Chapter 1 The Capo's Daughter

Sydney, Australia

Water streamed down his well-defined physique, accentuating the contours of his muscular build. Droplets clung to his skin, shining like morning dew on leaves. His calm expression showed quiet confidence, and his movements were undeniably sensual.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror. His deep, enigmatic black eyes held untold stories. They bore a quiet intensity, reflecting a soul that had seen both shadows and light.

As the water ran through his hair, it darkened the strands to a rich chestnut color, giving him an effortless charm as they gently clung to his forehead before he pushed them back.

After turning off the shower, he grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist as he stepped out of the steam-filled room. When he entered his room, he heard a knock on the door.

"Mr. Genovese, your cousin Mr. Morelli is here to see you," called the elderly butler, Mr. Francis.

He slipped into a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants, calling out in a hoarse voice, "Coming!" Brushing his damp hair, he walked out of his bedroom and made his way downstairs to his luxurious living area.

"Oh, Sebastian, my dear brother! The future Mafia King of Cosa Nostra!" Dario Morelli, Sebastian's cousin on his mother's side, greeted him with a broad smile and stood up from the comfortable couch to hug him.

Sebastian gently pushed him back. "You smell like booze and sex!" He sat on the lone brown leather couch right across from him.

"Come on, it's been three years!" Dario exclaimed, clearly disappointed. "Just this morning, Dad told me about your wedding. Seriously, are you really marrying Larisa Sherian for real? She's just super plain. Bummer, man!"

"What makes you so well informed about Larisa?" Sebastian asked, acknowledging Mr. Francis as he poured him a cup of black filtered coffee.

"A lime juice for me, please," Dario smiled at Mr. Francis. As Mr. Francis walked away, Dario's attention shifted back to Sebastian.

"It just happened that I ran into her at a party, where she was with her stepsister, Mia. I made advances toward her, but she looked confused the whole time, and then she kept playing cat-and-mouse with me." He flashed a crooked smile."

As Sebastian nodded, his eyes glazed over, lost in deep thought. He wasn't very interested in the unison. He didn't feel drawn to Larisa; there was no spark, no life. Sebastian found no excitement in marrying a sheep and taming her.

Right then, a ping of notifications on his cell phone caught his attention. Larisa had texted him a good morning, but he didn't give it a second thought and left it unopened.

"What convinced you to marry her?" The moment Dario asked, Sebastian felt as if he had been transported back to that evening three years ago. Storm brewing in his eyes.

***

~ JANET ~

"Janet, you're running out of time! Get out of bed!"

My aunt's voice echoed in the room, and as she opened the curtains, the bright sunlight momentarily blinded me. I groaned while trying to pull the duvet up to my face, only for it to be heartlessly ripped away from my body.

"Isabella!" Sitting on the bed, I shouted and watched the little bundle of trouble dash out of my bedroom, clutching the duvet in her hands and giggling uncontrollably.

Aunt Sophia's laughter filled the air, and my gaze immediately shifted to her. She made my bed while I glared at her, my frustration mounting. "No, seriously, she saw you yanking the duvet off me once, and now your daughter has picked up your habit." I twisted my messy golden hair into a bun.

Another burst of giggles escaped her lips. "Your enlistment will endanger the city!"

"That's so rude!" I threw a pillow at her.

Sophia dodged the attack. "People would reach out to you for help, and you'd respond, Just give me five more minutes to snooze." She laughed.

I rolled my eyes and inadvertently caught sight of the digital clock on my study table. My heart started racing with panic. "It's already 10:30!"

"Yes!"

I hurried into the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. My reflection in the mirror looked back at me, and a rising feeling of unease swept over me. I wondered how my dad would respond. Would he support me? What if he insisted I abandon my dream?

The more I thought, the more questions filled my mind, and my heart began to race. As I brushed my teeth, I couldn't help but reflect on my father's absence over the past three years.

Sometimes, thinking that he doesn't love me feels like a dagger to my heart, but my supportive parents help me get through it.

Aunt Sophia once told me that he was in a state of tremendous shock when my mother passed away. The weight of her death was too heavy for him to carry alone, so he left me at the adoption center, hoping I would find a loving family.

After he couldn't care for me at Aunt Sophia's, she and her husband, John, quickly took action, searching every orphanage until they finally found me-a nine-month-old baby girl.

They became my adoptive parents, and we moved back to New Orleans. After a few days, my father visited me, and as he held me, tears ran down his face. He wanted to take me back to Missouri, but Uncle John didn't trust his instincts and vetoed the idea.

And he was right.

The news we received three years ago left us deeply shaken. Rumors indicated he had been promoted to the rank of Capo under Anton Genovese, the notorious mafia boss and the top target of authorities in the United States.

"Hurry up and get ready, or you'll miss your flight!" I heard Sophia knocking at the door. "However, I wouldn't mind if you missed it."

"Just ten more minutes!" I yelled.

"Fine," Sophia exhaled with concern, "I'm going to go make something for you."

After finishing my shower, I slipped into blue high-waisted jeans and a black crop top, feeling prepared for the day. I applied moisturizer to my skin and lined my amber eyes with kohl. I put on some berry lip balm, which added a subtle tint of color to my lips, and left my damp hair hanging loose.

As I went down the stairs, my eyes landed on my luggage by the door, with my black hoodie neatly folded on top.

"Breakfast is ready!" I heard Isabella's cheerful voice and turned toward the kitchen. Sophia's ravioli is my favorite, and just seeing it made my mouth water.

I sat down for breakfast, and she gently slid the plate toward me, the fork and spoon already in my hand. "Umm... It's amazing!" I looked up at her. "You're the best!"

"I don't think you should go to Springfield. Would your father support you?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow as I ate. "Goddammit! He's involved with the mafia, and you plan to tell him you're joining the police force? What if the authorities find out about the connection between you two?"

After finishing my meal, I took a sip of water, cleared my throat, and then responded. "I want to tell him that he can leave everything behind and come stay with us here."

"Do you think it's that simple?" she interrupted me.

"Once I become a police officer, no one will dare to harm him. I will stand up for him against the world." I ardently yearned to convey my intention to her, but she shook her head in dismay.

"If your uncle were alive today, he wouldn't have let you go to Springfield." She plopped into the empty chair.

I stood up and moved behind Sophia, feeling the tension in her shoulders slowly ease as I massaged them. "Sometimes, a man makes a mistake without understanding the consequences of his actions. I sense that something is wrong with him, and I struggle with the anxiety that crops up whenever he doesn't answer my calls. This relentless fear is overwhelming. What if he's waiting for someone to save him?"

Sophia stood up and turned to face me.

"I'm curious about what might have happened three years ago that caused Dad to become distant from us. Did the Genovese family coerce him into committing crimes, or is there more to the story? Who is this infamous heir, Sebastian Genovese, that the Genovese family keeps hidden from the public? I want to know everything!"

"Promise me you'll stay safe!" Sophia said, cupping my face in her hands. "Isabella and I will wait for you."

"Yes!" I said with a smile as Isabella encircled me in a hug, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"Also, you must refrain from trespassing into Genovese territory. Keep your distance from that family and contact your father before taking any action."

I nodded and was about to leave when she suddenly grabbed my arm to stop me. "And stay away from Sebastian Genovese!" she warned, her voice filled with fear, concern & the hint of something she knows and I didn't.