Sienna's POV
I sat silently in my room, the only sound was the faint echo of music still playing from the party downstairs and the typing sound from my laptop.
My heart hammered in my chest. I was hunched over my laptop, scanning through encrypted files. The heist plans, the bank's security protocols, people working on the day of the heist every scrap of information that could be found. Was currently on my screen.
In my past life, the Russians got to drive first. Not only did they use the Italians as a distraction they framed them for taking it too. My father grew so paranoid he hunted down his own men. Every last one of them/ Searching for the rat, the traitor who'd betrayed him. But after today's digging , I uncovered what I'd suspected all along: He was the rat.
There was a tiny bug on his laptop. It transmitted every keystroke, every secret, straight to Specter—the hacker in Russia that taught me everything I know. The Russians had already infiltrated the Italians. I let out a dry laugh at the irony.
I'd already sent the DNA samples mine included. I knew the results would arrive soon, and when they did, everything would change. The mafia will internally eat it self away.
Mother was at Paris Fashion week, a thousand miles away, lost in the glamour of her world. She was Veronica's backbone—her confidant, her support. Her favourite child. I was going to make her betray V first.
Once those results came back, I'd have leverage. I'd use them against Veronica. Veronica not being Fathers child was a betrayal that could not be forgiven. One thing Father hated was betrayal especially if it has been building up for 24 years. He loved my mother enough to kill me with just a word from her.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. My mind was racing trying to figure out the perfect way to get that Drive. How to use my mother against V. How to be free from the mafia once and for all. If I wanted my freedom I needed money after Italy's fall. Clean money.
Suddenly, a soft knock broke the silence. I froze. My heart skipped a beat. I shut my laptop and walked to the door.
It was one of the maids. I recognized her nervous glance.
"I was told to call you," she whispered, her voice almost trembling. "Madam Veronica is cutting the cake."
I nodded silently, my throat tightening. My stomach clenched with a mixture of anticipation and dread. I pushed myself up and made my way down the grand staircase, each step feeling heavier than the last.
The backyard screamed money and corruption. Family members, friends, and acquaintances had all gathered around Veronica. They surrounded her with the centre piece of a rare jewel. The sunlight gleamed off her perfectly styled hair, her dress shimmering as she moved gracefully, as if she was the queen of this little kingdom.
Everyone was clapping, smiling. Everyone, that is, except me. Unlike my previous life I could feel the tension. The false smiles and the greed behind the facade of happiness. It felt like a strange unknown family nothing like what I remembered it to be.
Some of my uncles had their guns out. Aunts clutching their purses and kids.
Lougi's voice called out softly, "Sienna, come on."
I blinked away the tears threatening to spill. My vision blurred for a moment, but I forced a smile, straightening my shoulders.
I walked toward the table, every step heavy with purpose. I reached out, took Louigi's hand and gently laid my head on his shoulder—a fleeting moment of normalcy in this chaos. I looked over at Veronica, who was now carefully slicing the cake. My dad was behind her helping her cut the cake.
My father handed Veronica an envelope, most likely the new marriage contract, the one she'd been pushing for, the one that would seal her power. I caught his glance, and I returned a small smile. His face flickered shock, then quickly masked by a smile, like he was trying to hide something.
I kept my expression neutral, but inside I was seething. I needed to use whatever guilt he felt to get into the heist. The DNA results are not going to be enough. I needed enough evidence to destroy the whole of Italy and that drive was exactly what I needed.
"Do you want some cake?" Louigi asked softly, a gentle smile on his face.
"Mmm, I guess so," I whispered.
"But Let Veronica have the first slice."
Veronica, with her usual air of confidence, raised her hand. "I want to eat cake with my sister," she declared, her tone almost innocent—yet I knew better.
My heart clenched painfully. Despite everything—the lies, the betrayals—I wanted to believe her. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn't entirely lost. Maybe there was still a part of her that remembered what it was like to be my sister, to be genuine.
I forced a smile and moved closer. The family clapped as we fed each other slices of cake, a ritual that once symbolized sisterhood but now felt like a mockery. I saw her eyes flicker with something I could not describe.
She looked past me with a smile and Lougi gave her a tight awkward smile. Did she ask me to eat with her because Louigi asked. Was I wrong? Does Veronica actually love Lougi?