The Mafia's Secret Wife

The Black Ledger

Maya couldn't move.

Her sister was gone.

Again.

The warehouse had fallen into complete darkness after the gunshot, and for several terrifying seconds, Maya could hear nothing except the pounding of her own heart.

"Dante!"

"I'm here."

His voice came from somewhere beside her.

Maya reached out blindly.

Her fingers caught his sleeve.

"Where's Emma?"

"I don't know."

The answer terrified her.

"You said you would protect her."

"I know."

"Then find her!"

Dante didn't answer.

A faint emergency light suddenly flickered on.

The warehouse became visible again.

Maya looked toward the chair where Emma had been sitting.

Empty.

Her heart sank.

"She was right there."

Dante's eyes scanned the room.

His men were searching everywhere.

"Check the exits."

"Already doing it, boss."

"Find every camera."

"There aren't any cameras inside."

Dante's jaw tightened.

Maya turned toward him.

"You knew this could happen."

"I suspected."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

"Because they were going to take her whether we came or not."

Maya shook her head.

"You keep saying that like it's supposed to make me feel better."

"It isn't."

He looked at her.

"It's supposed to keep you alive."

Maya's anger burned through her fear.

"You don't get to decide everything for me."

Dante stepped closer.

"I do when your life is at risk."

"You're not my owner."

His expression hardened.

"No."

He paused.

"But you're my wife."

Maya stared at him.

The word felt different this time.

Not because of the contract.

Because of the way he had said it.

Like a promise.

Like a warning.

Before Maya could respond, Luca rushed toward them.

"Dante."

"What?"

"We found something."

Luca held out a small phone.

Dante took it.

"Where?"

"Behind the warehouse."

Dante examined the screen.

Maya stepped closer.

"What is it?"

"A message."

Dante showed her.

There was a photograph of Emma.

Alive.

Maya's breath caught.

Underneath the picture were four words.

COME ALONE, ROSSI.

Dante's face became unreadable.

Maya looked at him.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know."

"Then how are we supposed to find her?"

Dante stared at the photograph.

"They want me to follow them."

Maya understood immediately.

"It's a trap."

"Yes."

"Then don't go."

Dante looked at her.

"They have your sister."

"And they want you."

"Exactly."

Maya's eyes widened.

"Then what are you going to do?"

Dante handed the phone to Luca.

"Give them what they want."

---

An hour later, they were back at the Rossi mansion.

Maya sat in Dante's office while Luca and the other guards searched the property.

She couldn't stop thinking about the photograph.

Emma had looked terrified.

Maya needed to know she was safe.

Dante stood near his desk, staring at a file.

"What are you looking at?"

He didn't answer.

Maya stood.

"Dante."

He closed the file.

"Go back to your room."

"I'm tired of being told where to go."

"Then stop making me worry about you."

Maya froze.

Dante seemed to realize what he'd said.

Neither spoke.

Finally, Maya asked quietly:

"Are you worried about me?"

Dante looked at her.

"Yes."

The answer was so direct that she didn't know how to respond.

"You shouldn't be."

"Probably not."

"Because I'm not staying here forever."

"I know."

"Once Emma is safe, I'm leaving."

Dante's expression changed.

"Leaving?"

"Yes."

"You think it's that simple?"

"I have a contract."

"So do I."

"And contracts end."

Dante stared at her.

Something unreadable passed through his eyes.

Then he looked away.

"Get some sleep."

Maya shook her head.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I don't trust you."

Dante looked back at her.

"Good."

Maya frowned.

"Good?"

"Trust gets people killed in my world."

He walked toward a locked cabinet.

Maya watched him enter a code.

The cabinet opened.

Inside were several files.

Dante removed one.

Maya recognized the name written on it.

VICTOR COLLINS.

Her father's name.

Her heart stopped.

"Why do you have that?"

Dante froze.

Maya walked closer.

"You said you barely knew my father."

"I never said that."

"You said he betrayed your family."

"He did."

"Then why do you have a file about him?"

Dante closed the cabinet.

"Because your father was important."

"To you?"

"To my family."

Maya stared at him.

"Tell me the truth."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because you're not ready."

"I'm tired of hearing that."

Dante's eyes met hers.

"Your father wasn't the man you thought he was."

Maya's eyes filled with tears.

"Neither are you."

She turned toward the door.

"Maya."

She stopped.

Dante's voice softened.

"There are things about your father that could put you in more danger than you already are."

"Then tell me."

"I can't."

She opened the door.

"Fine."

She walked away.

But she didn't go to her room.

Instead, she waited until the hallway was empty.

Then she returned to Dante's office.

The door was unlocked.

Maya slipped inside.

She knew she shouldn't.

But she needed answers.

She went straight to the cabinet.

The lock was still open.

She pulled out her father's file.

Inside were photographs.

Documents.

Newspaper articles.

And one photograph that made her blood run cold.

Her father stood beside Dante.

But they weren't alone.

Three other men stood with them.

Maya recognized one.

The man from the warehouse.

She turned the photograph over.

A date was written on the back.

Twelve years ago.

Maya stared.

Twelve years ago, she had been ten.

Her father had disappeared when she was sixteen.

Something wasn't adding up.

She searched through the documents.

Then she found a handwritten note.

The ledger must never fall into the hands of the Rossi heir.

Maya's breathing stopped.

She looked toward the door.

Dante.

Why would her father write that?

She continued reading.

If I disappear, protect Maya and Emma. They cannot know what happened.

Maya's hands trembled.

Her father had known something would happen.

He had expected to disappear.

Then another sentence caught her attention.

The person responsible is someone Dante trusts.

Maya's heart pounded.

Someone Dante trusted?

Who?

She heard footsteps outside.

Maya quickly put everything back.

The office door opened.

Dante stood there.

Their eyes met.

He immediately noticed the open cabinet.

His expression became cold.

"You went through my files."

Maya couldn't lie.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you wouldn't tell me the truth."

Dante walked inside and closed the door.

"What did you find?"

"Your father?"

Maya's eyes widened.

"You knew?"

Dante's expression changed.

"You found the note."

"You knew my father expected someone to betray you."

"Yes."

"And you knew he was trying to protect us."

"Yes."

Maya's voice broke.

"How long have you known?"

Dante remained silent.

"How long?"

"Since before I bought you."

Maya felt as if the room were spinning.

"So the auction..."

"Wasn't an accident."

She stared at him.

"What?"

Dante stepped closer.

"I knew someone would come looking for you."

"Did you arrange the auction?"

"No."

"Then why did you buy me?"

"Because if someone else had bought you, you wouldn't have survived the night."

Maya stared at him.

"Who were you protecting me from?"

Dante didn't answer.

She whispered:

"My father's enemies?"

"Some of them."

"And the ledger?"

His eyes hardened.

"What do you know about it?"

Maya immediately realized she'd asked the wrong question.

Dante's expression changed.

"Where did you hear that word?"

"My father."

"Where?"

"I don't remember."

Dante studied her.

Then his phone rang.

He answered.

"Yes."

He listened.

His face became completely still.

Maya watched him.

"What happened?"

Dante slowly lowered the phone.

"They found Emma."

Maya's heart jumped.

"Where?"

Dante looked at her.

"At your father's old apartment."

Maya's breath caught.

"Is she okay?"

"She's alive."

Relief washed over her.

"But there's a problem."

"What?"

Dante picked up his jacket.

"The people who took her left something behind."

"What?"

Dante looked directly into her eyes.

"The black ledger."

Maya froze.

"The real one?"

He nodded.

"Your father didn't disappear with it."

Maya's voice trembled.

"Then where was it?"

Dante's expression darkened.

"Your sister had it."

Maya's heart stopped.

"What?"

Dante opened the office door.

"Which means whoever has been hunting you wasn't looking for the ledger."

He paused.

"They were looking for your sister because she knew where it was."

Maya stared at him.

Then a horrible realization hit her.

"Emma knew?"

Dante nodded.

"And now someone knows that we have it."

He looked toward the dark hallway.

"Which means tonight was only the beginning."

Maya followed him.

"Where are we going?"

Dante looked back at her.

"To get your sister."

"And the ledger?"

"We'll get that too."

Maya swallowed.

"What happens after?"

Dante's gaze remained fixed on hers.

"Then we find out who betrayed your father."

He paused.

"And who inside my family has been waiting twelve years to destroy me."

Maya's heart pounded.

For the first time, she understood that her father's disappearance wasn't an old tragedy.

It was a war that had never ended.

And somehow, she had just become the most important piece on the board.