By My Rules

Three months later, a black market auction was held in an old opera house in Queens. It was one of the underworld’s favorite places to do business in New York. On the surface, they auctioned off jewelry and antiques. Behind the scenes, what really changed hands were shipping routes, territory, and favors.

I hadn’t planned on going. That was, until one of my men placed the auction catalog on my desk, and on the last page, I saw the blue diamond brooch. It was something my mother used to wear when she was young. It was originally part of a set—the same set as the necklace now hanging around Lina’s neck.

Since Drake had taken the necklace to please his new woman, I wasn’t about to lose this brooch. So, I went.

By the time I entered, Drake was already there. He had Lina with him, seated in the most visible spot in the room. She had changed into an even more expensive dress, as if she couldn’t wait for everyone to see exactly who she stood beside now.

The auction moved into its second half, and finally, the brooch was brought onto the stage. The moment I raised my paddle, Lina tugged lightly on Drake’s sleeve.

“I like this one.”

Drake didn’t even ask the price before he followed immediately. He patted her hand indulgently and raised his paddle again, yet his gaze slid toward me, openly provocative.

“My girl likes it, Violet. Why don’t you let her have it?”

My expression didn’t change. I turned slightly to my right-hand man.

“Keep going.”

The price climbed from a few thousand to nearly a million dollars. By then, the brooch had long lost its original value. It had become nothing more than a tool in the standoff between Drake and me.

“Lock it,” Drake said lazily, pulling Lina closer into his arms.

My aide leaned in, lowering his voice. “Ma’am, where did Drake get that kind of cash flow?”

I smirked. “The final payment for that South American arms deal he reserved.”

Then, I rose gracefully to my feet. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd below, I gave a slight nod, then turned and walked out without hesitation.

“Ma’am, the brooch…” my right-hand man followed, asking in a low voice.

I simply pressed a finger lightly to his lips and said softly, “Remember this. Objects are dead.”

I never wanted the brooch. What I wanted was the gap in Drake’s funds that bidding for it would expose. That same night, I had my finance team and lawyers move at the same time, tracing the temporary funds he had pulled together. Sure enough, they uncovered something far dirtier.

Behind the family’s back, Drake had been using the port’s shipping operations to launder money. Worst of all, that shipping route didn’t just lead to arms; it led to drugs. The Leon family had one iron rule: never touch drugs. It was a rule the Godfather had paid for with half his life, and anyone who broke it died.

I stared at the accounts all night, and suddenly, that little game at the auction felt more than worth it. The next morning, I sent out wedding invitations to every family that had dealings with Drake, not to help him celebrate, but to draw the net around him.