When my husband, the ruthless mafia Boss Lucian, brought his fragile first love Elena back to our fortified estate, everyone in the New York underworld waited to see me go insane. Instead, at her welcome dinner, I didn't just voluntarily give up my seat at the head of the table; I even smiled and set an extra silver plate for her. But from that day on, a new rule was established in our household. Every time she occupied a position that belonged to me, Lucian had to pay a territory fee. The head of the dining table was five hundred thousand dollars. The passenger seat of my armored SUV was one million. And the "VIP Mother's Seat" at the heir's academy was the most expensive: three million dollars. In just half a month, I had collected seventeen million dollars. On the night of my thirtieth birthday, my seven-year-old biological son, Leo, once again dragged my designated chair toward Elena, presenting it to her like a prized treasure. He made a mocking face at me. "Aunt Elena's back hurts. She should have this seat," he announced loudly. "Mom, you wouldn't charge a little kid for this, right?" The entire table of mafia elites chuckled. They all assumed that, faced with the son I had fiercely protected for seven years, I would finally cave in and value our maternal bond. Instead, I calmly opened my black leather ledger and wrote down "five hundred thousand dollars" right next to my own son's name. Chapter 1 Sienna POV "Enough, Sienna!" Lucian growled, his low, dangerous voice usually enough to terrify his rivals. "Stop taking your anger out on the child! You've been acting like a money-crazed lunatic lately!" I touched the armrest of the empty chair, my voice incredibly light. "So what? Whoever occupies the seat pays for it. Even biological sons are no exception." Once, all I ever wanted was for our family of three to sit down and have a nice meal together. Now, the chair was still here, but I no longer had any desire to sit in it. Lucian stood up abruptly, his chair scraping harshly against the hardwood floor. He strode over and pointed down at me with absolute condescension. "Are you out of your mind, Sienna?" he growled. "He is only seven. You're trying to make a profit off your own flesh and blood?" My son, Leo, forcefully pushed my hand away. He ran over to Elena and spread his arms wide, fiercely protecting her. "I won't let you bully Aunt Elena!" Leo shouted. "You're a greedy, money-grubbing bad woman! You don't deserve to be my mother!" He was only seven, yet the vicious words rolled off his tongue with practiced ease. This was the direct result of Lucian's teachings over the past half-month. Elena quickly knelt down and grabbed Leo's hands. "Don't be like this, Leo. Sienna is doing this for your own good," she said softly. "She's just using this method to get your father to pay more attention to her." She stood up and turned to Lucian, her eyes rimmed with red. "Lucian, don't blame Sienna. She's just feeling insecure," Elena whispered. "I'll pay the five hundred thousand. Please, don't fight because of me. The child is still young." Elena pulled a bank card from her purse and offered it to me with both hands. Lucian gently caught her wrist to stop her, then turned his head, glaring at me with undisguised, deep-seated disgust. "You are sick, Sienna," he spat. He pulled out his phone, his fingers tapping aggressively on the screen. Ding. I looked down at my phone. Five hundred thousand dollars had just been deposited via an encrypted wire transfer into my offshore account. I clicked to accept the funds and closed my black leather ledger. Lucian stared at me, his eyes brimming with absolute disgust. "Is there anything else in your head besides money, Sienna?" he gritted his teeth. "Today is your thirtieth birthday. I pushed back a syndicate meeting to spend it with you. Do you really have to make a scene and humiliate everyone tonight?" I looked at his self-righteous face. He actually remembered that today was my birthday. Yet, the first love he brought back was sitting in my main seat. My own biological son was mimicking him, hurling vicious insults at me. "So you do remember," I said, slipping the ledger into my pocket. "Since you remember, I booked a chef's custom menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant for my birthday a month ago. Where is the food?" A flicker of unnatural hesitation crossed Lucian's eyes. "I canceled it for you," he said dismissively. "Elena has a weak stomach. Those rich, heavy dishes make her sick. We're eating pasta tonight. I'll reimburse you for the deposit later." He was always like this. He thought a casual, weightless compensation could erase all my expectations. I remained silent. Leo grabbed Elena's hand, jumping up and down with joy. "Yay! I love pasta the most!" Leo cheered. "Aunt Elena, let's go watch TV in the living room before the food is served!" He pulled Elena away. Lucian watched them leave, his gaze incredibly gentle. When he turned back to me, his eyes instantly froze over again. "Stop wearing that dead face all day and scaring the child," he warned, before turning to follow them. I stood alone in the grand, empty dining room. The extra set of silver cutlery was still resting on the table in front of the main seat. I pulled out the chair, picked up the silver cutlery, and dropped it straight into the nearby trash can. Then, I pulled out my secure phone and dialed the number of my underworld real estate broker. "The Moretti Estate is ready to be listed," I said calmly. "Yes, I am the sole owner." This heavily fortified estate was the only inheritance my parents had left me. I once wanted it to be the forever home for our family of three. To ensure Lucian lived comfortably, I spent a year personally designing and renovating it, hand-picking every single piece of furniture. Now, none of it was needed. I put the phone away and walked up the grand staircase. Pushing open the door to the master bedroom, I pulled out a massive black suitcase. I took the clothes that belonged to me out of the closet and folded them neatly inside. Over the years, to cater to Lucian's tastes, I had exclusively bought the muted, plain colors he preferred. Looking at these clothes now, they felt entirely foreign to me. I zipped up the suitcase with a sharp, decisive motion. I didn't want to stay another second in this house where I had poured all my blood and sweat. Everything was ready. I was just waiting for the final act to conclude tomorrow.

Sienna POV The next morning. My broker moved fast; a cash buyer had already booked a viewing. I needed to head downtown to the law firm to process the authorization papers for the sale. I got dressed, walked downstairs, and headed straight to the underground garage. I pressed the button on my keys, and the headlights of the custom armored SUV flashed in the dim light. Lucian had bought this vehicle last month specifically for family outings. I pulled open the passenger-side door. Elena was sitting inside, adjusting the seat recline. She was wearing a pristine white sundress, holding a thermal flask in her hands. Seeing me, she covered her mouth in feigned surprise. "Sienna, are you heading out?" she asked. "Lucian said it's the weekend and he's taking Leo and me to the aquarium. I thought you weren't coming." The rear window rolled down, and Leo popped his head out. "Bad mom, don't follow us," Leo snapped. "You'll just ruin the fun. Aunt Elena acts more like a real mom anyway." Lucian walked over from the other side of the garage. Holding two bottles of water, he naturally handed one to Elena. "What are you doing down here?" he asked, frowning at me with undisguised defensiveness. "I have business downtown," I replied calmly, looking at the water in Elena's hand. Lucian opened the driver's side door. "Elena gets motion sickness. She can only sit in the passenger seat," he dictated. "Downtown is too far anyway. Take a cab; I'll reimburse you for the fare." He said it with absolute entitlement. As if this armored SUV, registered solely in my name, was naturally his to assign seats in. I held out my hand, palm facing up. "Passenger seat. One million dollars." Lucian froze in his tracks. He stared at me in sheer disbelief. "Are you completely obsessed with money, Sienna?!" he roared. "Elena's health is fragile, and you're actually extorting her over a damn car seat?" Elena's eyes immediately turned red. She made a show of unbuckling her seatbelt. "Lucian, let it go. I can sit in the back," she whimpered. "My motion sickness isn't that bad. Please don't fight with Sienna because of me." Lucian grabbed her shoulder and pressed her firmly back into the seat. "You are not going anywhere," he told her softly. Then, he pulled out his phone, tapping furiously on the screen before shoving the device right into my face so I could clearly see the successful transfer screen. "Take it!" he spat. "One million dollars. Take your dirty blood money and disappear from my sight immediately." I verified the amount in my offshore account. "Done," I said. I took a step back and slammed the heavy passenger door shut. I watched the armored SUV speed out of the garage and disappear from sight. I walked to the main gates of the estate and hailed a cab. The ride downtown was rarely this quiet. Watching the city skyline blur past the window, my mind was exceptionally clear, even ruthlessly devoid of a single ripple. Upon arriving at the syndicate law firm downtown, the receptionist guided me straight through the mahogany doors into Consigliere Russo's private office. Russo was an older man with thinning gray hair, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. He was a syndicate veteran who had loyally served my father for years long before he ever served Lucian. He slid a suffocatingly thick stack of legal documents across the polished desk. "Are you absolutely sure about this, Sienna?" Russo asked in a low, grave tone. "If you file for litigation, Mr. Romano's blatant infidelity during the marriage is more than enough for you to take half of his syndicate empire." I picked up the heavy gold fountain pen from the desk blotter without a single ounce of hesitation. My hand was as steady as a rock as I checked the box explicitly waiving the division of marital assets. What I wanted was a swift, clean break. I didn't want a single penny of Lucian's dirty money—I only wanted my original investment back. Finally, I pulled the declaration renouncing my guardianship toward me. I stared at the dotted line; as soon as I signed my name, I would completely strip away my rights as Leo's mother. A sharp pain suddenly surged in the back of my throat, but I forcefully swallowed it down like bitter medicine. I thought of the venomous look in his eyes when he stared at me in the dining room, and the viciousness in his voice when he called me a bitch. The pen nib met the paper, and I signed my name on the dotted line. I put the pen down and quickly did the mental math. The various "territory fees" I had quietly extracted from Lucian recently perfectly offset the massive twenty-five-million-dollar deficit I had covered for his business years ago. Financially, I had almost completely recouped my losses. My phone buzzed on the polished wooden desk. I picked it up to see a text message from the Syndicate Academy Director: "The first-grade heirs' youth shooting tournament will begin tomorrow morning. Your attendance is expected." I stared at the message. Then, I capped the pen.

Sienna POV The next morning, I arrived punctually at the Syndicate Academy. The training grounds of the Syndicate Academy were vast and sprawling, inherently carrying an intimidating aura. The outdoor shooting range was heavily enclosed by towering concrete walls, with heavily armed guards patrolling the perimeter strictly. This was where the elite mafia families sent their heirs to train, teaching them how to fight and survive in this ruthless world. I arrived punctually, not a second late, bypassing the bustling crowd and heading straight for the viewing area dedicated to the first-grade heirs. The VIP box was located right behind the firing line, undoubtedly the prime seat with the best view in the entire venue. That was supposed to be the exclusive seat reserved specifically for the heir's biological mother. Yet at this moment, the person sitting there was Elena. She was wearing a custom-tailored, slim-fit jacket printed with the Romano family's exclusive colors. That was the limited-edition family set I had specially ordered half a month ago for this very event. I bought three sets. One for me, and the other two for Lucian and Leo. I had to pull a lot of strings in the underworld just to get my hands on that gear. Now, my set was being worn by Elena. She leaned against the railing, using a silk handkerchief to gently wipe the sweat from Leo's forehead. Leo clutched a small training pistol in his hand, looking up at her. His young face was filled with unreserved adoration and admiration. The other mafia wives were chatting with them. "Mrs. Romano, your boy is so fast," one wife praised. "Your family of three looks so sharp in those matching outfits." Elena blushed deeply. She didn't deny the title of 'Mrs. Romano'. "Thank you. Leo has always loved training," she smiled sweetly. I stood nearby for a moment, watching their perfect, harmonious picture. There was a time when I, too, had fantasized about our family of three competing together. For this day, I had spent a month training with Leo on the obstacle course. But now, someone else was reaping the rewards of my labor. I walked straight over. I stopped right in front of Elena. A few mafia wives who actually recognized me immediately shifted their gazes, the atmosphere instantly turning suffocatingly awkward. Sensing the shift in the air, Elena looked up. Seeing me, she instantly stood up, her face full of panic. "Sienna, what are you doing here?" she stammered. "Lucian said you were busy today and asked me to accompany Leo instead." Leo ran over and shoved me hard. "Why are you here? We don't need you!" he yelled. "Aunt Elena is my mother now. Go away!" Lucian stepped forward, shielding Leo behind his broad back. "Sienna, can you stop causing a scene in public?" he warned in a low, dangerous hiss. "Leo wants Elena to run the three-legged tactical race with him. Your presence is only going to distract the boy." I looked at him calmly. "I'm not here to run a race," I said. I pulled out my phone, opened the banking app, and smoothly pulled up the payment QR code for my offshore account. I held the screen high, shoving it right in front of Lucian's face. "Three million dollars," I spoke up, my volume just loud enough for the eavesdropping mafia wives around us to hear clearly, "the occupation fee for the VIP Mother's Seat. Pay it right now." The surrounding mafia wives instantly fell dead silent. Whispers began to ripple through the crowd. Lucian's face turned a deep, furious shade of red. He clearly hadn't expected me to extort him publicly in front of the entire elite underworld. "Are you insane?!" he gritted his teeth, glaring at me. "Have you completely lost your bottom line for money?" I held the phone steady, my expression unchanged. "She occupied my seat, so you pay the price," I stated flatly. "That's the rule." Elena looked like she was about to cry. "Sienna, I'm so sorry. I really didn't mean to," she whimpered. "I'll give the seat back to you right now." She reached up to unzip the tactical jacket. Lucian clamped his hand down over hers. "Do not take it off," he ordered. He pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling with rage as he authorized the transfer. "Three million. You have it," he spat viciously. "Take the money and disappear. Don't ever let me or Leo see your face again." Ding. Three million dollars cleared. I looked at the balance in my offshore account. It had perfectly reached twenty-five million. "As you wish," I said. I pocketed my phone and turned toward the administration building. The Academy Director's office was on the third floor. I pushed open the heavy glass doors and walked in. The Director was sitting properly behind his desk. Seeing me arrive so suddenly, a hint of surprise flashed across his face. "Mrs. Romano," he spoke, "the assessment is still ongoing. What brings you here?" I reached out, unzipped my handbag, and placed the declaration renouncing legal guardianship, along with the blood-protection transfer documents, flatly and neatly onto his mahogany desk. "Ms. Moretti, are you absolutely certain about this?" the Director asked, his expression gravely serious. "Once these documents are entered into the syndicate registry, you will no longer be Leo Romano's legal guardian." "His future education, his family protection, and even his medical authorizations will have absolutely nothing to do with you." I looked out the window at the training grounds. Lucian, Elena, and Leo were running the three-legged race together. They tripped and fell onto the grass, laughing joyously. I withdrew my gaze. "I am certain." My voice was hollow and numb, yet carried an unquestionable absolute resolve: "I am completely done with this place."