Chapter 1 - THE EXILE IN THE RAIN
Vincent Moretti, Chicago’s feared mafia syndicate kingpin, let ruthless pride rule his tongue and cast Emily Carter out into a punishing midnight downpour over an innocent encounter with a college friend turned journalist. Unbeknownst to him, Emily carried his child. She refused to use the baby as a bargaining chip for his mercy, walking away into the freezing dark. Salvation appeared in the form of Charles Whitmore, a formidable old-money financier whose power quietly rivaled the Moretti syndicate, who whisked her into his armored convoy. Minutes later, inside his hollow mansion, Vincent discovered the positive test on his marble counter along with her parting words: love was never meant to feel like fear. The reality shattered him, igniting a desperate hunt across the city.
