HENRY’S POV
I stood by the window of my office, staring out at the city below. I should’ve felt satisfaction. After all, I was filthy rich, and I had built an empire most men would kill for. But the satisfaction never came. It never did when I thought about Derrick.
Derrick.
The name alone made my blood boil. He’d always been a step ahead, always managed to take what I wanted. And now, he was about to become the Mafia Don for the district. Not because he deserved it, but because he was marrying that maid, Joan. The arrangement was fake, I knew it. It had to be. Derrick wasn’t capable of love, and certainly not with a maid.
My hands clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms. It wasn’t about the money for me. No, I had more than enough of that. It was about power, and the respect that came with it. All my life, I’d been second to Derrick. No matter what I achieved, no matter how high I climbed, it was never enough to escape his shadow.
I was always known as the Mafia Don’s bastard.
But this time… this time I was going to take what was mine.
I turned away from the window and walked over to my desk. If I could prove that Derrick’s engagement to Joan was a sham, the godfathers would have no choice but to punish him. Treachery wasn’t something they tolerated at the Mafia Table. Lies, deception, betrayal-these were crimes punishable by blood. And Derrick was deceiving them all.
There was a knock at the door, interrupting my thoughts.
“Come in,” I said, straightening up.
The door opened, and one of my bodyguards stepped inside, followed closely by Jonas, the journalist.
The guard bowed his head “This is him, boss”
I could see the confusion in Jonas’ eyes. I’d be confused too if I was in his shoes. I motioned for the bodyguard to leave us, and he did, closing the door behind him
Jonas stood before me, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He wasn’t the type to be easily intimidated. I’d heard that much about him.
“Mr Stonewood” Jonas said through gritted teeth.
“You know who I am”
He scoffed “Everyone knows who you are. Your family runs this country”
Before I could say something else, he cut in.
“Why am I here?” Jonas asked “I’m not interested in being dragged into whatever mess you’ve got going on, Mr Stonewood.”
I smirked, walking slowly around the desk and picking up a folder that sat on the edge. I opened it casually, glancing at the contents before looking back up at him.
“Jonas King, the journalist. You’ve made quite the name for yourself,” I said, flipping through the papers. “You’ve exposed corruption, dug up scandals that no one else dared to touch. You care about the truth, don’t you?”
His eyes darkened, but he remained silent. I knew I had his attention.
“You’re principled. It’s why you’re blacklisted, isn’t it?” I continued, letting the words sink in. “The big corporations, the wealthy elites-they’ve shut you out. You can’t get a job anywhere because you refused to sell out. Admirable, really. But it’s left you… broke.”
Jonas flinched at the last word, his jaw tightening. I could see the anger in his eyes, the way his hands balled into fists at his sides. He didn’t like being reminded of his failures, of the way the system had chewed him up and spit him out.
“You know nothing about me,” Jonas said coldly. “And I don’t need your pity or your money.”
I chuckled softly, shaking my head. “That’s where you’re wrong. I know more about you than you think. For instance, I know you’re desperate. I know you have a pregnant wife at home who needs to be taken care of. I know your bills haven’t been paid. You’re in debt. I know that despite all your integrity, all your hard work, you’re struggling. I know you need money. And I know you’re too proud to admit it.”
Jonas took a step forward “I’m not for sale. I care about the truth, and nothing you can offer will change that.”
I laughed “And that’s exactly why I need you, Jonas. Because you care about the truth. Do you know how hard it is to find someone like you these days? Everyone has a price. Everyone bends eventually. But you… you’re different.”
Jonas’s expression softened, just a fraction, and I knew I had him hooked. I leaned forward, my eyes locking on his.
“I have a job for you,” I said “A job that could change your life. A job that could expose the biggest lie in this country.”
He didn’t respond immediately, but I could see the wheels turning in his mind. He was curious, intrigued. He hated being cornered like this, but he couldn’t deny that I was offering him something he wanted-something he needed.
“And what exactly is this job?” Jonas asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “What do you want from me?”
I took a step closer, lowering my voice “I want you to prove that my brother, Derrick’s engagement to Joan, his supposed fiance is fake. That it’s nothing but a lie to secure his position as the Mafia Don.”
Jonas’s eyes widened slightly. He hadn’t expected that.
“The mafia?” Jonas asked “You guys are -?”
“Where do you think the money comes from? Don’t act surprised. Everyone has suspected this for years”
“You want me to spy on Derrick?” he asked in disbelief.
I nodded. “I need evidence. Concrete proof that he’s deceiving the godfathers. And I need someone who won’t be bought, someone who can dig up the truth no matter how well it’s buried.”
Jonas stared at me for a long moment. I could see the conflict in his eyes. He hated being dragged into this , hated everything I stood for, but he was tempted. He needed the money, and more than that, he needed a story that would put him back on the map.
“I only care about the truth,” Jonas said quietly. “I won’t fabricate anything. If there’s no evidence, there’s no story.”
I smirked, knowing I had him. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
For a moment, Jonas remained still, weighing his options. Then, finally, he sighed and nodded.
“Fine,” he said. “I’ll do it. But if I find out you’re lying to me, or if this is some kind of setup, I’ll expose you too.”
I grinned. “Deal.”
I was glad. The pieces were falling into place, and soon enough, Derrick’s perfect little world would come crashing down.
It was only a matter of time.