My ex-boyfriend refused to sign our newborn daughter's birth certificate on the hospital floor while his pregnant mistress smirked beside him. But before he could even exit the hallway, the most dangerous billionaire in the city stepped forward, claimed my baby as his own, and put his signature on the birth certificate—unleashing a ruthless war that forced my ex to his knees.

Three days later, the peace of the estate was shattered by the sharp ringing of my private cell phone.

I sat on the sunlit veranda overlooking the estate’s blooming rose gardens, gently nursing my daughter, whom I had officially named Aria Rose Moretti.

I looked down at the screen. It was an unrecognized number, but I knew who it was. I clicked speakerphone.

"Emma!" Derek’s furious, desperate voice exploded through the speaker. "What the hell are you playing at?! Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"Hello, Derek," I said calmly, taking a slow sip of hot tea.

"You need to get your ass back to the city right now and tear up that fraudulent birth certificate!" Derek yelled, his breath heavy and erratic. "Because of your little stunt with Luca Moretti, my firm’s board of directors just put me on unpaid administrative leave! They think I’m involved in some high-level corporate dispute with the Moretti Group!"

"That sounds like a personal problem, Derek," I replied coldly.

"Don't play games with me, Emma!" Derek snarled. "Brittany is stressed out because of this! Her doctor says her blood pressure is too high! If anything happens to my real baby because of your jealousy, I swear to God I will sue you for full custody of Aria and prove in court that you're an unfit mother living with a mob boss!"

A shadow fell over the veranda floor.

I looked up to see Luca standing near the archway, wearing a dark grey suit, holding a leather folder. He had heard every word coming out of the phone speaker.

Luca walked over quietly, took the phone gently from my hand, and brought it to his lips.

"Mr. Morrison," Luca spoke, his voice dropping into a register so cold it could turn water to ice.

The line went dead quiet for three agonizing seconds.

"M-Moretti?" Derek stammered out, his aggression instantly evaporating into pure panic.

"If you ever speak to the mother of my child in that tone again," Luca warned with lethal composure, "I will not simply terminate your firm's credit line. I will purchase your entire mortgage company by 5:00 PM today, fire you personally, and ensure you never hold a financial license in the state of New York again."