Page 68 of Maddening Fixation

My father raised his voice above the uproar.

“I am the new Capo of this family.”

His words rang through the study. “And I will not tolerate this disrespect.”

A bitter laugh answered him.

“You expect our loyalty after this?”

One of my uncles stepped forward, his expression dark with contempt.

“You think we’ll kneel to you while your daughter walks away with everything our parents spent a lifetime building?”

His gaze swept around the room.

“We’ve all been cheated.”

He looked back at my father.

“I’d rather watch this family splinter into a hundred pieces than swear loyalty under these circumstances.”

Then his eyes found me.

“If your daughter refuses this marriage, the inheritance will be divided equally among the rest of us—exactly as it should have been from the beginning.”

He turned back to my father.

“We’re giving her three days to come to the only decision that serves this family.”

His voice hardened.

“Surely you don’t want to become Capo only to watch this family tear itself apart.”

A faint, threatening smile curved his lips.

“No... I don’t believe you can afford that.”

He held my father’s gaze for another long moment.

“So persuade your daughter. Because if she insists on honoring that will... you’ll discover just how quickly a family can turn against its own.”

He took another step closer to my father.

His voice turned cold.

“You know exactly what we’re capable of. And you know you’re nothing without the rest of us.”

Without waiting for a reply, he stormed from the study.

One by one, my other uncles followed, cursing beneath their breath.

My aunts exchanged resentful glances before gathering their handbags and leaving with them, each one muttering threats and bitter accusations as they disappeared through the doorway.

By the time the last door closed...

Only my immediate family remained.

The silence that followed felt even heavier than before.