Chapter 1

"Boss, I'm sorry; I will not make such a mistake again." Peter sits on his knees and begs for his life. Fear was clearly visible on his face, and he also regretted that he should not have betrayed his boss, the country's biggest mafia boss. This was the biggest mistake of his life, and now he will have to pay a heavy price for it.

"You won't live to make this mistake again, Peter. I never spare a traitor, and you know that very well," Dominic said, waving his gun around and blowing cigarette smoke into his face, making Peter even more nervous.

Peter held Dominic's feet and begged, "Forgive me, boss. I promise I won't make such a mistake again. I have a family."

"You should have thought about all this earlier," John growled. "It's too late now."

Peter's face contorted in desperation. "Have mercy on me, Boss."

Arthur stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "You were passing our information to our enemies; don't you think this mistake is too serious to be forgiven, Peter?"

Peter's voice cracked. "I... I was helpless. Those people threatened to kill my family and sell my daughter to a brothel."

Max's voice dripped with malice. "Jenna, 19 years old, beautiful. Can I make her my slave?"

Dominic's gaze never wavered from Peter. "Do whatever you want with her, Max."

Then, his attention snapped back to Peter. "I won't leave you unpunished."

John's anger flared. "I suspected you for a long time, even if you were forced, you should have remained loyal. Do you think those people are more dangerous than us? We are the most powerful mafia in this country. How did you forget this? Betrayal from us after working for us for 7 years."

Peter's eyes pleaded. "I'm sorry for what I did, but—"

Dominic cut him off. "If I had not married your daughter, you would have fallen here in pieces by now."

Peter's voice barely audible. "I'm sorry..."

Just then, the office door swung open. Valerie's soft voice interrupted the tense scene. "Dinner is ready."

Every head turned towards the door. Valerie's eyes widened as she took in the room's atmosphere. "Dad?"

Dominic's expression remained stern, but a flicker of warning flashed in his eyes. He nodded subtly at Kael.

Kael strode towards Valerie, his movements fluid. "Vel, let's go."

He gently took her by the elbow, guiding her out of the office. The door closed behind them, muffling the sound of raised voices.

Valerie's voice trembled as she asked Kael, "What's going on? Why is Dad kneeling there?"

Kael's expression softened, but his eyes remained guarded. He offered a gentle smile. "You don't need to worry about him, Valerie."

Valerie's concern deepened. "But what's happening?"

Kael's tone turned cold. "Anyway, that man doesn't deserve anyone's concern."

Valerie's eyes widened. "That man is my father."

Kael's jaw clenched. "That man was neither a good father nor an honest man. He's getting what he deserves."

Suddenly, the sound of a bullet firing cracked through the air. Valerie's eyes went wide, and she took a step forward, but Kael grasped her hand, holding her back.

"Don't go there, Valerie," Kael warned, his voice low and urgent. "The boss is very pissed off right now. It's not safe."

Tears welled up in Valerie's eyes, spilling down her cheeks. "He was my father," she whispered, her voice cracking.

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Carter's voice trembled as he asked, "Why did you shoot him?"

Dominic's gaze turned glacial, his eyes blazing with anger. "I'm the boss here, and I don't need to explain anything to anyone."

With that, Dominic turned and strode away, leaving the others in stunned silence.

Carter's eyes narrowed. "We could use this bastard against our enemies."

Arthur's expression turned skeptical. "This bastard is not to be trusted."

Carter persisted. "But Dominic also had the same plan."

John's voice dripped with calculation. "We know the reason for this. Valerie, if this man was alive, surely she would have shown mercy towards him. And Dominic would not have been able to refuse Valerie."

Max snorted. "Love is bullshit. Dominic is cruel to everyone except his wife."

Arthur's tone turned cynical. "Because his wife is going to give birth to his heir."

The room fell silent, the weight of Dominic's motivations hanging in the air like a challenge. The men knew better than to question their boss's actions, but the whispers of doubt had already begun to spread.

As they dispersed, the sound of Dominic's footsteps faded into the distance, leaving behind an atmosphere thick with tension and unspoken questions.

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Valerie and Kael's embrace lingered until Dominic's fake cough broke the spell. Valerie's gaze shifted, meeting Dominic's piercing stare.

Dominic signaled to Kael, and he discreetly exited, leaving the two alone.

Dominic's expression softened as he approached Valerie. "These six men of mine used to be the most cruel once, but after you came, they became humans from animals."

Valerie remained silent, her eyes searching Dominic's face.

"Baby, next time, before you come to my office, knock on the door," Dominic reminded her, his tone gentle.

Valerie's voice trembled. "How can you be so calm?"

Dominic's brow furrowed. "And why are you so stressed, baby? May has a problem; I don't want my son to have any problems. Did you have dinner?"

Valerie shook her head. "No."

Dominic's expression turned stern. "How can you do this? It's your responsibility to take care of my baby. I won't tolerate it next time."

Valerie's eyes dropped. "Sorry."

Dominic's tone softened. "Come on, I'll feed you.

He offered his arm, and Valerie took it, letting him guide her to the dining area. The tension between them began to dissipate, replaced by a sense of warmth and familiarity.

As they walked, Dominic's hand drifted to Valerie's stomach, a gentle caress. "My priority is you and our child, always."

Valerie's gaze met his, a mix of love and concern reflected in her eyes.

Dominic led Valerie to the dining area, she couldn't shake off the image of her father kneeling on the floor, the sound of the gunshot still echoing in her mind.

She felt a chill run down her spine as Dominic's hand brushed against her stomach, his touch now a stark contrast to the violence she had witnessed moments before.

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