Days slip by in a quiet routine of music in the gardens and solitary reading. Despite the efforts of my friends Ashley and Amber to reach out to me, I keep my distance, unable and unwilling to divulge the secrets. The world of the mafia remains a closely guarded secret, a realm I dare not invite my friends into. Meanwhile, Ace and James are consumed by meetings with my father and the developers, their efforts focused on the expansion of the company. I find peace in the routine of daily conversations with my father. He seems to worry as much now.
One afternoon, Ace approaches me with a promise of a surprise, his eyes alight with anticipation. With curiosity, I follow him to his Ferrari, where a group of men pile into an SUV behind us. His words spark excitement within me as he reveals our
