MARRIED TO MY EX FATHER IN LAW

OCEAN'S VOICE

LOLA'S POV

I'm in the library when I hear Ocean's voice in the hallway.

Not loud. Not angry. Just... commanding. The kind of voice that makes people listen without him having to raise it.

I set down my book and move to the doorway, staying in the shadows where I can see but not be seen.

Ocean is talking to two of his men near the front entrance. One of them looks young, maybe mid-twenties. The other is older, graying at the temples.

"I don't care what the excuse is," Ocean is saying. His voice is firm but not cruel. "The shipment needs to arrive on time. If there are problems with the route, find a different route. If there are problems with the supplier, find a different supplier. But the client gets their delivery when promised. Understood?"

"Yes, boss," both men say in unison.

"Good. Bryan, you'll oversee the alternative route planning. Talk to Daniel about resources. Lilo, I want a full security assessment before we move anything. We're not taking chances."

"On it," the older man, Lilo, says.

"That's all. Go."

They leave immediately. Not rushing, but moving with purpose.

Ocean stands there for a moment, running a hand through his hair. He looks tired. Stressed.

Then one of the housekeepers, an older woman named Maria, comes around the corner carrying a tray. She doesn't see Ocean and nearly collides with him.

The tray tilts. A glass starts to slide.

Ocean catches it before it falls.

"Careful," he says, steadying the tray.

"Oh! Mr. Moretti, I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was..."

"It's fine, Maria. No harm done." He hands her back the glass. "But maybe take a break? You've been working since early this morning. Kitchen staff should be rotating more."

Maria looks stunned. "I... yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

"And Maria? Tell your daughter congratulations on the new baby. I heard it was a girl."

"You... you know about that?"

"Of course. Family is important." Ocean's voice is warm. "Take some time off next week if you need it. Paid. Go meet your granddaughter."

Maria's eyes fill with tears. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

She hurries away, clutching the tray.

Ocean watches her go, then turns and sees me standing in the library doorway.

We stare at each other for a moment.

"How long have you been there?" he asks.

"Long enough." I step out of the shadows. "You knew about Maria's daughter?"

"I make it a point to know what's happening with my staff. They work hard. They deserve to be treated like people, not servants."

It's such a stark contrast to Ethan that I don't know what to say.

Ethan never learned anyone's name. Never cared about their lives, their families, their problems.

People existed to serve him and that was it.

But Ocean knows his housekeeper's daughter just had a baby. Offers her paid time off without being asked.

"That was kind," I finally say.

Ocean shrugs. "That was basic decency. The bar is very low in this world."

"Still. Most people wouldn't..." I trail off.

"Most people in our world are assholes." He almost smiles. "I try not to be. Not always successful, but I try."

There's something about the way he says it. Self-aware. A little bit self-deprecating.

Nothing like Ethan, who thought he was perfect and everyone else was the problem.

"I should get back to..." Ocean gestures vaguely toward his office. "Work. Lots of fires to put out."

"Right. Of course."

He starts to walk away, then pauses. "The library. Are you finding everything you need? If you want different books, I can have some ordered."

"No, it's... it's perfect. There's more books here than I could read in a lifetime."

"Good. Feel free to use it whenever you want. The whole house, actually. You don't have to hide in your room."

"I'm not hiding. I'm just..." What am I doing? "Adjusting."

"Take your time. No rush." He nods once, then continues down the hallway.

I watch him go. Watch the way he moves. Confident. Purposeful. Every step deliberate.

He's not a good man. He said that himself. He's done terrible things. He's the Capo of a mafia family. There's blood on his hands, no question.

But he's also kind to his staff. Respectful. Fair.

He saved my life.

Gave me space when I needed it.

Hasn't made any demands on me.

I find myself curious. About who he really is beneath the Capo exterior. What made him this way. Why he's so different from his son.

Over the next few days, I watch him more carefully.

Not stalking. Just... observing. From a distance.

I see him in the morning, drinking coffee in the kitchen while reading reports on his tablet. His hair is always slightly messy first thing, like he runs his hands through it when he's thinking. He frowns at the screen, mutters things under his breath.

He always thanks Hannah when she brings him breakfast. Always asks how she's doing. Listens when she talks about her life.

I see him in the hallway, talking to his security team. He knows all their names. Asks about their families. One of them mentions his kid is sick, and Ocean immediately tells him to go home. "Family comes first. We'll manage."

I see him in his study late at night, the door slightly open. He's on the phone, his voice low and intense. Negotiating something. Planning something. Running his empire.

But even then, when one of his men interrupts with an urgent message, Ocean listens patiently. Doesn't yell. Doesn't throw things. Just processes the information and makes a decision.

Authority without cruelty.

It's fascinating.

One afternoon, I'm in the conservatory with a book when I hear raised voices from Ocean's study.

Not Ocean's voice. Someone else. Angry. Loud.

"This is unacceptable! You can't just..."

Ocean's voice cuts through, calm but with steel underneath. "I can. And I did. The decision is final."

"But I've worked for you for five years..."

"And in those five years, you've skimmed money from three different operations. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

Silence.

"I noticed," Ocean continues. "I've been watching. Building a case. Now I have proof. So here's what's going to happen. You're going to leave. Quietly. No drama. No threats. You'll take what you've earned legitimately and disappear. If you do that, this ends here. If you make noise, if you cause problems, I'll make sure everyone in London knows you're a thief. No family will touch you. Understand?"

"I... yes. I understand."

"Good. Paulo will escort you out. Don't come back."

Footsteps. A man I don't recognize is led past the conservatory by two security guards. He looks furious but doesn't resist.

A minute later, Ocean appears in the doorway. He sees me sitting there with my book and sighs.

"You heard that."

It's not a question.

"Some of it," I admit. "He was stealing from you?"

"For months. Small amounts. Thought I wouldn't notice because I've been... distracted." Ocean leans against the doorframe. "But I always notice eventually."

"You didn't yell at him."

"Why would I? Yelling doesn't solve anything. Just makes you look out of control." He crosses his arms. "I presented evidence. Made a decision. Followed through. That's how you handle things."

With Ethan, everything was yelling. Throwing things. Violence. Control through fear.

But Ocean controls through authority. Through respect. Through actually being competent at his job.

"You're really different from him," I say quietly. "From Ethan."

Ocean's expression darkens. "I'd hope so."

"I just mean... I'm trying to understand. How did he turn out so differently? You're his father. Shouldn't he have learned from you?"

"You'd think." Ocean moves into the conservatory, sits in the chair across from me. "But I wasn't around much when he was growing up. His mother died when he was eight. I was busy building the organization. Climbing to power. I left him with nannies. Tutors. Threw money at him instead of giving him time."

There's genuine regret in his voice.

"By the time I realized what he was becoming, it was too late. The cruelty was already there. The entitlement. The belief that he deserved everything without earning it." Ocean looks at his hands. "That's on me. I failed him as a father. And he became... what he is."

"It's not your fault he chose to be abusive."

"Isn't it? I showed him that power matters more than people. That building an empire is more important than family. He learned that lesson well. Just applied it in the worst possible way."

I don't know what to say to that.

"Anyway." Ocean stands. "I should get back to work. Enjoy your book."

He starts to leave, then stops.

"Lola? If you ever want to talk. About anything. Not just Ethan. Anything at all. My door is open."

"Okay. Thank you."

He nods and walks away.

I sit there in the conservatory, my book forgotten in my lap, thinking about what he said.

Thinking about this complicated man who runs a criminal empire but treats his staff with kindness. Who kills people for a living but regrets failing his son. Who married me to save my life but asks for nothing in return.

I'm curious about him.

More than curious.

I want to understand him. Want to know what's beneath the Capo mask.

And that's dangerous.

Because I'm supposed to keep my distance. Supposed to maintain the boundaries we agreed on.

But watching him, learning about him, seeing the way he moves through the world...

I'm not sure I can stay distant much longer.