The room erupted.

But the uproar only lasted seconds before a suffocating tension choked the banquet hall.

The air froze. The smart ones—the guests on the fringe—could smell the blood in the water. They were already slinking out the doors, hugging the walls.

But the real power in the room hadn't moved. An old man in the shadows, tapping a silver wolf's-head cane against the floor. He hadn't said a word. He didn't have to. He was the Don.

He watched the messy drama at the head table through half-closed eyes, looking down from on high.

Nico stood there in silence for a solid minute.

His face cycled through rage, shock, and helplessness, finally settling into a bitter defeat.

"Fine," he finally choked out, his voice raw. "I admit it. You're my daughter."

Silence fell again.

But I felt zero joy.

"Too late," I said, my voice ice. "I don't want a father. I'm here to collect what my mother is owed."

"Take back what?" Isolda jumped in instantly. "We paid off that money years ago! I can even cut you an extra check as compensation."

She raised her chin haughtily. "Name your price. This is a buyout. A clean break from the Russo family."

"Where's the proof?" I snapped back. "You say you paid it off? Prove it."

"You—"

"And another thing, Ms. Isolda." I cut her off, my voice dropping to a chill.

I pulled the blood-stained marriage certificate from my bag and held it up high.

"There's something everyone needs to know. Nico and my mother were legally married. And they never filed for divorce."

I glared at Isolda like a knife. "Which means, legally speaking, this so-called 'noble wife' is nothing more than a home-wrecking mistress."

I locked eyes with Matteo, who was grinding his teeth. "And you? You're not the heir. You're just the bastard born on the side."

"You bitch—" Matteo roared, lunging at me.

"Enough." Nico waved him off exhaustedly and let out a heavy sigh. "How much money do you want?"

Julian stood up, adjusting his suit.

"It's simple math, Mr. Russo." He smiled. "According to our investigation, even after multiple rounds of equity dilution, fifty percent of the Russo Group still belongs to Ms. Chiara."

"What?!" Nico's eyes went wide. "Fifty percent? Are you insane?"

"Based on the original agreement, Ms. Chiara's half-million was treated as a founding investment." Julian explained calmly. "Factoring in inflation and the empire's growth, today's value is roughly—"

"Cut the crap!" Nico barked. "You're greedy, little girl. But you have to be alive to spend the money."

I was about to fire back when a harsh slap cracked across my face.

Smack!

Matteo's handprint burned onto my cheek. The stinging pain spread instantly.

"You ungrateful bitch!" he threatened viciously. "I will shut your mouth for good right here, right now. Try me."

I tasted the blood in my mouth and smiled. A cold, sharp smile.

"What? Losing your temper?" My voice was raspy but clear. "Is this how you handled my mother back then? Dumping an eight-month pregnant woman in some nowhere town in Wisconsin?"

"You—" Isolda was deathly pale, her hands shaking as she reached for her phone. "I'm calling the cops!"

But she was shaking so badly she couldn't even dial.

A few major shareholders shook their heads and walked out. Tonight's circus was more than enough to ruin the Russo Group's reputation.

"Look at what you've done!" Nico raged. "This little stunt just wiped billions off the company!"

He took a deep breath, fighting to suppress his anger. "Fine. I'll pay. Name your price. Then get the hell out of Chicago and never come back."

Matteo grudgingly pulled a checkbook from his inside pocket. He violently scribbled down a number, ripped it out, and threw it at my feet.

"A hundred grand! Take it and get lost!"

I bent down, picked up the check, glanced at the number, and handed it to Julian.

"Mr. Julian, here's your legal fee."

Julian smiled, taking it and looking closely. "A hundred grand? Just enough to cover my appearance fee for tonight."

He pocketed the check, then pulled out his phone and pulled up a screen.

"Ladies and gentlemen, one last thing." Julian's voice was suddenly cold steel. "Before we entered, we opened a live audio feed. Everything said in this room... has been streamed directly to a few 'interested parties'. The real money behind the Russo Group."

Julian looked at Nico, his eyes freezing over.

"Also, Mr. Russo. Since you never legally ended your marriage with my client, yet married Ms. Isolda... under North American law, that makes you guilty of bigamy."

"The second charges are filed, the FBI has the right to freeze every single Russo Group account and initiate a full liquidation."

Julian stepped closer, relentless. "You know what the Feds do with a bigamy charge? They freeze assets. They investigate everything. Do you think the Don who backs you will tolerate that kind of heat? A man who brings federal agents to his doorstep, threatening his entire money-laundering operation? You'd be a liability. And liabilities get erased."