Chapter 8 - The Queen Who Refused the CrownSalvatore Falcone was transferred to federal isolation three days later.
The recordings destroyed his remaining influence.
Judges resigned.
Police officers were arrested.
Businesses were seized.
Chicago’s criminal architecture began collapsing.
Victor should have been celebrating.
Instead, he sat across from Nora in his office while she handed him legal documents.
“What are these?”
“My decision.”
Victor read them.
Nora was placing the controlling trust assets into an independent legal structure.
Legitimate businesses would remain legitimate.
Employees would keep their jobs.
Profits would fund scholarships for children of fallen first responders and support nursing programs.
Victor looked up.
“You’re giving away a fortune.”
“No.”
She smiled.
“I’m deciding what it becomes.”
Victor studied her.
“You could own half of Chicago.”
“I don’t want half of Chicago.”
“What do you want?”
Nora’s smile disappeared.
“To finish nursing school.”
Victor blinked.
She laughed.
“You look offended.”
“You want to go back to class?”
“Yes.”
“After everything?”
“Especially after everything.”
Victor stood.
“Nora, people know your name.”
“I know.”
“You need security.”
“Fine.”
“Drivers.”
“One.”
“Two.”
“One.”
“Two.”
“Victor.”
“One and Dom.”
“Dom isn’t a driver.”
“He can learn.”
Nora laughed.
Victor looked at her.
That sound had become his favorite thing in the world.
He did not tell her.
Not yet.
Two weeks later, Nora returned to campus.
Students stared.
Some whispered.
The news had turned her into a legend.
WAITRESS HERO EXONERATES FATHER.
MOB MYSTERY WOMAN.
DEMPSEY HEIRESS.
She hated every headline.
Her anatomy professor simply handed her the missed exam.
“You have ninety minutes.”
Nora almost cried from gratitude.
Normal.
For ninety minutes, she was simply a student.
Victor waited outside.
In a black SUV.
With Dom.
And three additional vehicles Nora had explicitly forbidden.
She climbed inside afterward.
“I said one car.”
Victor looked innocent.
“These other cars might belong to anyone.”
“Victor.”
“Chicago traffic.”
Dom stared straight ahead.
Nora caught him hiding a smile.
Then Victor’s phone rang.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
“Where?”
Nora knew.
Something had happened.
Victor ended the call.
“Gabriel.”
Her chest tightened.
“What about him?”
“He took Adrian.”
Again.
Nora closed her eyes.
Victor continued.
“And this time he left a message.”
“What?”
Victor looked at her.
“He wants you alone.”
“No.”
Dom said it first.
Victor looked at him.
Dom shrugged.
“I’m agreeing with you before you say it.”
Nora almost smiled.
Then she became serious.
“Where?”
Victor hesitated.
“Your mother’s grave.”
Elena’s grave.
Not Kathleen’s.
Nora had never seen it.
Gabriel sent coordinates.
A cemetery outside the city.
They arrived near midnight.
Nora approached alone.
Victor and Dom remained hidden nearby.
Gabriel stood beside a grave.
ELENA MORETTI.
1979–2004.
Nora stared at the stone.
Her biological mother.
Gabriel said, “She would have loved you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“Where is Adrian?”
“Safe.”
“What do you want?”
Gabriel looked exhausted.
Older.
His empire was collapsing.
“I want you to leave Victor.”
Nora almost laughed.
“That’s it?”
“He will become Salvatore.”
“No.”
“You don’t know him.”
“I know him better than you do.”
Gabriel stepped closer.
“I loved your mother exactly the way Victor loves you.”
Nora’s skin went cold.
“I wanted to protect her.”
Gabriel touched Elena’s grave.
“I decided where she went. Who she saw. What risks she could take.”
Nora understood.
“You imprisoned her.”
“I protected her.”
“No.”
Gabriel looked at her.
“That’s what you told yourself.”
His face changed.
For the first time, regret appeared.
Nora continued.
“Victor started that way.”
Gabriel smiled bitterly.
“And?”
“I told him no.”
“And he obeyed?”
“Eventually.”
Gabriel laughed.
Nora did too.
“He’s learning.”
Gabriel looked toward the darkness.
“You believe people change?”
“I have to.”
“Why?”
“Because otherwise I’m wasting my time becoming someone better.”
Gabriel stared at his daughter.
Then he handed her a key.
“Adrian is at the DeLuca house.”
Nora frowned.
“You’re letting him go?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Gabriel looked at Elena’s grave.
“Because maybe she was right.”
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Gabriel had called them himself.
Nora realized it.
“You’re surrendering.”
“I’m tired.”
He looked at Nora one last time.
“You really are Richie’s daughter.”
Nora swallowed.
“Yes.”
Gabriel smiled sadly.
“Yes, you are.”
Federal agents arrived minutes later.
Victor emerged from the darkness.
He did not attack Gabriel.
He did not threaten him.
He simply walked to Nora.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
Victor looked at Elena’s grave.
Then at Gabriel being placed in handcuffs.
Nora took Victor’s hand.
May you like
“Take me home.”
He did.
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