Chapter 1

The first night I was brought back to the Moretti family, they held a private dinner to welcome their long-lost daughter home.

The Morettis were one of the most powerful Mafia families on the East Coast.

Halfway through dinner, my younger sister picked up an unpeeled shrimp and dropped it into my bowl.

She smiled sweetly.

"Eat the shell too. It's full of calcium."

I stared at the shrimp.

"The Morettis control half the ports on the East Coast, and we're so broke I'm supposed to eat shrimp shells for calcium?"

The dining room went dead silent.

My father stopped cutting his steak.

My brothers stared at me.

Even my sister's smile froze.

I blinked.

Oh.

Apparently, I'd said that out loud.

……

Even so, I couldn't stop thinking.

Human stomach acid couldn't properly digest shrimp shells anyway.

If the Morettis were really that desperate for calcium, milk would be easier.

Shrimp shells were basically kitchen waste.

Across the table, my younger sister, Elowen Moretti, visibly stiffened.

Her expression darkened.

I noticed and decided to let it go.

Forget it.

With that adenoid face, she probably wasn't very bright.

Better not waste my time.

Elowen slowly lowered her fork.

I glanced at her and continued thinking.

My research project at the institute was almost finished. Once it entered clinical trials and passed approval, maybe I could give her something for that brain of hers.

Consider it an early intervention for bad genetics.

Elowen's eyes instantly turned red.

Her lips trembled.

"It's my fault."

She looked down, her voice full of grievance.

"I took the life that should've belonged to Sylvana."

"She must have suffered so much all those years away from the family. Maybe you should send me away instead. Then she won't have to hate me anymore."

My mother immediately pulled Elowen into her arms.

My father's face darkened.

Only my older brother, Jasper Moretti, reacted openly.

He slammed his fork onto the table and glared at me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"She gives you a shrimp, and you act like she's trying to humiliate you?"

His eyes were full of disgust.

"I said from the beginning we shouldn't bring you back."

"We've been a family for all these years. Why show up now and ruin everything?"

He gave a cold laugh.

"Is it the Moretti fortune you're after?"

"Forget it."

"Everything this family owns will belong to Elowen before it ever belongs to you."

My mother hugged Elowen tighter before turning to me.

"Sylvana, you just came home."

"Do you really have to start fighting with your sister at the first family dinner?"

She frowned.

"Apologize to her."

I calmly set down my fork and looked around the table.

I really don't want to eat garbage.

And isn't her innocent-little-victim act painfully obvious?

She's been crying for five minutes and hasn't produced a single tear.

Do I seriously have to eat shrimp shells just to make her happy?

The thought continued before I could stop it.

Why does everyone in this family seem a little slow?

Is stupidity contagious?

Once my drug passes clinical trials, maybe I should let all of them try it.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Everyone around the table exchanged uneasy glances.

The atmosphere suddenly became strange.

I sighed inwardly.

I should never have listened to my mentor.

Why did I come back here?

This was worse than a cheap family drama.

Jasper's face turned livid.

"Let me make one thing clear."

"You are not going to come into this house and turn us against each other."

He pointed at me.

"Sharing our blood doesn't make you entitled to anything."

Then he grabbed the shrimp shells from my plate and dumped them into his own.

"These used to be my favorite anyway."

"If you're too ungrateful to eat them, fine."

"Don't expect to fit into this family."

Then, right in front of me, Jasper started crunching on the shells.

I stared at him.

Maybe my research really was more urgent than I'd thought.

My father, Don Vincent Moretti, seemed completely unfazed.

He set down his wineglass and looked at me.

"Sylvana, isn't it?"

I raised an eyebrow.

Apparently, my own father still needed to confirm my name.

"You've spent most of your life far away from the family," he continued. "Coming into our world overnight won't be easy."

"For now, I'll arrange a position for you at one of our legitimate businesses."

He paused.

"Start with the cleaning staff at the Moretti Grand Hotel. Learn how the family operates from the bottom."

Cleaning staff.

For the biological daughter he'd just brought home.

Then he turned to Elowen.

His expression softened immediately.

"Elowen, your mother and I raised you."

He reached over and gently stroked her hair.

"Blood doesn't change that. You will always be our daughter."

He glanced at me.

"Your sister simply isn't used to our way of life yet. She probably never had shrimp where she grew up. She didn't understand that you were trying to help."

I almost laughed.

Then Vincent looked back at Elowen.

"Didn't you say you wanted to start working with the family after graduation?"

"Report directly to my office."

"You'll work with my consigliere and learn how our legitimate operations are managed."

His voice became almost indulgent.

"Once you're ready, I'll put one of the Moretti companies under your control."