THE MAFIA’S ORPHAN WIFE

THE BOARDROOM

Lanny wasn’t supposed to be at the Virelli Tower.

Adrian said "stay home" this morning. "Board meeting. It’ll be boring."

But at 10AM his assistant Marco called.

"Mrs. Virelli, Mr. Virelli needs you here. Now. Don’t ask questions. Just come."

So now Lanny was standing outside a 40-foot oak door.

Inside: 12 men. All suits. All over 50. All looking at her like she was a mistake.

The door opened.

Adrian. Tie loosened. Sleeves rolled up. Vein in his jaw ticking.

"Come in," he said.

Lanny stepped inside. 24 eyes on her.

The room went quiet.

"Who is this?" one of the old men asked. Mr. Romano. Lanny remembered him from the wedding photos.

"My wife," Adrian said. He didn’t look at Lanny. "She’s staying."

Murmurs.

"Adrian, this is a board meeting. Not a tea party."

"She stays," Adrian repeated. His voice was low. Final.

Lanny sat in the empty chair next to him. Her hands were sweating.

She could feel them all thinking it: *Gold digger. Orphan. Liability.*

The meeting started.

Stocks. Shipping. Money laundering. Lanny didn’t understand half of it.

But she understood the tone.

They were angry.

At Adrian.

At her.

"Your father’s deal was reckless," Mr. Romano said. "Marrying a nobody to pay off a 15 year old debt? It makes us look weak."

Adrian didn’t react.

"We have shareholders to answer to," another man said. "This girl is a distraction."

Lanny kept her eyes down.

Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

Rule 2: Don’t embarrass me.

Then Adrian stood up.

The room went silent.

"You’re right," he said. "She is a distraction."

Lanny’s heart dropped.

"She distracts me from caring what any of you think."

He walked around the table. Stopped behind Lanny’s chair.

Put his hand on the back of it. Not touching her. But claiming her.

"If anyone in this room touches her, talks about her, or looks at her wrong, you answer to me."

A pause.

"And you don’t want that."

No one spoke.

Lanny felt heat crawl up her neck.

The meeting ended 20 minutes later.

No one looked at Lanny again.

---

In the elevator, Lanny whispered, "Thank you."

"Don’t," Adrian said.

"Why?"

"Because I’m not doing it for you."

"Then who?"

"For me."

The doors opened.

He walked out. She followed.

In his office, he poured whiskey.

"You didn’t have to do that."

"Yes I did." He drank. "They would’ve eaten you alive."

"Why do you care?"

Adrian looked at her. Really looked.

"I don’t know."

---

That night, there was another dinner.

Isabella again. But this time at the house.

Lanny wore a black dress. The necklace from Isabella.

She felt like a doll.

Dinner was worse than last time.

"So," Isabella said. "The board was not happy today."

"They’ll get over it," Adrian said.

"Will they?" Isabella looked at Lanny. "Or will you get rid of the problem?"

Lanny set her fork down.

"I’m not a problem."

Isabella raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you?"

Adrian’s hand found Lanny’s under the table.

Squeezed once.

Let go.

But Lanny felt it for an hour after.

---

Later, Lanny was in the guest room trying to read.

Knock.

Adrian.

"Can’t sleep?"

"No."

"Me neither."

He came in. Sat on the floor. Back against the bed.

Lanny sat next to him.

"I hate this," he said. "The board. My mother. The contract."

"I know."

"Do you regret it? Saying yes?"

Lanny thought about it. The orphanage. The $12. The fear.

"No." She looked at him. "Do you?"

Adrian was quiet.

"No."

The word hung there.

Dangerous.

Rule 3: No touching.

But Lanny leaned her head on his shoulder.

And he didn’t move away.

For 5 minutes they just sat there.

Two people tied together by a contract and a fire 16 years ago.

"Go to sleep, Lanny," Adrian said finally.

"Yes, sir."

But when she laid down, she could still feel the warmth of his shoulder.

---

The next morning, Marco was at the door.

"Mrs. Virelli, there’s a problem."

"What?"

"Someone leaked your name to the press. 'Mafia heir marries orphan.' It’s on the news."

Lanny’s stomach dropped.

Adrian came out of his office.

"Who did it?"

"I don’t know, sir. But it’s bad."

Adrian looked at Lanny.

For the first time, he looked scared.

Not for himself.

For her.

"We need to do a press conference," he said. "Today. You and me."

Lanny nodded.

Rule 2: Public appearances.

But as she followed him out, her phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

`Tell your husband the board won’t protect you both.`

Lanny deleted it.

But her hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

The boardroom was just the beginning.

And someone wanted her gone.