Chapter 4: The Man Who Would Shape Her

Mira forced herself to sit still, but every nerve in her body was on edge as she studied the man standing before her. Aurelio Ricci. His name alone carried weight, though she had never met him before. He was known in the underworld—respected, feared, and notoriously hard to read. His reputation was whispered in corridors and feared by those who crossed him. And now, he was her mentor.

Aurelio didn’t speak at first. He simply observed her, his dark eyes flickering with something she couldn’t place. Not quite amusement, not quite indifference. He was assessing her the same way she had seen her father do—calculating, waiting to see if she would break before she even started.

Luciano finally broke the silence. “Aurelio will be training you in all aspects of the business—negotiations, strategy, and, if necessary, *enforcement*.” His tone made it clear that ‘enforcement’ was a polite word for something much darker.

Mira lifted her chin. “I don’t need a mentor,” she said coolly, meeting Aurelio’s gaze.

A flicker of a smirk crossed his lips. “That’s a bold statement,” Aurelio said, his voice smooth but carrying an unmistakable edge. “Especially coming from someone who has never stepped outside the protection of her family’s name.”

Her fingers tightened into fists under the table, but she refused to let her anger show. She wouldn’t let him get under her skin—not this easily.

Luciano leaned back in his chair, clearly unimpressed by her defiance. “You will do as you’re told, Mira. This is not up for debate.”

She could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on her, the suffocating pressure of expectation. If she argued further, it would only make things worse. Her father didn’t give choices—he dictated, and everyone followed.

Aurelio tilted his head slightly, studying her with a curiosity that unsettled her. “We start tomorrow,” he said. “Six in the morning. Don’t be late.”

Mira exhaled slowly, forcing herself to keep her composure. She had lost this battle, but she wasn’t ready to surrender to her fate just yet.

As the meeting ended and the others filed out, Emilio lingered behind, waiting until their father was out of earshot before stepping closer.

“You okay?” he asked in a low voice.

Mira let out a bitter laugh. “I don’t think that matters anymore.”

Emilio frowned but said nothing. They both knew the truth—once their father had made a decision, there was no escaping it.

But as Mira glanced toward the door where Aurelio had disappeared, she made a silent promise to herself.

She would play along, learn what she needed to survive. But she wouldn’t let them turn her into something she wasn’t.

And if the time came to escape, she would.

That night, as Mira lay in bed staring at the ceiling, sleep refused to come. The weight of the day pressed down on her chest, the reality of her father’s decision settling deep in her bones. Aurelio Ricci wasn’t just a mentor—he was a test, a force designed to mold her into the heir Luciano wanted. But she wasn’t a pawn, not like the men who followed orders without question. If her father thought he could shape her into a perfect successor without resistance, he was mistaken. Because Mira Bellatore had a mind of her own, and no matter how dangerous the game became, she would find a way to play it on her terms.

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