Back in the city, Clara's stepmother, Vivian, was pacing in her upscale apartment, her heels clicking sharply on the marble floors. It had been hours since she'd received a call from one of her informants about Clara's disappearance. Clara wasn't just anyone. Vivian knew the girl's innocence could be a threat, but it was something else entirely that scared her: her husband's will.
Vivian knew that if Clara remained in Benjamin D'Angelo's grasp for too long, the flower shop—Clara's only inheritance—would fall into the hands of someone far more dangerous than her. But there was also the issue of the mafia world's delicate balance. To survive, Vivian would need to play the cards in front of her carefully. She couldn't afford to make the wrong move.
Vivian turned to her daughters, Mira and Celine, who were seated across from her in the lavish sitting room. "We need to get Clara back," Vivian said, her voice icy. "She's a threat. But we can't make it obvious. Benjamin D'Angelo is a force to be reckoned with, and I can't have him seeing us as enemies. Do you understand?"
Mira nodded, though her face was tight with worry. "But what if he doesn't let her go?"
"He will," Vivian replied, her eyes hardening. "If we play this right. We'll make Benjamin think we have the information he needs, but we'll be the ones controlling the game."