni he grabbed my arm

00:26:14listen castorano isn't a man you scam he's known for ice in his veins

00:26:19he finds out you're using his son to angle for him he'll bury you in the east river

00:26:23a warm hand landed on my waist i hadn't heard him come outside luca he pulled me into him

00:26:29mr crane the last time we spoke you insulted my wife that's why i pulled the mandate i was planning

00:26:34to tell the other firms on the street that this was personal they could keep doing business with

00:26:37crane capital after today i don't think i need a castellino what wife who's your wife

00:26:42mr crane are you really still confused or are you only capable of believing what you want to

00:26:46believe nor is my wife the mother of my son send him off luca turned to the butler at the

00:26:51door if

00:26:52anyone like this bothers mrs castellino again have my men throw him out he took leo with one arm wrapped

00:26:57the other around me walked us inside the second the door closed i peeled out of luca's arm awkward as

00:27:02hell

00:27:02i took leo upstairs to my room leo where were you all morning i didn't see you all day don't

00:27:07even ask

00:27:08dad sent me to preschool what you pre-score he said he didn't want you working too hard he said

00:27:13he need alone time with you why does he need alone time with me dad said he had to make

00:27:17you fall in

00:27:17love with him otherwise you might leave us leo was four sentences into his report when luca appeared in

00:27:22the doorway leo downstairs dinner stop bothering your mother my whole face hot mom i'll be back to keep

00:27:28you company in a bit he scampered out luca didn't leave he walked in feeling better i looked sideways

00:27:35mr castellino thank you for what you did please don't ruin a business decision for me i'm really

00:27:39not worth it not worth what what you did out there nora i told you you're my wife protecting you

00:27:44is

00:27:44my job but stop calling this a paper marriage nora i want a real one i had not expected him

00:27:49to swing

00:27:49this hard this fast my face went up in flames i'll give you time take whatever you need but right

00:27:55now

00:27:56i want to collect just a little husband privilege before i could form a coherent thought he leaned in a

00:28:02long warm hand cradled my cheek can i i didn't say a word i'll take this as consent then his

00:28:07lips

00:28:08crashed against mine hard and ruthless his tongue swept into my mouth stealing the air from my lungs

00:28:13right this was how a mafia boss kissed cold merciless taking whatever he wanted the kiss lasted so long

00:28:18my mind went blank by the time he finally pulled away he rubbed his thumb over my swollen lips

00:28:23my little princess that's enough for today next time i won't let you off so easily

00:28:30leo got hauled to preschool again the next morning under protest my cold was almost gone

00:28:36if i wanted to see a movie after everything that had happened i thought about it we were married on

00:28:40paper if something real was going to grow there that wasn't the worst outcome he had a private media

00:28:45room on the third floor it was my first time entering other room and third floor before that

00:28:49he showed me his collection room an entire wall was covered in cold weapons daggers knives blades of

00:28:54every kind honestly it was breathtaking i was still standing there staring at the wall when

00:28:58he stepped up behind me and fastened a necklace around my neck another snake exactly like the

00:29:03tattoo on his body a little gift don't reject it then he took my hand and led me into the

00:29:08media room

00:29:08he put on a french romance film slow elegant kisses on the screen mixed with far less elegant sounds in

00:29:13the background luca leaned closer his voice brushing against my ear his body covered mine as his mouth came

00:29:20down online soft at first careful one hand slid gently around my throat then the kiss deepened

00:29:25rougher heavier the kind that stole every thought from my head he slid a glossy stack of brochures into

00:29:30my hand nora pick a wedding planner i owe you a real wedding dawn's wife should carry that honor

00:29:37forever i want every person in the city to know nora bennett is my wife and i'm her husband i

00:29:43only

00:29:43regret i didn't put it all at your feet the night you walked through that door the night i walked

00:29:46through

00:29:47that door we didn't even know each other how are we supposed to nira the night i saw you in

00:29:52that

00:29:52doorway i already wanted you our wedding was bigger than anything new york had hosted in a decade old

00:29:59families new money senators a cardinal the mayor we were on the front page for three days running i

00:30:04scolded luke of the butler beamed mrs castellano the dawn has been quiet his entire life this is the

00:30:09first time he's ever been loud indulge him this once i let it go the night of the wedding a

00:30:14strange

00:30:14number called me luke's long arm reached over and killed the call his fingers tightened on my waist

00:30:19after he was winding a strand of my hair around his finger he cleared his throat a little awkward

00:30:23nora i want to tell you a secret i made a small sleepy sound he spoke quietly in pieces leo

00:30:30isn't

00:30:31my son he's my sisters his parents had died when he was 13. he and his elder sister went through

00:30:35a

00:30:36dark period in the empire until one day she married head leo but happiness suddenly ended when she and

00:30:40her husband were killed in a shooting three years ago luke wiped out that whole family then he put

00:30:45leo on his own birth certificate quietly so nobody could ever take him i thought it would be leo and

00:30:49me forever then you walked in and nothing was the same he kissed me again a few months later i

00:30:54walked

00:30:55out of the hospital alongside leo mom dad said you weren't sick anymore why'd we go to the hospital

00:31:01because mom has a baby in her temi yes i finally get a sister what if it's a brother if

00:31:07it's a brother

00:31:07we throw him in the trash if it's a sister she plays with me out of the mouths of babes

00:31:12i was

00:31:12laughing when a figure stepped in front of me a man wild hair filthy coat hunched shoulders i almost

00:31:17dug for a few bucks sebastian crane leo planted himself in front of me on instinct i pulled him

00:31:22to my side and squeezed his shoulder sebastian what happened to you nora help me you're the only one who

00:31:29can all of new york knows castellani loves you he'll listen to you please then i remembered what

00:31:35luca had mentioned weeks back first the castellano family cut all ties with crane capital then the

00:31:40rest of new york followed nobody wanted to risk losing castellano favor within weeks sebastian's

00:31:46company collapsed his sister cassandra the person he trusted most had been stealing client money for

00:31:51years the moment everything fell apart she fled to the south of france with her family she left

00:31:57sebastian alone to take the blame crane capital went bankrupt overnight now sebastian stood in front of me

00:32:02sobbing begging i didn't feel anything for him sebastian people are equal your fault your mess you pay

00:32:11for it no one can help you behind me the lobby door is open luca had just finished with my

00:32:17ob he walked

00:32:18toward us nora let's go home we walked past sebastian crane like he wasn't there because he wasn't not in

00:32:25our

00:32:25life not anymore through my whole pregnancy luca was far more anxious than i was he doubled the security

00:32:30on the entire estate i never went anywhere without an escort he had every sharp corner in the house

00:32:36padded fit carpet laid across every floor sometimes i'd only shift in bed and he would ask worriedly

00:32:41does something hurt he'd stroke my belly pressing his ear against it i think i just heard the baby

00:32:48calling for me leo asked wide-eyed why isn't the baby calling for me one night after leo fell asleep

00:32:54i found him alone out on the balcony i walked over and wrapped my arms around him from behind

00:32:59you don't have to worry the baby will be born safe he kissed my forehead i keep wondering if who

00:33:06i am has

00:33:06put you and the kids in too much danger my sister died because of the family name and before you

00:33:10came

00:33:10leo wasn't happy neither was i before you came we just complete each other i pressed closer to his chest

00:33:16i made my peace with it a long time ago being the don's wife can't be harder than being the

00:33:20crane's maid

00:33:21my brave girl at nearly 10 months my water broke at 2 a.m a team of doctors and nurses

00:33:27rushed me

00:33:28into delivery luca waited outside the contractions came like waves trying to break me in half a nurse

00:33:34held my hand her grip was wrong too strong too steady i looked up at her face sharp calm a

00:33:40small

00:33:40scar through one eyebrow you're not a nurse no there's a debt your husband never finished paying

00:33:47the family he buried three years ago still has a few teeth left we came to collect tonight my breathing

00:33:53went ragged the other nurses in the room started screaming but i knew he was standing right outside

00:33:58so i didn't panic i gripped the sheet go ahead and try right then the delivery room door opened

00:34:04a rat that should have died years ago i've been waiting for you too long luca and his men had

00:34:09the

00:34:09woman pinned in seconds he held my hand and the coldest mafia boss in new york let a single tear

00:34:15fall

00:34:15my baby girl was born at 4 42 a.m seven pounds furious lungs luca took her like she was

00:34:21made of

00:34:22glass sophia after my sister leo barged in at dawn peered into the blanket and gasped it's a girl

00:34:31i'll be her hero from now on she'll be the princess i laughed until i cried the four of us

00:34:37finally

00:34:37impossibly whole i learned the rest later the fake nurse was a remnant of the family that murdered

00:34:42luca's sister three years ago sebastian had fled to europe in sicily he found what was left of them

00:34:47clinging to life hatred drove him to something insane they thought the dawn would be too busy

00:34:52with a wife in labor to notice that night while the hospital stood locked down several of the docks

00:34:56were hit at the same time but luca built this empire out of blood and bone at 16 turning back

00:35:02an attack like that was as easy as breathing for him blood gunfire i didn't see most of it my

00:35:07life

00:35:07stayed bright house filled with laughter because of sophia's coming one night luca asked if i wanted

00:35:12to see sebastian just once he keeps begging to see you i was busy making faces at sophia with leo

00:35:17no need do whatever you want with him that man has nothing to do with me now i only care

00:35:22about my

00:35:22new family leo loves his sister and he takes his new job seriously by the second week he had appointed

00:35:28himself sophia's full-time bodyguard no bad guys get past me dad said sophia blinked at him then

00:35:34he sneezed mom she did a magic spell he was convinced he was sophia's personal interpreter

00:35:40too every cry held a meaning only he could understand she wants the blue blanket not the

00:35:44yellow one obviously three years later accompanied by our little man leo our daughter sophia grew up

00:35:50and i decided to return to work he handed me the company he valued most meridian they once offered

00:35:56me a position on their securities desk i leaped into his arms luca your wife is going back to work

00:36:01you should have told me sooner i fund half the businesses in jersey city but i must prove it

00:36:06myself as nora benin a woman who can take on a new day can take on anything i'll arrange an

00:36:11apartment closest to the office i have a villa on cave and point peninsula once i settle things here

00:36:16i'll bring the kids to you mama i want to go with you sweetheart it's only a week i'll have

00:36:22someone

00:36:22pick you up the plane touched down in jersey city dragging my carry-on out of arrivals i spotted a

00:36:28woman holding up a sign it clearly read my name nora bennett she wore a tailored skirt suit flanked

00:36:35by two or three employees with flawless makeup she oozed arrogance as i approached she scanned me head

00:36:41to toe raised a brow and laughed so it really is you nora she folded her arms her voice dripping

00:36:46with

00:36:46contempt i thought headquarters sent a big shot but it's just you i recognized her vanessa thorne she'd been

00:36:53my college classmate for four years and she bullied me the entire time now she was an executive at

00:36:58meridian jersey city branch the exact person luca sent to pick me up she clearly didn't link me to

00:37:03the special rep from headquarters to her i was just a newbie who lucked into meridian her employees

00:37:09snickered eyeing my simple casual outfit years after graduation and you're still this broke thought

00:37:14you'd actually make something of yourself after disappearing all these years guess you're just

00:37:17scraping by in jersey then again in college you were too poor to even afford club dudes yet now you're

00:37:21at

00:37:21meridian did you sleep your way in

00:37:29oh and i almost forgot she deliberately raised her voice letting everyone hear

00:37:35i'm close with the owner mr luca castellano you'd better watch yourself around here one word from me

00:37:42and you'll be clearing out your desk i watched her show in silence luca had told me vanessa would be

00:37:47meeting me i just didn't expect her i planned to go undercover earn my place on my own mistaking my

00:37:52silence for fear vanessa grew even smugger she waved me off like a beggar forget it i was going to

00:37:58drive

00:37:58you but look at you you'll dirty my car take a cab report to the office by nine tomorrow if

00:38:05you're late

00:38:05don't even bother coming her employees snickered silently but no one dared say a word i didn't argue

00:38:11i turned and wheeled my suitcase away outside the airport i called my driver luca had already

00:38:17arranged my private car and cabin point estate i just didn't want to show them off yet rain poured

00:38:22harder against the car window touching the starlight sapphire bracelet around my wrist

00:38:26i traced the engraved lnn inside luca had said that once he wrapped things up in new york a week

00:38:31later

00:38:31he would bring leo and sophia to be with me i drew in a slow breath jersey city meridian i

00:38:36was back

00:38:37this time i'd stand on my own two feet next morning i showed up at the jersey city office

00:38:42right on time vanessa froze seeing me her lips curling into a smirk heels clicking she strode over

00:38:48slamming a thick stack of files onto my desk so you actually dared to show up she folded her arms

00:38:53and looked down at me newbies start with the basics organize these files by the end of the day

00:38:58not one page missing whispers moved through the office around me my co-workers eyed me curiously

00:39:03sucking up to vanessa i heard someone whisper vanessa what's the new girl's story what's her

00:39:09story vanessa laughed not loudly but enough for half the floor to hear an old college class raid

00:39:14dirt poor back then lord knows how she lucked into meridian watch yourselves don't associate with

00:39:19rip rag it makes you look cheap no one spoke after that everyone knew vanessa had influence at the

00:39:25company rumor said she was tight with hq's big boss nobody dared cross her over the next few days

00:39:31vanessa targeted me constantly she threw my proposals back publicly calling them complete

00:39:36garbage in meetings she grilled me with trick questions waiting for a stumble she even mocked

00:39:41my homemade lunch poor people really know how to pinch pennies too cheap for takeout i never defended

00:39:46myself just working in silence then on friday afternoon vanessa stepped to the center of the office

00:39:52clapping listen up everyone she smiled with satisfaction our team building is next monday

00:39:59at a private estate on cave in point peninsula the office erupted at once cave in point isn't that

00:40:05mr castellano's private estate vanessa actually got us in there that's insane i always heard she and

00:40:13mr luca castellano were close guess the rumors are true soaking up the praise vanessa glared at me

00:40:19with undisguised defiance some people will never set foot in a place like that she drawled this team

00:40:24building is for everyone even our newest hire nora consider it a chance to see real high society

00:40:30stop living under a bach i looked up at her with a faint smile the estate on cabin point peninsula

00:40:36the very place luca gave me the keys to last week before i could pull out my access card and

00:40:41expose her

00:40:41she delivered herself to me fine let's watch her play mistress in my own home sure i'm in i set

00:40:49down my

00:40:49pen and met her gaze calmly let's see just how impressive it is vanessa sneered walking away

00:40:55she probably thought i was just saving face she was waiting to see me embarrass myself there

00:41:00zoe the colleague beside me quietly tugged my sleeve she whispered don't take vanessa to heart

00:41:06she's just like that but cave in point is hard to get into watch what you say there i smiled

00:41:13at her

00:41:13without explaining seven days flew by monday morning the company bus drove everyone to cave

00:41:19in point peninsula vanessa sat in front talking about her history with luca the entire ride she

00:41:25claimed luca valued her and she could visit anytime i leaned against the window quietly amused the bus

00:41:32stopped at the estate's wrought iron gates piling off everyone stared at the sprawling coastal estate in

00:41:38awe the heavy elaborately carved gates were closed beside them the access panel gleamed in the cold

00:41:44light vanessa open the gate already we're dying to see inside nodding calmly vanessa reached into her

00:41:52bag she rummaged through her bag her face turning pale i stood behind the group with my arms folded and

00:41:57spoke up slowly what's wrong no access card every eye turned toward me vanessa's face flushed crimson she

00:42:04jerked her head up and glared at me nonsense i'm the lady of this house why wouldn't i have an

00:42:08access

00:42:09card it's just buried deep in my bag her voice stayed firm but her hands kept digging she nearly

00:42:14emptied her bag but still no card the whispers around her grew louder a thin sheen of sweat formed on

00:42:19her

00:42:19forehead my hand had already found the black access card luca had given me in my pocket just as i

00:42:23touched it a side gate cracked open a middle-aged housekeeper hurried out unnoticed she slipped something

00:42:28to vanessa and vanished back inside it was margaret the head housekeeper of the estate and vanessa's

00:42:33mother i raised an eyebrow and took my hand out of my pocket interesting so that was their plan

00:42:37the next second vanessa straightened up and triumphantly waved a white access card in front

00:42:42of me she lifted her chin high see it's right here i was only teasing you seeing how worked up

00:42:47you'd get

00:42:48some people will never so much as touch an access card like this in their entire lives all they can

00:42:52do is stand on the sidelines and make bitter little comments she turned and tapped the access card

00:42:56against the reader a beep sounded the heavy gates slowly opened vanessa you're amazing she really

00:43:03got us in i guess vanessa really is the lady of the house the praise kept coming vanessa soaked it

00:43:08up like a peacock showing off she strutted through the gates first then shot me a vicious glare over her

00:43:13shoulder i followed at the back of the group taking my time margaret stood in the shadows of the

00:43:18entry hall when she saw me her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly but a second later her face was

00:43:23back to its usual professional blankness she clearly hadn't recognized me to her i was just

00:43:28another employee tagging along the estate was lavish inside crystal chandeliers hung overhead

00:43:33marble floors stretched beneath our feet and artwork filled every room my co-workers stared

00:43:38around in amazement vanessa led everyone through the rooms like she owned the place luca had this done

00:43:43especially for me i picked that piece myself she made it all sound so convincing as if the estate

00:43:49really belonged to her i walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room and looked out over

00:43:53the private beach sunlight caught the starlight sapphire bracelet at my wrist scattering tiny

00:43:58flashes of blue vanessa turned at that exact moment and saw it her eyes lit up and she came

00:44:03straight toward me what are you wearing vanessa grabbed my wrist and raised my hand my co-workers

00:44:08crowded around at once staring at the sapphire bracelet around my wrist isn't that the starlight

00:44:13sapphire bracelet mr castellano bought at last year's charity gala i heard it was worth 30 million

00:44:19dollars mr castellano gave it to his wife her vanessa laughed and tightened her grip on my wrist

00:44:26as if she could afford the real thing it's obviously some cheap knockoff the design is close

00:44:33but it feels weightless as she spoke she pulled harder at the bracelet i tried to pull my hand free

00:44:38but her grip was too tight others around us joined in laughing and jostling then i heard a sharp snap

00:44:44the

00:44:45bracelet broke the sapphire beads hit the marble floor and rolled in every direction someone shoved

00:44:50me hard i lost my balance and hit the floor my palms scraped the marble and blood immediately

00:44:56welled along the broken skin oh i'm sorry she deliberately ground her heel over the scattered

00:45:02sapphire beads but you shouldn't have worn a fake around trying to show off maybe it's better that it

00:45:07broke at least you won't embarrass yourself wearing it in public exactly it's only a knockoff so what if it

00:45:12broke vanessa's the one who should be wearing the real thing norah's is obviously fake she must be

00:45:16desperate buying a fake just to look rich and at the castellano estate of all places their mockery

00:45:21came at me from every side vanessa stood over me with a triumphant smile she bent down picked up a

00:45:27sapphire bead and waited in her palm disdainfully the workmanship isn't terrible it might fool someone

00:45:34who doesn't know any better then she lifted her hand about to throw the sapphire through the window

00:45:39trash like this doesn't belong at the castellano estate i sat on the floor and watched her gloat

00:45:45i slowly curled my hand into a fist i never wanted things to come to a head this soon i

00:45:50only wanted to

00:45:51settle into my new job quietly and prove myself through my work but she kept pushing me again and

00:45:57again just as vanessa raised her hand the quick tap of little dress shoes came from the entryway

00:46:02a young boy's bright excited voice rang out mommy i was looking for you everyone instinctively turned

00:46:08toward the sound leo came running in with a small backpack on his shoulders his eyes shining with

00:46:13excitement then he saw me sitting on the floor his smile froze and his little face crumpled he stood

00:46:19there for two seconds then ran toward me as fast as his little legs could carry him he threw himself

00:46:25into my arms and frantically reached for my bleeding palm his voice was thick with tears mommy what

00:46:32happened why are you bleeding the room fell silent for a beat vanessa blinked then seemed to realize

00:46:38something she crossed her arms and let out a scornful laugh so that's it you brought your little tag along

00:46:44here to freightload too she gave leo a sideways look her voice sharp with contempt a single mom bringing

00:46:49her bastard kid into a place like this aren't you worried he'll dirty the castellani's estate shut up

00:46:55my expression went cold as i pushed myself to my feet vanessa take it out on me if you want

00:46:59but don't talk about my son what did i say something wrong vanessa sneered and slapped me hard across the

00:47:06face a sharp slap rang out my head snapped to the side unsteady on my feet i fell heavily to

00:47:11the floor

00:47:12again you think you get to make demands of me she looked down at me with contempt a woman nobody

00:47:17wants

00:47:18dragging around a bastard kid thinks she can act all high and mighty around me

00:47:23you're bad don't hit my mommy leo's eyes reddened he clenched his tiny fists and punched vanessa's

00:47:29leg as hard as he could his little body shaking with rage he looked up at her and shouted every

00:47:33word as loudly as he could don't hurt my mommy my daddy is luca castaino the words exploded through

00:47:41the living room everyone froze and looked at one another in shock vanessa froze for a moment then

00:47:46she doubled over laughing as if she'd heard the funniest thing in the world she laughed until

00:47:50tears nearly came to her eyes luca castiano then she grabbed leo by the ear and twisted it hard you

00:47:57little bastard couldn't you come up with a more believable lie your mother looks like she can

00:48:02barely afford to feed herself and you expect anyone to believe she knows mr castiano you're just like

00:48:08her nobody wants you and all you do is lie leo's eyes reddened with pain but he clenched his teeth

00:48:14and refused to cry he only glared at her then the entire living room went dead silent the people who

00:48:19had been whispering moments ago went quiet hardly daring to breathe vanessa didn't notice she was

00:48:24still twisting leo's ear that mocking smile still on her face at the entryway stood a tall figure

00:48:29silent and still luca wore a custom black suit with our precious little sophia in his arms

00:48:35his expression was icy his dark eyes fixed on vanessa's hand still tugging leo's ear the head

00:48:40housekeeper margaret went pale she hurried over with her head bowed her voice shaking mr castiano

00:48:46why are you here luca didn't look at her he didn't give her so much as a glance he bent

00:48:51down and

00:48:51carefully set sophia on the floor in a white tulle dress she toddled through the crowd on unsteady

00:48:57little legs luca followed behind her as they came toward us sophia's round eyes stayed on me as i sat

00:49:03on

00:49:03the floor mommy how did this happen i'm fine i just fell that's not true she pushed mommy and she

00:49:16broke the bracelet dad gave mommy luca's gaze snapped to vanessa his eyes were cold mr castiano why are you

00:49:24here if i hadn't come how would i have seen someone mistreating my wife under my own roof

00:49:32the crowd erupted his wife nora is mr castiano's wife oh my god the starlight sapphire bracelet was

00:49:39real we were just mocking her with vanessa vanessa said she was the lady of this house what is going

00:49:44on as whispers broke out around us vanessa went pale then flushed then went pale again she forced

00:49:49a smile though her voice trembled mr castiano you have to be kidding she's just some broke new hire how

00:49:55could she possibly be your wife she must have fooled you back in college shut up vanessa fell silent

00:50:01at once trembling where she stood then margaret rushed forward from the back of the crowd she dropped

00:50:06to her knees with her head bowed mr castellino this is my fault i made a mistake i made a

00:50:11mistake

00:50:12i secretly gave vanessa the access card i never thought she would so that was it my co-workers

00:50:19understood at once vanessa wasn't the lady of the house and she didn't have any special relationship

00:50:24with luca it had all been a lie she was only the head housekeeper's daughter using her mother's

00:50:30position she had slipped into the estate and pretended to be the lady of the house to put on a

00:50:35show all the color drained from vanessa's face she looked from her mother on the floor to luca

00:50:40his face was dark with anger her legs gave out and she nearly collapsed luca ignored both of them

00:50:46he called the family doctor and told him to come immediately the doctor arrived quickly and crouched

00:50:52beside me to treat the scrape on my palm when the antiseptic touched the wound i winced slightly

00:50:57luca's face darkened leo and sophia stood on either side of me glaring at the doctor they looked just

00:51:04like luca when he was angry be gentle leo called out you're hurting my mommy the doctor's hand jerked

00:51:12he immediately softened his touch when he finished treating my hand he stood and addressed luca respectfully

00:51:19mr castellino mrs castellino has only superficial injuries she and the baby are both fine no one but

00:51:25luca knew i was eight weeks pregnant at the word baby vanessa swayed her face went white as a sheet

00:51:31only then did luca turn to margaret and vanessa still on their knees margaret he said calmly his

00:51:40authority unmistakable you've been the head housekeeper in my home for 10 years i've been

00:51:44good to you and this is how you repay me by letting your daughter use my estate without permission

00:51:50pass herself off as one of my family and mistreat my wife margaret stayed on her knees apologizing

00:51:56again and again mr castellino i was wrong i wasn't thinking please give me one more chance

00:52:03another chance luca gave a cold laugh as of today you're fired you are never to set foot in any

00:52:09castellino property or business your daughter used a private estate without permission damaged valuable

00:52:14property and assaulted my wife we'll handle this through the proper legal channels she'll be held

00:52:19responsible for every dollar in damages he paused and looked at vanessa you won't be returning to

00:52:24meridian jersey city branch you're permanently blacklisted no one in this industry will hire you again

00:52:29vanessa crumpled to the floor permanently blacklisted it meant she would never work in

00:52:34this industry again luca looked over the other employees in the room everyone who had joined in

00:52:39the taunting and mocked me lowered their heads no one dared make a sound everyone here today luca said

00:52:46slowly who mocked or shoved my wife will report to human resources and pick up their termination papers

00:52:53those who stood by and watched will be moved down one pay grade and receive a formal warning no one

00:52:59dared object security soon entered and escorted margaret and vanessa away before vanessa was taken

00:53:05out she looked back at me her face was full of hatred and resentment but there was nothing she could

00:53:10do she could only let them lead her away my co-workers followed them out in silence the estate

00:53:15so loud only minutes before suddenly fell quiet once everyone was gone luca sat beside me and gently

00:53:22pulled me into his arms i'm sorry his voice full of guilt i should have handled this better i never

00:53:27expected her to be someone you knew in college and i never thought she'd go this far if i'd known

00:53:33i never would have let you come here alone i leaned against his shoulder and smiled this isn't your

00:53:38fault i was the one who wanted to keep my identity hidden i wanted to try on my own but

00:53:43you were hurt

00:53:44he cupped my face his fingertips brushing my cheek i told you no one was allowed to touch you

00:53:49i failed to protect you leo and sophia came over and leaned against my legs one on each side i'll

00:53:55protect you from now on mommy leo clenched his little fists his face serious if anyone picks on

00:54:01you again i'll beat them up sophia protect mommy too my heart warmed as i reached out and ruffled

00:54:09their hair honestly i hadn't let vanessa's petty jabs get to me compared to the bullying i'd endured in

00:54:15college her taunts were nothing i just hadn't expected my identity to be exposed this way oh

00:54:20right i looked up at luca why are you here early i missed you he bent down and kissed my

00:54:25forehead

00:54:26the kids immediately started giggling and i was worried you might not be settling in here on your

00:54:32own i wanted to surprise you but i didn't expect the surprise had turned into a scare instead i couldn't

00:54:39help smiling as i wrapped my arms around his waist maybe this was for the best i was done hiding

00:54:44who i was

00:54:44from now on i could openly take charge of operations at the jersey city branch as nora bennett not as

00:54:50mrs castellano but on my own merit luca seemed to know what i was thinking he gave my hand a

00:54:54gentle

00:54:55squeeze do what you want to do i'll always have your back no matter what happens i'll handle it at

00:55:00some point the rain outside had stopped sunlight streamed through the floor to ceiling windows and

00:55:06the sapphires scattered across the floor glimmered softly i leaned into luca's arms listening to his

00:55:11steady heartbeat while our two little ones chattered beside us my story in jersey city was only just

00:55:16beginning and this time i had the man i loved to back me up and the confidence to move forward

00:55:21on

00:55:21my own three weeks after joining the branch i landed the hartwell account the project was a complete

00:55:26disaster no one else wanted to touch it i spent nine straight days cleaning up the mess at monday's

00:55:32partners meeting nora bennett a newcomer with no connections snagged the quarter's biggest account

00:55:37after noon light slanted through the floor to ceiling windows i closed the last contract file

00:55:42and tapped my fingers against the desk victoria strolled past coffee in hand glaring at the

00:55:46contracts on my desk she curled her lip then she headed into the manager's office her voice was just

00:55:51loud enough for me to hear mr davis i've been working on that client for a long time i never

00:55:57expected a

00:55:57newbie to snatch them god knows what tricks she used hearing her i merely raised an eyebrow letting it go

00:56:04in the last two weeks alone she had tried to steal credit for my work three times i picked up

00:56:09my

00:56:09water bottle just as i reached the break room my phone rang are you leo's parent your son got into

00:56:16a fight and hurt another kid you need to come here right now my heart tightened grabbing my bag i

00:56:20rushed

00:56:20out leo was stubborn but he never started trouble dread filled me i quickened my pace driving my ordinary

00:56:25car i reached st mary's elementary in 15 minutes i rushed into the school as i rounded the corner i

00:56:31saw a

00:56:31small figure at the end of the hall leo my little boy stood there with his backpack on crumbled tissues

00:56:36plugged his nostrils blood slowly seeping through his uniform collar was dusty he stood rigidly in

00:56:41the corner his small fists clenched red-eyed he fought back tears leo i rushed over and crouched in

00:56:46front of him holding his shoulders what happened why is your nose bleeding does it hurt his lower lip

00:56:52trembled he shook his head mom it doesn't hurt he called me names first so i hit him what did

00:57:00he call

00:57:00you he called me a fatherless bastard he said nobody wants you i won't let him talk bad about you

00:57:07i felt

00:57:07both hurt and angry come on let's go talk to them your teacher said you hurt another student i'd like

00:57:15to

00:57:15see exactly how badly he's hurt the moment i pushed open the office door my face darkened the heat was

00:57:20on

00:57:20and the office was warm on the sofa a chubby boy devoured chocolate ice cream face smeared cookies

00:57:25and juice sat beside him he sat there like a little prince the teacher sat behind her desk fawning

00:57:30over the woman beside her they were deep in conversation and didn't even notice leo and me

00:57:34at the door the woman sat angled toward the teacher in her designer suit she giggled my son is just

00:57:39a

00:57:39little mischievous please go easy on him miss carter his dad will donate new computers to the school

00:57:44soon not at all jacob's such a sweet boy you've raised him so well but that other kid no home

00:57:51training he just lashed out such terrible manners i swallowed my anger and led leo into the office

00:57:56miss carter my voice calm but cold you called and said my son hurt his classmate where exactly is he

00:58:01hurt why is he eating ice cream while my son stands outside bleeding they both turned toward me the woman

00:58:07across from me froze when she saw my face she gave a short laugh folded her arms and got to

00:58:11her feet well

00:58:12look who it is nora victoria smirked so this rude little bastard is your son i never expected to

00:58:19run into victoria here for the past two weeks she'd been stealing my proposals and taking my client files

00:58:24she'd also been spreading rumors that i only got the job because of my connections i couldn't be

00:58:28bothered to engage with her but of all places we had to run into each other at school so it's

00:58:32you my

00:58:33gaze turned cold meaning this loud mouth kid is yours what if he is victoria lifted her chin

00:58:40looking as arrogant as ever was my son lying you're a single mom flirting around stealing

00:58:46everyone's credit no wonder your kid only knows how to throw punches did you even ask your son why

00:58:52leo hit him he called leo a bastard and insulted me too shouldn't he be taught a lesson i pointed

00:58:57at

00:58:57jacob victoria laughed like i had said something ridiculous teach him a lesson who do you think you are

00:59:03my son even speaking to you is more than you deserve mark my words we're not done miss carter

00:59:08immediately chimed in mrs bennett it's crystal clear your son hit jacob first and that is a

00:59:12serious issue you need to apologize to jacob and mrs rosso cover jacob's medical expenses and submit

00:59:18a written apology why he insulted us first i didn't do anything wrong leo shot back you're still talking

00:59:27back no father no manners typical my face went completely cold miss carter speak with actual

00:59:34proof miss carter speak with actual proof two kids fight and you don't even ask why you punish only

00:59:40my son and insult him personally is this your standard as a teacher my voice was quiet but firm

00:59:47standards victoria sneered you don't get to talk about standards with her arms crossed she walked

00:59:52over and looked down at me i suggest you be smart about this get on your knees apologize to my

00:59:56son and

00:59:56pay one hundred thousand dollars for emotional distress then we can put this behind us otherwise

01:00:01don't blame me for being ruthless i almost laughed get on my knees keep dreaming victoria raised a

01:00:09brow and pulled out her phone waving it in front of me dreaming do you know who my husband is

01:00:14he's the

01:00:15underboss of the rizzo family the biggest mafia outfit in jersey city he calls all the shots in the

01:00:19city's underground business one call from me and you won't be able to stay in jersey city you'll even

01:00:23lose your pathetic job that's right leo's mother mrs rizzo's husband is a very powerful man you can't

01:00:28afford to offend him just apologize get on your knees and make this go away otherwise you and your

01:00:32son will pay the price the rizzo family just a fringe branch under lucas thumb even the head of

01:00:37the rizzo family would have to bow his head to luca i almost laughed to myself before i could say

01:00:41anything jacob suddenly rushed at leo and shoved him hard thud caught off guard leo stumbled his back

01:00:46slammed hard into the doorframe jacob planted his hands on his hips and yelled smugly bastard my dad is

01:00:52the boss hit me again and my dad will feed you and your mom to the fishes i immediately pulled

01:00:58leo

01:00:58behind me and shielded him with my body jacob don't you dare raise your voice at my son victoria stepped

01:01:03in front of jacob and swung at my face you think you can yell at my son you you must

01:01:08have a death wish

01:01:09i caught her wrist before her hand could land you want to hit me you're trying to assault someone in

01:01:14a school office victoria you've got some nerve so what if i hit you victoria tried to yank her hand

01:01:19free but she couldn't i won't just hit you i'll run you out of jersey city miss carter you saw

01:01:24that

01:01:24right this crazy woman taught her son violence and now she's assaulting me call the police get her

01:01:29arrested miss bennett you've gone too far let go of mrs rizzo right now i'm warning you if you keep

01:01:36causing trouble i'll expel your son this minute he'll be banned from every school in jersey city i

01:01:42almost laughed from sheer disbelief i'm causing trouble you didn't see her son shove leo you didn't

01:01:47see her try to slap me so everything is suddenly our fault with victoria backing her up miss carter

01:01:51puffed out her chest it is your fault get on your knees and apologize now or neither of you is

01:01:56leaving

01:01:56this room good very good i let go of her wrist and slowly rubbed the spot she had gripped my

01:02:02eyes

01:02:02went cold victoria rubbed her wrist and glared at me viciously so you really don't know when to quit

01:02:07fine i'm calling my husband right now let's see how long you can keep acting tough she dialed his number

01:02:12instantly switching to a sweet voice babe get to the school right now someone bullied our son that

01:02:17woman hit me too yeah just some single mom she's incredibly arrogant claim she's not afraid of you

01:02:23hurry over babe i'm totally humiliated after hanging up victoria looked at me smugly just wait

01:02:29my husband will be here in 10 minutes then i'll make you beg me on your knees miss carter immediately

01:02:34fawned over her mrs russo we're honored your busy husband is coming once he's here we'll make her

01:02:39apologize properly then she turned on leo again and you just wait until jacob's father gets here

01:02:45let's see you talk tough then oh wait you don't even have a father how pathetic leo's little face

01:02:51turned red with anger he balled his fists and started forward but i caught him right away don't

01:02:55i lowered my voice for leo mommy's here i had been holding my anger in for too long i hadn't

01:03:00wanted to

01:03:00reveal who i was i just wanted to reason with them but victoria and her son had gone too far

01:03:05they

01:03:05wouldn't even spare a child ten minutes later the office door was kicked open a burly floral

01:03:10shirted thug strode in with two henchmen he looked like trouble who the hell messed with my wife and

01:03:15son the man's voice boomed through the room the moment he walked in he swept the office with a

01:03:20furious glare victoria rushed over and clung to his arm her tears came instantly honey you're here

01:03:25it was her her son hit jacob and then she hit me too you have to stand up for us

01:03:31this was tony rizzo

01:03:33the underboss of the rizzo family he controlled most of jersey city's underground casinos and

01:03:37entertainment venues around here he was considered someone important he followed victoria's pointing

01:03:42finger to me he looked me over from head to toe i was dressed in an ordinary business suit with

01:03:48only

01:03:48a child at my side contempt filled his face just you tony sneered strutting over arms crossed a woman

01:03:55and her kid you think you can mess with tony razzo's wife and son you got a death wish you

01:04:00should ask

01:04:01your son what he said first i met his gaze calmly your son was the one who got physical

01:04:06he started this everything my son says is right tony was utterly overbearing i don't care why it

01:04:13happened you hit my son pay the price he pointed at the floor get on your knees and apologize to

01:04:19my

01:04:20wife and son beg them to forgive you then pay five hundred thousand dollars for emotional distress

01:04:25and we'll call it even otherwise you'll lose your job and you won't be able to stay in jersey city

01:04:32miss carter quickly chimed in exactly mr rizzo has spoken apologize now don't push your luck i didn't

01:04:39budge you want me to kneel i looked at him a trace of mockery in my eyes you sure what

01:04:46still refusing tony's

01:04:48face darkened he gave the men behind him a look they immediately stepped forward glaring at me with

01:04:53threatening expressions listen carefully in jersey city no one dares disrespect tony rizzo

01:05:00tony gave a cold smile you won't kneel fine he suddenly reached out grabbed leo by the arm and

01:05:07yanked him to his side mommy leo flinched and struggled leo my face changed instantly let him go

01:05:18let him go tony gripped leo's arm looking pleased with himself are you gonna kneel or not if you don't

01:05:26i won't be so nice to your son kids are fragile it would be a shame if he fell and

01:05:31broke an arm or a leg

01:05:32don't you dare my voice went cold tony tightened his grip you think i won't leo's small face went

01:05:38pale with pain but he clenched his teeth and refused to cry honey stop wasting time on her

01:05:44she's so protective of her son isn't she let's see if she'll kneel if she won't break that little

01:05:51bastard's leg miss carter stood off to the side her head lowered as she pretended not to see a thing

01:05:57she didn't dare stop them or say a word my chest tightened as i watched leo's face go pale with

01:06:02pain

01:06:02i didn't fear tony only that leo would get hurt fine i'll kneel mommy don't i don't want you to

01:06:10kneel

01:06:10leo cried anxiously i'm not afraid of him it's okay sweetheart i looked at my son apologetically

01:06:16slowly i bent my knees getting closer and closer to the floor tony and victoria exchanged a smug look

01:06:21victoria lifted her chin see should have done this from the start always have to learn the hard way

01:06:28i straightened back up i knelt give me back my son but they had no intention of keeping their word

01:06:35you knelt what about your son you've gone too far i pulled my phone from my pocket tony frowned what

01:06:43are

01:06:43you doing trying to pull something pull something you want to play games i gave a cold laugh and tapped

01:06:49the call button fine i'll see this through let's see who ends up paying for this today the call went

01:06:56through it rang only once before someone answered though a trace of hurt slipped through luca my voice

01:07:02was calm someone forced me to kneel they're trying to expel leo too wait for me the call ended and

01:07:09the

01:07:09office fell silent for a few seconds tony paused for a moment then threw his head back and laughed he

01:07:15pointed at me who you scaring think name dropping scares me listen in jersey i tony rizzo am the law

01:07:22victoria started laughing too covering her mouth mockingly luca you don't mean the legendary ceo

01:07:29of our company luca castellano do you that's right

01:07:36nora who are you kidding you no mr castellano miss carter visibly relaxed and joined in i thought you'd

01:07:43called someone important so this was all just an act do you have any idea who mr clastellino is

01:07:53how could he possibly be your husband this is ridiculous the three of them piled on laughing

01:08:00without restraint to them i was just an ordinary single mother maybe i had been clever enough to get

01:08:05into meridian but there was no way i could be connected to the all-powerful castellano family hearing

01:08:10them laugh at his dad leo puffed out his little chest and shouted don't laugh luca's my dad he's

01:08:16really powerful you'll be sorry when he gets here oh the little bastard can lie too if your dad is

01:08:23luca castellini then my husband is the president you're just like your mother nothing but lies

01:08:30don't touch me enough

01:08:32stop wasting time since no one's coming stay on your knees nobody leaves until i'm satisfied

01:08:37i'll give you one last chance kneel or don't your choice i stared at him coldly and said nothing

01:08:44i knew how fast luca could get here from cabin point peninsula it would take him no more than 15

01:08:49minutes

01:08:49to reach the school i just had to hold out until he arrived but tony clearly had no patience left

01:08:54fine when he saw i wouldn't give in he finally snapped you won't kneel go get me a pair of

01:09:00scissors

01:09:01the man immediately left the office

01:09:05less than 30 seconds later he came back from the administration office with a sharp pair of craft

01:09:09scissors tony took them and snipped them twice in the air the blades flashed coldly you don't want

01:09:15to kneel fine tony walked over to leo and used the scissors to lift a lock of his hair kid's

01:09:20got nice hair

01:09:23don't kneel i'll snip him completely bald for school think the other kids will laugh at him

01:09:31you wouldn't dare i rushed to pull leo away but two of tony's men blocked me

01:09:35mommy leo was scared but he clenched his teeth and refused to cry he lifted his chin and glared at

01:09:40tony go ahead i'm not scared of you oh you're a tough little kid let's see how long you can

01:09:50keep

01:09:50talking tough or if my scissors change your mind honey stop wasting time on her if she won't kneel cut

01:09:58it

01:09:59let's see if she still acts tough miss carter stood trembling in the corner she didn't dare

01:10:03say a word as the scissors drew closer to leo my heart leaped into my throat stop i'll kneel i'll

01:10:10apologize let my son go my voice shook with rage fists clenching white see could have saved yourself

01:10:17the trouble kneeling isn't enough tony smiled smugly and lowered the scissors you upset my wife earlier

01:10:23so here's the deal crawl over here lick my shoes clean then beggar to forgive you then i'll let your

01:10:29son go don't push this too far too far i can take it a lot further you choose lick my

01:10:35shoes or watch

01:10:36your son go bald he raised the scissors again poised to snip mommy don't leo stood straight let him cut

01:10:43it

01:10:43all off it'll grow back mommy you can't bow to him never leo's voice wasn't loud but every word was

01:10:51clear i looked at leo's determined face my heart aching and warming at once my little man already

01:10:56knew how to protect his mommy but i couldn't let leo suffer this kind of humiliation i took a deep

01:11:01breath and slowly bent down my gaze fell on tony's polished leather shoes and my stomach churned a tide

01:11:06of humiliation washed over me nearly drowning me my face was only inches from one of his shoes

01:11:13the office door was kicked open from the outside you're begging for death

01:11:19boss

01:11:22everyone spun around several bodyguards in black suits stood at the door their presence imposing

01:11:26at their center stood a man in a tailored black coat his face was cold and stern terrifying rage

01:11:31swirled in his eyes just standing there he made the room feel suffocating it was luca he had arrived

01:11:35faster than i expected a team of security personnel stood behind him he looked like he'd stepped out of

01:11:40the cold itself tony's smile froze he stared at the man in the doorway his eyes widening as the

01:11:45color slowly drained from his face his arrogance gave way to disbelief then sheer terror boss tony's

01:11:51voice trembled his legs gave out and he dropped to his knees with a thud the scissors slipped from

01:11:55his hand and clattered onto the floor the entire office went silent victoria's sneer froze as her

01:12:00fearless husband dropped to his knees stammering boss her mind went blank miss carter froze in place

01:12:05the pen slipped from her hand and fell to the floor luca didn't look at tony kneeling on the ground

01:12:10his eyes swept across the room before finally landing on me when he saw my red rimmed eyes and

01:12:15the tissue in leo's nose the air around him seemed to turn even colder he strode over helped me to

01:12:20my feet then pulled leo to his side and shielded him behind him luca's voice softened a stark contrast

01:12:25to his earlier icy tone it's okay now leaning into luca my forced composure finally shattered my nose

01:12:32stung leo immediately wrapped his arms around luca's leg daddy it's okay leo daddy's here luca

01:12:38stroked leo's head but his eyes grew colder then he looked up at tony who was trembling on his knees

01:12:43his voice was ice cold tony rizzo forcing my wife to kneel on my turf touching my son boss i'm

01:12:51sorry i

01:12:51didn't know they were your family i was blind i'm an idiot please give me one more chance tony was

01:12:57terrified he kept groveling at luca's feet i was blind he was truly scared who was luca castellano

01:13:03the dawn of the new york mafia the king of the entire east coast underworld tony was only the

01:13:08underboss of a peripheral branch to luca tony was nothing victoria stood nearby trembling all over

01:13:14she stared at the scene before her stunned the quiet simply dressed new hire at the company the one

01:13:19whose credit victoria had stolen several times was really the legendary mrs castellano at the thought

01:13:25of what she'd done to me at work and what she just said victoria's legs went weak she nearly sank

01:13:30to her knees too no that's impossible victoria muttered under her breath how could she be mrs castellano

01:13:37she drives such an ordinary car she takes the subway to work every day luca gave her a cold look

01:13:43sharp as a knife she fell silent at once ignoring the terrified couple luca looked down his voice

01:13:49softening tell me what happened i took a deep breath and told him everything from the beginning

01:13:54jacob called leo a bastard the boys got into a fight without first finding out what happened

01:14:00miss carter made leo stand in the corner victoria twisted the truth then tony came in he used leo to

01:14:06threaten me forced me to kneel and threatened to cut his hair with scissors i spoke calmly but luca's

01:14:12expression darkened with every word daddy he called mommy a woman no one wants leo added that's why i

01:14:20pushed him luca was silent for a few seconds after hearing that then he reached out and gently wiped

01:14:26the blood from beside leo's nose his fingers were cold good boy luca looked at his son his voice steady

01:14:34someone insults mom you teach them a lesson i told you a man protects his mother you did leo's eyes

01:14:41lit

01:14:41up and he nodded hard luca stood and turned to miss carter she had already gone pale huddled in the

01:14:47corner and shaking you're his teacher two kids get into a fight and you don't even ask what happened

01:14:54instead you punish only my son and insult him too who gave you the nerve i i victoria said

01:15:03she said her husband was a big shot i so you decided to suck up to her and twist the

01:15:07facts luca let

01:15:09out a cold laugh and pulled out his phone principal here now immediately call ended tony kept groveling

01:15:17the floor boss i know i was wrong i'll never do it again please give me one more chance tony

01:15:25was

01:15:25sobbing so hard he could barely get the words out please boss i have a family to take care of

01:15:30please

01:15:32have mercy mercy luca looked down at him without a trace of warmth in his eyes when holding scissors

01:15:38to my son did you think of mercy when forcing my wife to lick your shoes did you think of

01:15:44today he

01:15:44tipped his chin toward the bodyguards behind him two bodyguards immediately stepped forward

01:15:48and hauled tony up freeze all of the ricco family's assets lucas tone was flat tony overstepped break

01:15:55one of his hands throw him out of jersey city he is never to set foot on castellano territory again

01:16:00no boss please average tony was terrified he struggled desperately but the bodyguards held him down

01:16:07victoria screamed let go of my husband she tried to rush toward him but a bodyguard shoved her aside

01:16:13she hit the floor hard luca looked at her coldly don't worry you're next tony was dragged out his

01:16:21screams slowly fading down the hall the office was dead silent you could hear every breath victoria

01:16:26slumped on the floor her face drained of all color she knew she was finished i stood beside luca and

01:16:32watched it all without feeling anything they had brought this on themselves if they'd been reasonable

01:16:36they wouldn't end up here i just hadn't expected luca to arrive so fast shielding us so fiercely

01:16:41after dealing with tony luca turned his attention to victoria you work for the meridian jersey city

01:16:47branch luca's tone was calm but it sounded like a death sentence you repeatedly passed off your

01:16:53co-workers work as your own you spread rumors and stirred up trouble you let your son bully others

01:17:01and you conspired with others to harm my family victoria trembled from head to toe

01:17:05she looked at me with tears in her eyes nora no mrs castiano i'm sorry i know i was wrong

01:17:14i shouldn't have stolen your proposal i shouldn't have bad-mouthed you at work and i never should

01:17:19have targeted you and leo at school please forgive me this one time i'll never do it again i looked

01:17:25at

01:17:26her calmly i gave you a chance at work you chose not to stop starting today you're fired from meridian

01:17:32group

01:17:32for good you're blacklisted from this industry for life no company in jersey city is to hire you take

01:17:37your son and get out of jersey city never come back no no victoria completely broke down a lifetime

01:17:45blacklist and exile from jersey city would destroy her career and every connection she had everything

01:17:50she had been so proud of was gone in an instant she tried to beg again but the bodyguards grabbed

01:17:57her and pulled her up jacob burst into tears beside her crying for his mother no one paid him any

01:18:04attention victoria and jacob were dragged out together their cries fading into the distance

01:18:10at last the office was quiet cowering in the corner miss carter shook like a leaf it was clear she

01:18:17had

01:18:17backed the wrong side she had thought victoria's husband was a big shot but she never imagined my

01:18:22husband was the one ruling supreme

After my divorce, I became the God father's XXL wife

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