A Baby Crawled Out From Under My Desk Wearing My Dead Brother’s Medal—Then Her Mother Told Me Julian Caruso Was Her Father.

Hannah reeled back as if she had been struck. She wrapped her arms tightly around Grace, her face flushing red with anger and hurt.

"How dare you," she whispered, her voice shaking with intense conviction. "I never looked at another man. Julian was the only person I ever loved."

"My security chief just reviewed your medical records from St. Jude’s," Gabriel said, towering over her. "The blood types don't match."

"Then your records are wrong!" Hannah cried out, standing up from the sofa. Grace whimpered at the sudden noise, and Hannah instantly softened her tone, rocking the baby against her shoulder. "I gave birth alone in a municipal clinic in Brooklyn, Mr. Caruso! A nurse named Clara handled the delivery. If there is an error on those papers, it came from the hospital, not from me!"

Gabriel studied her face. Her large brown eyes held no deceit, only pure, raw maternal desperation. He pulled out Julian's journal and flipped to the last page, holding it out for her to see.

"Look at this," Gabriel commanded.

Hannah scanned the cursive writing. Her hand flew to her mouth as she read Vincent's name. "Oh God... Julian told me someone inside your house was squeezing him, but he never said it was Vincent..."

"Vincent has been my consigliere for twenty years," Gabriel said, his jaw clenching. "He was my father's right-hand man. If he betrayed Julian, he did it for money or power."

A sudden sharp knock at the suite door shattered the heavy tension.

Gabriel drew his heavy pistol from his shoulder holster in one fluid motion, stepping between the door and Hannah. "Stay behind me."

He unlocked the door and pulled it open six inches.

Vincent stood in the corridor, flanked by two armed men in dark suits. Vincent held an iPad in his hand, his expression cold and professional.

"Don Gabriel," Vincent said calmly. "We have a situation downstairs. Two representatives from the Chicago Commission just arrived at the front gate. They claim they received an anonymous tip that Julian’s illegitimate heir is inside this house."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes. "Who sent the tip?"

"They didn't say," Vincent replied, his eyes drifting past Gabriel's shoulder toward Hannah. "They are demanding to see the child and verify her identity. If we refuse, they consider the peace treaty breached."

Gabriel took a step out into the hallway, shutting the suite door behind him until it clicked locked. He stood inches from his consigliere.

"Tell Chicago to leave my property," Gabriel commanded, his voice vibrating with lethal threat.

"Gabriel, be reasonable," Vincent urged softly, stepping closer. "If we give them the child for a simple blood test, we avoid a full-scale war with the Midwest. It’s just a maid’s baby—"

Gabriel grabbed Vincent by his charcoal lapels, slamming the older man hard against the corridor wall. The two armed guards instantly reached for their holsters, but Gabriel didn't even look at them.

"Touch her or mention her again like that," Gabriel snarled into Vincent's face, "and I will personally bury you beside my brother."

Vincent’s calm demeanor cracked. A flash of dark, bitter hatred passed through his eyes before he slowly raised his hands in surrender.

"Understood, Don Gabriel," Vincent whispered.

Gabriel released him, stepping back. "Marco!" he called into his earpiece. "Escort the Chicago representatives off my land. If they refuse to leave in sixty seconds, open fire."

Gabriel turned to unlock the suite door, but stopped dead.

The electronic keypad on the door was flashing red. A message was displayed across the small digital screen: OVERRIDE CODE ACCEPTED — SECURITY GRID BREACHED.

Gabriel threw the heavy door open.