Chapter 3

As soon as the FaceTime call ends, Giovanni slips his phone into his coat pocket and steps out of the car with Antonio. They walk across the sunny plaza, their shoes clicking against the cobblestone. Not far off, Bruno Marino, head of the Marino family, approaches with his son Leo, flanked by several armed men.

Giovanni's eyes flick to the armed support. With a slight smirk, he says, "What's with the muscle, Bruno? Afraid of something?"

Bruno waves the comment away. "Just a precaution, Giovanni. You know how things are."

The two men shake hands, the gesture formal but tense. Though they aren't allies, they have been brought here for a common purpose, one that requires their cooperation.

As they exchange pleasantries, a smooth Mercedes van pulls up to the curb. Two daunting men, dressed in perfectly tailored suits, step out and survey the surroundings. Giovanni and Bruno exchange a quick glance before making their way toward the van.

Leo starts to follow, but Bruno stops him with a firm hand on his shoulder. "Stay back, Leo. This meeting isn't for you."

Leo, visibly frustrated, signals his men to stay alert. His eyes moved rapidly between the van and his father, but he doesn't argue. Antonio, on the other hand, remains calm, observing the situation with a practiced eye, his expression stoic.

When Giovanni and Bruno reach the van, the two men open the door with swift precision. Giovanni steps inside first, followed by Bruno. The door slides shut, leaving the two mafia heads in a tense silence.

Seated across from them is a young woman with sharp, calculating eyes. She radiated this sense of authority even as she remained composed before two powerful mafia heads; her fingers were locked in front of her.

"Gentlemen," she starts; her voice was calm and slow. "I'm glad you both could make it."

Giovanni raised an eyebrow with confusion. "And who exactly are you?"

She smiles, a small, knowing smile. "You can call me The Unifier."

Bruno glances at Giovanni, then back at the woman. "And what exactly do you want from us?"

The Unifier leans forward; her eyes lit up with mischief. "I have a proposal. One that will benefit us all."

Livia steps out of the elevator and walks briskly through the ground-floor corridors, her heels clicking on the polished marble. As she turns the corner, she sees Jessica at the reception desk, looking worried.

"Jessica," Livia says, hesitant for a moment, trying to smooth over her earlier coldness. "I'm sorry about before; I was—"

But before she can finish, her eyes land on Charles, still deep in conversation with the client from earlier. The sight makes her heart sink. She didn't want to be anywhere near that man right now, not with Ethan around. She forces a polite smile on Jessica and excuses herself quickly, her pace hastening as she makes a beeline for the exit.

As she steps outside into the cool afternoon air, her eyes sweep the parking lot, and there he is—Ethan, leaning casually against a car, his arms crossed like he's waiting for her. Her stomach tightens in irritation. She tries to walk past him, her eyes on her own car parked a few spaces down, but he pushes off the vehicle and falls into step beside her.

"Livia," he calls, his voice laced with that familiar tone—half-pleading, half-demanding. "Wait."

She stops abruptly, spinning around to face him, her voice cold. "What do you want from me, Ethan?"

He opens his mouth, but before he can respond, Livia's anger spills out, sharp and cutting. "You were manipulative and toxic, and now you're trying to speak to me like nothing happened," she says, her words falling faster now, her tone barely hiding the hurt beneath the surface. "You tried to control every part of my life; you made me question my own decisions and my own worth. You think I forgot? You think I don't remember?"

"Livia, I'm not that person anymore," Ethan says, his tone self-justifying but quiet. He runs a hand through his hair, glancing around as if searching for the right words. "I've changed."

She scoffs, her lips curling bitterly. "Right. And now you protect criminals for a paycheck? That client in there—you know what kind of man he is. You're still in the same game, Ethan. Maybe worse."

"It's just a job," he insists, stepping closer. "I'm not doing anything shady, I promise."

"Sure," she says, not believing a word. Her chest feels tight, her pulse rising by the minute, but she holds his gaze, refusing to let him see how much his presence is unraveling her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Toro stepping out of the car, his imposing figure walking toward them with steady purpose. She quickly raises a hand, signaling him to stop.

Ethan glances at Toro, then back at her, grinning slightly. "Since when are you into guys like him?"

Her patience snaps. "Toro's not my boyfriend," she says, her voice lowering dangerously. "But if he was, it would still be none of your business. Stay away from me, Ethan. For the duration of this deal, stay out of my life."

Ethan's face weakens, a spark of regret crossing his eyes, but Livia is done. She turns on her heel and heads to her car, her body stiff with frustration and the weight of emotions she's trying to shove back down.

Toro's eyes follow her as she climbs into the backseat, then he glances at Ethan with a look of pure contempt before getting behind the wheel. The car roars to life as they pull away from the lot. In the rearview mirror, Toro catches a glimpse of Livia—her hand pressed to her face, suppressing quiet sobs.

His jaw stiffens. He looks once more at Ethan in the distance, a cold glare in his eyes, before driving off into the street, leaving Ethan standing there, hands stuffed into his pockets, watching her leave.