Chapter 2 - The Broken Vow
Four days after the birth, Elena returned to the Romano estate on the outskirts of Chicago.
The house was a grand marble monstrosity, isolated behind tall wrought-iron gates. To the outside world, Marco Romano was a wealthy import-export mogul. To those within the underworld, he was an ambitious lieutenant in the Moretti crime family, desperate to prove his ruthlessness to the syndicate bosses.
Elena sat in the nursery, holding her newborn daughters, Clara and Sofia. Her body still ached from the delivery, but her heart ached far worse. Marco had not returned to the hospital since the night they were born.
At ten o’clock that evening, the heavy oak front door slammed shut downstairs. Heavy, uneven footsteps echoed up the marble staircase.
Elena held her breath.
Marco stroized into the nursery, smelling strongly of expensive whiskey and bitter cigar smoke. His eyes were bloodshot, his tie loosened around his collar.
"Why aren't they asleep?" he demanded, glancing coldly at the twin bassinets.
"They just woke up to feed, Marco," Elena said quietly, rocking Sofia in her arms. "Please, keep your voice down."
Marco took a menacing step closer. "Don't tell me what to do in my own house, Elena. Do you have any idea what happened tonight?"
Elena kept her gaze lowered. "No."
"Don Silvano announced his successor's inner council tonight," Marco hissed, his fists clenching tightly at his sides. "Every captain who brought a son to the table was granted a new territory in North Chicago. And what do I have? Nothing! A house full of useless broads!"
"They are infants, Marco!" Elena pleaded, tears springing to her eyes. "They are your own blood! How can you talk about them like they are an embarrassment?"
Marco's face contorted with dark, terrifying rage. He stepped forward and grabbed Elena by her collar, hauling her up from the rocking chair while she desperately cradled Sofia against her chest.
"You failed me!" Marco snarled, his breath hot against her cheek. "Eight years I gave you a luxury life, and you couldn't even give me an heir to secure my seat at the council!"
"Let go of me!" Elena cried out.
Marco shoved her violently backward. Elena twisted her body in mid-air to shield baby Sofia, taking the brunt of the fall on her hip and shoulder against the hard hardwood floor. Sofia began to wail loudly. Clara joined in from her bassinet.
"Shut them up!" Marco roared, pulling out his cell phone. He dialed a number and put it to his ear. "Gino, Paulie... get up to the nursery. My wife needs to learn a lesson about respect."
Elena’s blood ran cold. "Marco, no... please, God, no!"
Two heavy-set men in dark leather jackets stepped into the room. They didn't look at Elena's eyes; they looked at Marco for orders.
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"She thinks she can raise her voice to me in my house," Marco told his men coldly, heading toward the doorway. "Make sure she understands her place before morning. Don't touch the kids—they're useless anyway, but I don't need the noise."
"Marco! Please!" Elena screamed, scrambling on her hands and knees to protect the bassinets as the two men stepped forward, their shadows stretching long across the pink blankets.
