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“Actually, that is no longer the case. He’s dead. I killed him myself.”

The silence that follows is charged with an electric tension that makes the hair on my arms stand on end.

“Did you, now?” Victor's voice has dropped an octave, carrying a blend of skepticism and intrigue. “That's quite a claim from a woman who's been missing for years.”

“It's not a claim. It's a fact.” I keep my voice steady, channeling the steel that's become my armor. “Mario was a traitor. To my family, to yours, and to the agreements our families made.”

Z moves closer, his body a warm presence at my back as he listens. His breath tickles my neck as he leans in to hear Victor's response.

“And what would you know of those agreements, Miss Rossi? The alliance your father brokered on your behalf was fulfilled by your cousin. Your services are no longer required. Bianca has already provided me with my heir.”

“You mean, I provided you with an heir?”

“I oversaw the birth myself, Miss Rossi. You were not present.”

“I wasn’t the birth mother, but I assure you, Victor, I am that boy’s mother. You’ve been deceived from the moment you consented to her marriage to Dmitri.”

I can almost hear Victor's breathing change through the phone.

“Explain yourself.” His tone brooks no argument.

“Bianca isn’t a Rossi. She doesn’t have a drop of my family’s blood running in her veins,” I continue.

“This is a serious accusation, Miss Rossi.” Victor's voice has taken on a blunt edge.

“I have proof. Records from my captivity. Records of the medical torture I was put through to produce your grandson under the direction of my uncle for the benefit of his bastard daughter and your alliance.”

“Do you?” Victor's tone is glacial. “Because from where I sit, this sounds like the desperate fabrication of a woman who abandoned her responsibilities and now regrets it.”

I feel Z's hand tighten on my shoulder, silently urging me to stay calm. I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

“I didn't abandon anything,” I reply, keeping my voice level despite the anger bubbling beneath the surface. “I was taken. Abducted by the man you know as The Collector.”

Victor's dismissive scoff crackles through the speaker. “A convenient story. The Collector is a myth used to frighten children and weak men.”

“He's very real. And I have the scars to prove it.”

“What you have, Miss Rossi, is audacity." His voice hardens. "You disappear for years, then suddenly resurface with my estranged nephews at your side. Don’t be shocked. Where one goes, so does the other. Now, you’re claiming some elaborate conspiracy? This is nothing more than a transparent attempt to worm your way into my family's good graces now.”

Oz moves closer, his expression tense as he watches me. I press on.

“The DNA tests are ready to be sent to you,” I say, playing the strongest card I have. “Medical records from the fertility clinic showing the extraction of my eggs, the creation of embryos using Petrov sperm, and the implantation into Bianca. Records of payments from Mario Rossi's private accounts to keep it all hidden.”

“You expect me to believe my son was deceived? That I was deceived?”

“I expect you to verify everything I'm saying,” I counter. “I'm offering to send you the proof. All of it. Right now."

Z ‘s body heat radiates against my back as he listens. His breath tickles my ear as he whispers, “Good. Keep pushing.”

“And what would you gain from this...revelation, Miss Rossi?” Victor's voice drips with suspicion. “If what you say is true, and that remains to be seen, why come to me now?”

I exchange glances with Oz, who gives me an encouraging nod.

“Because I want what is rightfully mine. My son," I say, allowing raw emotion to bleed into my voice. “I want my place at the table.”

“Your place at the table,” he repeats, each word measured carefully. “You believe you're entitled to that after all this time?”

“I'm not just entitled to it. I'm demanding it.” My voice gains strength as I continue. “That boy is my flesh and blood. My Rossi legacy. The rightful continuation of our families' alliance that Mario perverted for his own gain.”