706 "A three-year-old girl treated the most feared mafia boss in New York like a pillow, never knowing her little hands would uncover a deadly betrayal.

By mid-afternoon, the rain began to fall in heavy, relentless sheets against the mansion’s French doors.

While Claire was helping Lily draw pictures in the nursery, Lily suddenly stopped, dropping her red crayon.

“Where is my singing watch?” she asked, looking around the room.

Claire frowned. “What watch, baby?”

“Uncle Adrian’s watch,” Lily said, putting her thumb in her mouth. “I put it in my pocket yesterday under the big tree, but now it’s gone.”

Claire remembered the antique silver pocket watch Adrian had allowed Lily to hold under the oak tree. If Lily had dropped it near the house, it would be ruined in the pouring rain.

“You stay here with the security guards at the end of the hall,” Claire instructed Lily gently. “Mommy is going to quickly check the terrace.”

Claire put on a raincoat and stepped out onto the back terrace. The rain was blinding, splashing cold water against her face. She searched near the stone benches and along the rose hedge, but found nothing.

As she walked toward the side entrance near the library, she noticed a narrow window leading to the basement foundation was slightly open.

Through the pouring rain, she heard low, muffled voices coming from inside the library basement.

Claire crept closer to the window, shielding her eyes against the splashing rain.

Inside the dimly lit basement storage room, Charles Reddick was standing near a secure wall safe. But he wasn't alone. Standing beside him was a tall, disheveled man in a heavy leather jacket—a man whose voice sent a wave of absolute horror straight through Claire’s heart.

It was Mason. Her violent ex-husband.

“You promised me fifty grand and the girl!” Mason growled, grabbing Charles by his lapels. “I’ve been waiting in that filthy motel in Queens for three days!”

“Keep your voice down, you simpleton!” Charles hissed, slapping Mason’s hand away. “Adrian is already suspicious about the port shipment. The Genovese family will move on the estate tomorrow night during the storm. When they hit the front gate, you will take Claire and the child out through the service tunnel. Adrian will be dead before sunrise, and the Moretti empire will belong to me!”

Claire gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

Mason grinned viciously. “And what about the kid? She’s not mine, you know. I don't care what happens to her.”

“Do whatever you want with the brat,” Charles said coldly. “Just make sure Claire dies after she signs the affidavit framing Adrian for federal wire fraud. I need his legacy destroyed completely.”

Claire backed away from the window, her mind spinning in wild, terror-filled circles. Charles wasn't just a traitor leaking business secrets—he had allied with the Genovese syndicate and brought her abusive ex-husband into the heart of the estate to wipe out Adrian and slaughter them all.

She turned to run back to the house to warn Adrian, but her foot slipped on the wet stone terrace.