As I walked out of the villa with heavy security, the sun outside blinded my eyes so much that they hurt.

The villa was situated in the richest part of Litrak. We bought the villa after making our first major drug deal. I was the one who designed the security system, and I knew how many motion detectors were buried under the bed of roses in the garden. Soon, the place would welcome its new mistress.

"Donna…" I could hear a muffled choke coming from behind. I turned back to see Carlos Bianchi standing at the door. His heavily scarred face was covered in tears.

Carlos was an old Capo from the family who had retired but continued working for us for the past few years out of undying loyalty. To be exact, his loyalty was to me.

"Are you really leaving, Donna?" Carlos clenched his fists. Those hands of his, which had held numerous guns nearly all his life, were trembling. "You were the one by Don Fusco's side the past few years. You were the one who went through life and death with him! What right does that woman have to—"

"Carlos," I stopped him, softening my tone. "Be careful with your words."

In this organization with strict security measures, the Don's words were the law. One would need to pay the price for doubting the Don's decisions.

All Carlos could do was clench his teeth while handing a black briefcase to me. "Donna, these are books on strategy that have gone out of print. There's also your favorite Browning. I've packed up everything for you."

I took the briefcase from him. It felt heavy in my hands. I could not believe that the only person in this cold-blooded family who remembered what I did for them was an old subordinate who was not related to me at all.

Five years ago, Casey was badly humiliated by the family's legitimate heir. We would keep our guns underneath our pillows every night in the broken-down apartment we had in Bedlam. Despite our living conditions, we were happy.

He would come running to me while covered with blood after a fierce fight over snatching territory, just to bring me hot pizza. He told me back then, "Once I take the seat of Don, I'll make sure everyone will kneel before you and call you Donna, Nicole."

Casey successfully became the Don after that, but the conversations between us were no longer the same. We used to talk about whether we were able to survive the night to see the sun the next day, but our conversations soon became discussing which interfering cop we should get rid of or how we could take over the business of the family next to us.

I trained myself to become an emotionless weapon for him. However, this weapon had been worn down, and it was time to throw it away. I patted Carlos on the shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Carlos. If there comes a day when you're unhappy with this place, come to see me."

Carlos covered his face as his tears fell.

I turned away and opened the door to my bulletproof 4WD. The moment I got inside, I glanced at the villa one last time through the bulletproof windows.

This was my final goodbye to the five years I wasted on that bastard.

Quinn Sullivan stepped on the gas immediately after I got into the car. The engine roared like an animal.

"Is there something wrong with your brain, Nicole Sabato?" She sped crazily while playing with a butterfly knife in one hand. The blade flashed dangerously in the sunlight. "Five hundred million? Are you really allowing that little crying bitch to take the position of Donna from you for so little money?"

As the car sped on the road, Quinn started cussing in multiple languages out of anger, "Do you know what they're saying about you out there? They're saying you got dumped and kicked out of the family. They say that you're just a dumb woman who paved the way for another woman. That cheating pair must be celebrating with champagne right now!"

I watched out the window as the scenery flew past me in the car. I leaned back in my seat and laughed softly. "Do you think I could've walked out that door alive if I didn't sign those papers, Quinn?"

Quinn stopped flipping the knife, cursing louder than before, "Then we'll fight it out with him! The Sabatos might have fallen, but I still have about a dozen men under me. At worst, we'll just die together!"

"It's because I'm getting tired of everything." I closed my eyes and said softly, "Besides, that five hundred million is clean money. It's considered a good sum."

Quinn stepped hard on the brakes and stopped next to a cliff by the sea. She turned to stare at me. Her eyes suddenly turned red.

"Look at yourself, Nicole." She adjusted the rearview mirror to reflect my face. "You're only 28, but you look like you're 38! Do you remember how beautiful you used to be? You were the famous 'Black Rose' on the dark web. So many rich heirs courted you, and plenty of renowned personalities wanted to hire you.

"Look at you now. Do you know how many scars you have? Do you have any idea how badly your internal organs are damaged?"

The woman reflected in the mirror looked pale, and her eyes were empty. She was an empty shell whose soul had been sucked out of her. There was no sign of her glory days of being the top assassin on the dark web left in her.

"You nearly died trying to help that illegitimate son get up the top. Now that he has succeeded, how dare he get rid of you because of his first love? I have half a mind to get back there right now and blow up that villa!" Quinn got increasingly agitated while speaking, and tears fell from her eyes.

I looked at her and felt a crack in the strong front I was putting up. Someone in this opportunistic world was crying for me. "Stop crying, Quinn." I took a deep breath as I tried to suppress the sadness I felt inside me. "It's probably a good thing that we got divorced. I've been living in his shadows the past five years, and it's time I live in my own shoes."

Quinn sniffled and wiped her face roughly. "Alright! Getting divorced is no big deal! We'll take that five hundred million and fly to Hartford to get ourselves dozens of male models. We'll make sure to infuriate that bastard!"

I could not help bursting out with a laugh.

"By the way…" Quinn seemed to remember something as she glanced at me through the rearview mirror. There was an evasive look in her eye. "An old friend might be waiting for you tonight."

This got me curious. "Who is it?"

"You'll find out when we're there." Quinn hinted as she started the engine. "It's a phantom you thought you would never see again."

The car turned into a secret location where the safe house was. Before the car stopped, I spotted a familiar figure. He was wearing a perfectly fitted black shirt while standing under a huge tree. His sleeves were rolled up to reveal his muscular arms.

He turned to look when he heard the car coming. The face that I once remembered to have a warm smile now looked sharp with eyes that were as deep as the sea of the Socario Islands. The man smiled, but there was something dangerous about it that chilled the spine.

"It's been a long time, Nicole."

My heart skipped a beat. It was Scott Cedaro, my childhood friend who had vanished for five years. He was also the heir of the Cedaros who had been rumoured to have died in an internal family war.

He was back.