The Throne That Blind Fool Denied

I spent ten years clawing my way up from a marginalized family outcast to become the most trusted Consigliere—and the fiancée—of Julian Argento, the youngest Mafia Don in New York City.

But a month before our grand engagement ceremony, I decided to leave him. Because Julian personally placed the "Queen's Heart," the ancestral necklace symbolizing the family's Donna, around the neck of his childhood sweetheart, Camilla Rossi.

"It's just a necklace. Camilla has no one left; she needs this to gain respect. You're the future Donna, Marina. You need to be more generous."

I didn't cry or throw a tantrum. Instead, I secretly dissolved all our legal and business ties.

Just like that, I "generously" yielded the position of fiancée to Camilla, as he wished. But my departure drove him mad.

He chased me all the way to Chicago, using every means possible to bring me back. But he never expected that Nigel Hayes, the legendary Chairman of the North American Mafia Commission, would be kneeling before me, fitting a pair of crystal high heels onto my feet.

"The throne that blind fool couldn't give you," he murmured, his eyes playful yet intense. "How about I offer you half of mine?"

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1

"Angelo, I'm officially resigning as the family's Consigliere and requesting to leave the organization," I said, my voice flat as I placed the signed resignation letter on the desk.

The retired Consigliere, Angelo Bellini, looked stunned. "What? Marina, you're about to become the Donna, and you want to leave now? You clawed your way up from a girl on the streets to become Consigliere by Don Julian's side on sheer merit."

"During the last conflict with the Russians, you almost got your head blown off. Now that you've finally made it, you're leaving?"

Made it? Then why did I feel nothing but an aching void where his love should have been?

I held back the tears that threatened to spill. "Angelo, please approve it. There's someone better suited for the position."

For the past ten years, outsiders only saw how much Julian relied on me. I was the only one who could freely enter and exit his office, the only woman permitted to participate in the family's core decision-making.

But deep down, I knew he hadn't proposed out of love. It was because of the ambush two months ago.

To buy him time to retreat, I had charged into the enemy's camp alone and nearly died.

When I woke up, Julian was stroking my face, his expression unreadable. "You saved me. I can't give you love, but I can give you the position of my wife."

I saw the pity in his eyes, but I still accepted. I once believed that with enough time, I could melt his heart of stone.

But everything changed the day Camilla Rossi returned.

Without waiting for Angelo's response, I turned and walked out of the parlor.

My phone vibrated. A new post on the encrypted intranet—a replay of Camilla's birthday celebration.

The comment section was a torrent of poison.

"A true match made in heaven. Camilla is the daughter of the previous Don's lifelong friend. Only she is worthy of standing by Don Julian's side."

"I heard Camilla also played a part in the success against the Russians. A true daughter from a legacy family."

In a close-up shot of the video, Camilla, dressed in a red gown, clung intimately to Julian's arm, whispering in his ear.

Julian inclined his head, a faint, unconscious smile touching his lips.

Normally, even when I was reporting top-secret intelligence, Julian would demand I maintain a distance of at least three paces, claiming he didn't like people getting too close. But now, his brow was relaxed.

The scene switched to the bestowing of the necklace.

Julian personally placed the "Queen's Heart," which should have been mine, around Camilla's neck.

"Camilla, only you are worthy of this necklace."

Although I had prepared myself, witnessing it firsthand sent a sharp pang through my chest.

Julian's words from two days ago echoed in my ears.

"It's just a family necklace, what are you fighting over? Camilla's father guided me as I grew up. Now she has no one, and she needs this necklace to secure her position."

"The position of Donna will still be yours in the end. That won't change."

Unbidden tears streamed down my face, but a masochistic impulse forced my eyes back to the screen.

As the ceremony ended, Camilla excitedly stood on her tiptoes and kissed Julian's cheek in front of everyone.

This was the same Julian who'd flinch if I so much as brushed his arm, yet he didn't push her away. He just froze for a second.

In that instant, I finally saw the truth.

It wasn't about germs. He was simply repulsed by me.

Even though we were engaged, he still detested any physical touch from me.

I roughly wiped the tears from my face and returned to my residence.

As I packed my bags, I realized how few belongings I had.

This had never been my home. I was just a subordinate living on his property.

My phone buzzed again.

It was Julian.

"Camilla's having a party at the estate tonight to celebrate. I want it set up to the highest standard."

Seeing this order, I remembered that he had long ago removed me from his emergency contacts list so he could be the first to receive Camilla's calls for help.

I shook my head with a self-deprecating smile and replied with two words I had never dared to use with him before.

"I'm busy."

Since I had decided to leave, I wasn't going to give myself any reason to turn back.

I found the Capo in charge of operations, Mickey Sullivan, and shoved the keys to the Consigliere's office, along with the passwords to the vault and the secret ledgers, into his arms.

"They're all yours now."

"Marina? What the hell is this?" Mickey asked, his face a mask of confusion.

"I've handed everything over," I replied curtly, then turned to leave. "Not my problem anymore."

Ten years to build an empire of power. One second to let it all go.