THE COLD MAFIA HEIR THREW HIS PREGNANT MAID INTO A CHICAGO BLIZZARD—FIVE YEARS LATER, SHE RETURNED AS A CEO WITH A FEARED BOSS BESIDE HER AND MADE HIM BEG FOR MERCY

Five years passed.

In the high-stakes world of international finance and elite real estate, the name Victoria Vance was whispered with absolute awe and terror.

She was the enigmatic CEO of Vance Global Enterprises, a trillion-dollar conglomerate that had systematically bought up eighty percent of Chicago's commercial real estate, shipping docks, and financial institutions over the last three years.

In a penthouse suite overlooking Michigan Avenue, Sophie—now Victoria—stood before a floor-to-ceiling mirror.

She was thirty years old now. The naive, timid maid in a white apron was dead, buried deep beneath five years of ruthless training, corporate combat, and elite martial arts.

She wore a custom tailored emerald-green silk power suit, high-end diamond earrings, and her dark hair was styled in sleek, razor-sharp waves. Her face was calm, unreadable, and stunningly gorgeous—a fortress of pure elegance.

A soft knock came at the door.

A four-year-old boy ran into the room, wearing a tailored navy suit and tiny leather dress shoes. He had unruly dark hair, a sharp jawline, and striking silver-gray eyes.

"Mommy!" the boy cheered, wrapping his small arms around her leg. "Uncle Dante says we’re going to the big party tonight!"

Sophie’s eyes softened instantly into pure, radiant warmth. She knelt down, holding her son—Leo—against her heart.

Leo was Henry’s biological son, but he carried none of the Russo darkness. He was brilliant, happy, and possessed an extraordinary mind for numbers, already playing chess at an advanced level.

"Yes, my sweet prince," Sophie murmured, kissing his forehead gently. "Tonight, Mommy finishes her work."

Victor Vance stepped into the suite, leaning on a silver-headed cane. Though seventy years old, the legendary mob boss and corporate titan carried himself with absolute dominance.

"The Russo family is on the brink of total bankruptcy, Victoria," Victor stated smoothly, handing her a silver champagne flute. "Their shipping lines are seized by federal agents, their legal funds are exhausted, and Henry’s uncle was arrested an hour ago for tax fraud."

"And Henry?" Sophie asked, her voice cool and detached.

"Henry has been desperate," Victor replied with a dark smirk. "He has poured every remaining cent of the Russo estate into a single, high-stakes bid for the Lakefront Development Contract. He believes winning tonight’s gala bid will save his family from destruction."

Sophie swirled her champagne, looking out over the Chicago skyline she now controlled.

"He doesn't know who owns the contract," she whispered.

"No," Victor chuckled quietly. "He thinks he is meeting the anonymous global chair of Vance Global to beg for a joint venture."

Sophie looked at her reflection, setting the glass down with a soft clink.

"Dante," she called out.