His Curvy Wife Stopped Wearing Her Wedding Ring—Then the Mafia Boss Learned Who Had Shamed Her

Robert Moretti sat entirely still as Adrien turned toward him. The older man wiped his brow with a silk handkerchief, trying desperately to maintain a posture of stoic dignity, but the tic in his jaw betrayed his overwhelming terror.

"Adrien," Robert began, his voice raspy and thin. "I am your father's brother. I helped build this syndicate long before you were old enough to sit at a executive table. You cannot treat me like a common street traitor."

Adrien walked slowly toward his uncle, stopping right behind Robert’s chair. He placed a heavy, reassuring hand on Robert’s shoulder—a gesture that made the older man stiffen in sheer horror.

"My father trusted you, Uncle Robert," Adrien murmured into the quiet room. "And you repaid his trust by helping his wife flee the city thirty years ago."

The room went completely dead silent.

Grace gasped softly, her eyes widening as she looked at Adrien. She knew the painful story of Adrien’s mother, but she had never known that Robert had been involved in that tragic, traumatic night.

Robert’s face drained of every drop of color. "That... that is a lie! I had nothing to do with your mother leaving!"

"I spent the last twelve hours having my security team re-examine the financial transfers from thirty years ago," Adrien revealed, his voice terrifyingly calm, devoid of any anger, which made it infinitely more terrifying. "The man she ran away with was paid two hundred thousand dollars from a blind account in Geneva. An account that was opened under your personal mother’s maiden name, Robert."

Robert pulled away from Adrien’s touch, his breathing fast and shallow. "She was weak! She was going to compromise our family's safety! I paid him to take her away so your father could focus on running the business without distraction!"

"You tore my family apart so my father would fall into depression, allowing you to take control of the harbor docks," Adrien corrected softly. "And thirty years later, you tried to use the exact same playbook on my wife."

Adrien stepped back, looking down at his uncle with profound contempt.

"You used Victoria Sterling to poison Grace’s mind," Adrien said. "You wanted Grace to leave me so I would fall apart just like my father did. You wanted me broken, distracted, and weak so you could step into my place."

Robert suddenly stood up, knocking his chair back, his face contorted with years of pent-up jealousy and rage. "You didn't deserve the leadership, Adrien! You were a boy! I gave my entire youth to the Moretti name, and your father gave you everything! And then you married her—a common, worthless restorer who knows nothing of our blood!"

Before Robert could finish his sentence, Marcus Reed stepped forward with lightning speed, grabbing Robert by his arms and pinning him back against the dining room wall with absolute, crushing force.

Grace stood up from her chair, walking slowly toward Adrien. She took his hand, placing her fingers through his, offering him her unwavering strength.

Adrien looked down at his wife, a faint softness touching his eyes, before looking back at his pinned uncle.

"You are right about one thing, Robert," Adrien said quietly. "Grace knows nothing of our blood, our violence, or our cynicism. She represents everything good that this family lost decades ago. She is the reason I fight to keep this empire clean."

Adrien turned to Marcus.

"Strip Robert Moretti of all family assets, holdings, and titles," Adrien commanded coldly. "He is banished from the state of Illinois effective midnight tonight. If he ever steps foot in Chicago again, execute him on sight."

Marcus nodded once. "Understood, Boss."

"Adrien, no!" Robert screamed as Marcus and two guards began dragging him toward the side exit. "You can't do this to me! I am a Moretti! I am your family!"

"You stopped being my family the moment you targeted my wife," Adrien replied, without even turning around to watch him be dragged away.

Adrien then turned his attention back to Arthur and Victoria Sterling, who were huddled together in sheer terror.

"Your estate will be listed for liquidation by end of week," Adrien informed them smoothly. "You have twenty-four hours to pack your personal belongings and leave Chicago. If I see either of your faces in this city again, the customs department will release their full criminal indictment regarding Pier 42."