***
May 1st, 2020—United States
Thunder shakes the warehouse walls, lightning slicing the sky as I steady my magnum at the failed Don who stands over his dead Consigliere.
"Do you think you can kill me, little girl?" A crooked grin spreads across his face.
A crack—then a flash of lightning strikes across the sky. The Don drops to his knees, holding his bleeding shoulder. His jaw slack, he stares up at me—then stumbles to his feet.
"You broke the Omertà." I steady my grip on the gun, ignoring the waves crashing beyond the warehouse. "The Coverers—unseen enforcers of the Omertà—have made their judgment."
He backs into boxes and metal shelves, red staining his suit, dripping a trail on the concrete. A shot. A thud. One more threat eliminated. I dial Marcello on my way out.
"I need a cleanup. Fast."
"Efficient as always, Princess. The families will sleep easier knowing their children are safe from his betrayal," comes my second-in-command's deep voice. "Do you ever think you'll stop going on these missions? You're the heiress… You don't have any siblings that can take over after your grandfather dies. And your mother…"
"You know my parents are dead. There won't be any siblings." I rake a hand through my hair. "That ship sailed with my parents. Alert the families of this failed Don's demise." I hang up, then look out a window as another bolt of lightning slashes through the night sky.
***
Accardi Estate—June 3rd, 2020
A loud clap of thunder jolts me awake. The empty room feels smaller than before. I sit up, silk sheets sliding down bare skin. I sweep the room with the magnum from beneath my pillow. A familiar black-haired man rises to a stand in front of me from the edge of the bed. His blue eyes gleam with a mix of mirth and fear.
"How many times have I told you to knock before you enter my room, Marcello?" I snarl, raising an eyebrow, not even flinching as his eyes roam my body. "Do you have a death wish?" I check the time and date on my phone before stretching.
"The Don has a job for you." Marcello turns his back so I can dress—ever the respectful Consigliere.
"Next time, knock—or I will shoot you." Then I pause and glance back at him over my shoulder. "Don't let it happen again."
Marcello wipes sweat from his forehead, then he gives a quick, jerky nod. I pull on a pair of fitted blue jeans and a navy turtleneck before turning to face him again. We step into the hallway to rain pelting the window.
A sweet, floral scent fills the hall, easing my tension and drawing my gaze to a vase nearby. White lilacs. My mother's favorite. She vanished when I was a baby. Grandfather raised me alone. My focus returns to my second.
"I have a report that the cleanup at the warehouse is complete. The failed Don is 'missing,' and what remains of his family is in mourning." I don't respond to his words as we walk. "Cut off from their allies, the only thing left for the Davitoes is destruction."
"And what of his Soldati?" My tone is a demand for an answer. "Have they found other work? If not, see to it they're taken care of."
"Yes, Boss. We placed them with other families after verifying their loyalty to the Omertà."
Pleased with his response, I follow Marcello down the lavish hallway. The Soldati—our Mafia soldiers—salute as we pass, then avert their eyes. We pause at the door to the Don's office. Marcello glances at me before lifting his hand to knock.
"Entra." A raspy but firm voice calls, and Marcello opens the door, drawing my grandfather's gaze up from the documents spread across his desk. "Mia Cara Lili, ti trovo bellissima oggi!"
His compliment comes with a warm smile. I frown as a fit of coughs wracks his body, jaw ticking as I step farther into the room. When he lifts a bloodied handkerchief to his lips, though, my pain twists in my chest. I rush over and pat his back gently.
"Grandfather!" My voice sharpens as I glance between them. "Call for the doctor, Marcello, now."
"No." My grandfather's firmness stops Marcello's hand outside his pocket. "I'm fine, Liliana. I ran out of breath."
He pats my shoulder with a tender small smile, then he lights up his favorite cigar and I raise an eyebrow. I say nothing, just bow with the family salute.
"Lili, there is a family I want you to infiltrate. Not as a princess, but as a maid." He raises the blood–soaked tissue to his mouth. "This one is different. The Don is a police chief, so he's in the public eye. Do you think you can do this?"
"Of course I can, Grandfather. What are the details of this case?" I walk over to the cabinet where we store recording devices. "Who am I investigating this time? Is it a family here in the States or someone further abroad?"
I run my fingers through my short hair and glance at Marcello, who suddenly finds the floor interesting. My grandfather stands and walks over with a file, which I accept and begin flipping through.
"The Romano family has someone giving information to an American reporter, and it's circulating up through the government." My grandfather returns to his desk. "If we don't plug this leak, the Romano will become everyone's target."
I tuck the file under my arm and open a drawer beneath the cabinet containing mission materials. I pack the bugging gear into a cushioned case before glancing at my grandfather.
"Do what we must," I murmur, recalling the family mantra. "I should go prepare for my trip. Stay well, grandfather."
I salute, then turn to prepare for my trip. The Accardi Estate—gorgeous, serene, hiding a grand secret. 'The Coverers.' Protectors of those who align with the Omertà—specifically, Mafia families and their children.
"We do what we must to protect all." The family motto etched on the wall above my bedroom door reads, and I open it, stepping back inside my opulent bedroom. "This mission feels different." My eyes narrow as I pack. "Similar to the one from two months ago. A traitor is in our midst."
***
Lorenzo Accardi—The Plan
Lorenzo straightens when Liliana leaves the room, settling back into his chair and tossing his tissue in the trash. A woody, musky aroma fills the room as he puffs on his cigar. Marcello watches in silence for several moments. Both men are tense, as if expecting an incoming conversation neither wants to have.
The old Don releases a sigh that carries years of heavy stress. He leans forward, clasping his hands beneath his forehead. He reads it again—a coded message he's been expecting for years. With the threat drawing closer, Liliana's knowledge can't fall into the wrong hands.
"How long are you going to hide the truth from her, Sir?" Lorenzo leans back, fingers steepling. "She will find out eventually—and be angry."
"I have to do what's best for the Accardi, Marcello. You know this." The older man grits his teeth, his weary eyes narrowing as his gaze drops to his desk. "Plus, you know I'm not the one who's really in charge here. This stays between us, Marcello. Liliana can't know yet." Lorenzo checks the deciphered letter. "Ms. A. is the hidden Donna."
Marcello clenches his jaw. The men stare each other down. Lorenzo reaches for a pen, his hand mimicking Liliana's precision with a weapon. He pauses, glancing at the encrypted message on his phone before signing the document.
"You're risking her hatred. For someone she's never met." No one knows who truly controls the Accardi except Lorenzo, the only man Liliana obeys without question. "She may never forgive you."
"This is how it must be. She needs to know what it takes to lead—and needs something worth bleeding for." The elder responds with a veiled warning in his voice before shaking his head. "This is how this world works. Everything is a test."
Liliana once believed in love. Reality has claws. Lorenzo's gaze falls on the framed photograph on his desk. A younger Liliana, no older than ten, stood proudly beside him, a small pistol clutched in her hand.
He'd given her the childhood her mother never had—a childhood filled with both love and the harsh realities of their world. Now he has to let her go. Let her become the leader the Accardi needs. He hopes the hidden Donna is right, and Nicolo is the man Liliana should be with.
"So, this guy she's investigating…" Marcello hesitates, picking at a loose thread on his sleeve. "Is he a good man? Will he treat her right?"
"Marcello." Lorenzo leans forward with a stern tone, full of authority that harkens back to a time when he ruled this family with an iron fist. "The noose has tightened. If we don't do this now, she won't have a future to look forward to."
The Romano is one of the oldest families the Accardi have ties to, even stronger than Marcello's close connection to them. A flicker of resentment, then a curt nod, the ticking grandfather clock behind the Don's desk the only noise. A knock on the door makes both men tense.
"Boss…" Luca Otello opens the door, pokes his head in, then steps inside and shuts it behind him. "The upcoming Donna left for the airport. What's our next move, Sir?"
"Now? Prepare to move to the Villa in Valleza. That city will be where she stays—and where we'll support her. This isn't her normal mission."
This is her test: loyalty, legacy, and love. Luca and Marcello share a glance again. Lorenzo stands, turns his back to them, and walks over to the window overlooking the courtyard of their American mansion. The Omertà—a vow of silence. For the Accardi, it justifies actions most families wouldn't consider.
"The plan set up long ago has begun. Liliana will clean up the mess her mother left for her." One of his fists clenches behind his back, and he turns back to the two men. "She will need us. Now more than ever."
Soon, Liliana, you will no longer have to worry, he thinks as he looks down at the report on his desk from the elusive leader. The silence is ominous as his attention shifts to the grandfather clock when it chimes at the top of the hour.
"Sir, I have to ask…" Luca steps forward with a bow of respect, his lips set in a grim line. "Why didn't you tell her the truth—after preaching loyalty and honesty?"
"She thinks nothing can touch her." Her grandfather leans back in his seat, one hand lifting to massage his temples with his fingers, a headache beginning to develop. "That won't last. There are some things beyond her careful control."
"And you think the Romano Don can do that?" Marcello's eyes narrow on the older man as he checks his phone when an update that she arrived at the airport arrives. "That man is notorious for being a playboy despite how ruthless he is with those who betray his family. How do you know he won't play her?"
"He's not who I would've picked, Marcello, but…" Lorenzo closes his eyes as Marcello's father, Luca, brings him a glass of water. "She's also had many suitors. None held her interest."
The hidden Donna of the Accardi has been closely watching Nicolo Romano, which led to his selection. Ms. A elusive as a fish, yet the hidden Donna refuses to pass on the reins to Liliana until she faces real danger and pain. As if his granddaughter hasn't faced enough of that.
"Their father raised Nicolo and Amadeo to protect their women despite his unhappy marriage. Her safety is at the core, Marcello, Luca." Lorenzo reaches in one of his drawers and pulls out pain relievers. "Until she finishes the mission her mother started, she'll never truly be free."
Yet this job is the most dangerous one. It's going to reveal her to the world at large because of who Nicolo Romano is. In the eye of the public, Nicolo is a protector, the man who runs the Valleza police department, but his true identity is what Liliana will be protecting.
"Marcello." The Don rubs his face, fatigue seeping in, and shares a look of frustrated understanding with Luca. "Perhaps it's time you knew who's really directing my movements and why you weren't the one chosen to rule the Accardi at her side."
"Fine. If my Don trusts them, I'm inclined to listen. Who's directing the Accardi?" Liliana's second-in-command then sighs as he recalls. "She prevented a war with just two calls. She handled that international incident two months ago without my help at all, such a feat for 23."
***
Accardi Estate—April 5th, 2020—Field Report
Three families. Three missing children. And a war hanging by a thread. The Russian Ivanov family, the Chinese Guo family, and the Japanese Kimura Yakuza all believe each other has kidnaped their children.
"Saito, Wang, Petrov. Status update." My voice cuts through my headset as keys click rapidly beneath my fingers.
The scent of my grandfather's favorite cigars announces his arrival—and that he's now watching. I keep my focus on my multi-screen setup, not letting his presence dissuade me from my task.
"Guo child located. European captors," Petrov reports, voice rough with his Russian accent.
"Ivanov's safe," Saito's Japanese accent fills my ears. "East Asian."
"Kimura, located." Wang adds simple and to the point. "Same profile."
My fingers fly across the keys as my agents await instructions. I alert the families to hold fire—their children will soon return home relatively unscathed. Screens flash, intel scrolls. I check "unhackable" camera feeds as the elders murmur behind me. My jaw ticks.
"Someone's exploiting the rivalry between the Ivanov, Guo, and Kimura families. Ready your teams. No time for politics—just a war to prevent."
The words are a statement of fact—someone's framing the Japanese for the Ivanov child, the Russians for the Guo child, and the Chinese for the Kimura child. Someone on the inside has to be leaking information about Mafia kids.
"Princess…" The gravelly tone of grandfather's voice, plus his hand on my shoulders, removes some nerves.
"No collateral damage. Get the children out. You'll have limited resistance, but take five with you." I end the call with them and ring each of the families affected. "This is the mediator you requested—regarding the children."
It doesn't reveal who's behind it. But one name keeps surfacing—Arnie. But Arnie isn't just a name—it's a ghost threaded through chaos. Any details I can find are dead ends, as his last name is unknown, so I can't figure out his intentions.
My eyes narrow. I will find him and make him pay. I won't let anyone break the Omertà. Not for any reason. A war between three of the world's most dangerous families? Wars like that don't end—they devour.
***
Romano Villa—Nicolo Romano—June 4th, 2020
"Mr. Romano, I'm bringing in a few new girls as maids. Allow me to introduce them." The Butler waves towards the gaggle of girls giggling in his presence. "Though all but one have never worked for such a wealthy family before."
"Oh?" This piques his interest. "What family did she work for?" One girl remains silent near the door, expression distant, and serious as her arms cross behind her back. "How long did she work there?"
"The Cardi family," the older man says as he motions toward the brown–eyed woman, who steps forward with a graceful bow. "This is Lili Orlando. A maid from the Cardi house. She worked for them for five years."
The Cardi name carries weight in minor circles, though few people know anything about them. She gives off a chill—like lilacs left too long in the frost. He's curious about the tattoo he glimpses beneath the collar of her shirt.
Even when Nicolo crosses his arms, she doesn't avert her gaze. Impressive spine on this one, Nicolo thinks with a sly smirk curling his lips. Then, a voice echoes from his memories. 'Someone who undoes you.'
No, this is just another conquest; she's his type physically, is all. Lili clears her throat, drawing his gaze down to her lips before they part to speak. Her smooth voice startles him—and for the first time, he feels weak in the knees.
"I am Lili Orlando, a former maid of Princess Liliana Cardi." Her eyes narrow slightly as she speaks, putting him at ease. "They paired us because our names sound alike."
"So, you understand the needs of someone important. You'll be my personal maid." Nicolo's reply makes the butler startle, and Angelo's head whips around from his desk. "You've served a princess. A rich man should be easy."
A smile curves her lips before she nods her understanding and bows. As she steps back alongside the other new maids, he registers the jealous glares the women shoot her way.
"Boss, are you sure about this?" Angelo, his Consigliere, stands and steps towards Nicolo with a frown marring his brow. "Putting such a scrawny maid at your service could put you at risk."
"Hm. Do not question me. She's my maid now." He steps forward to invade her personal space.
Nicolo thinks back to the love his brother once carried for a maid, and how her loss was enough to send him running away. Amadeo. Has it been a year already?
"One day, little brother, you'll meet someone who undoes you." Amadeo's words reverberate across time. Nicolo hadn't believed him—until now. That was the day Amadeo disappeared. He listens as the butler assigns the other girls their positions, but his focus remains on her. Lili Orlando.
***
Nicolo Romano—April 19th, 2019
"They'll need more than just cleanup whenever I find out who took her! Have you seen Angel?! Angelica Roberts?!" He shouts at a brunette maid who scurries off when Nicolo grabs his shoulder, but the elder brother snatches away. "WHAT?!"
"Amadeo!" Nicolo hurries after Amadeo as he storms through the Villa in a frantic search. "Amadeo, calm down! Listen, this is no way for a future Don to act."
Amadeo suddenly spins and pins Nicolo by the collar to the wall, making the younger's eyes widen. He stares into Amadeo's eyes as they flicker. With pain, anger—something unnamed.
"One day, little brother, you'll find a woman who undoes you. Nothing like your flings." Amadeo's voice drops, threatening, his grip tightening on Nicolo's shirt. "And when you do, no one else will matter but her."
"Amadeo!" Their father shouts, glaring down his nose at the elder son. "The maid is gone. A Boss doesn't need distractions."
Amadeo's face falls as he releases Nicolo's collar. Then, he lunges—one punch sending their father flying. Everyone freezes, wide-eyed, as Amadeo turns vicious and pummels the Don.
Nicolo frowns, watching his brother's mind unravel before him. Then, Amadeo straightens, blood dripping from his fists, and walks out. Nicolo stares after his brother and looks away as the door slams.
"An ally was killed last night," his father's Consigliere mutters. "Whispers say the Coverers acted." The Consigliere rocks back on his heels. "The truth that followed was horrid. Apparently, one of your father's closest allies was selling information on Mafia children that led to their kidnaping."