"You've got some nerve to come back here," Sirio said coldly, watching with displeasure as his former wife enters his office. Just for the sake of it, he did not tell his bodyguard to put the gun down.

"Clara graduated college today," Gianna informed ignoring the fact that a man behind her was pointing a gun at her.

"I am aware," Sirio said, taking a sip of his whiskey. He knew why she came but he had no intention to make it easier for her so he remained silent, waiting.

"I want to make sure she finds a job, gets some experience before-" Gianna continued, seeing he's not willing to speak with her.

He stopped her with a hand gesture "You already postponed her marriage. I agreed to set up engagement after college instead of high school. How long do you plan to drag inevitable, Gianna?" Sirio ascent without compassion.

As long as it takes.

"I want to make sure she first gets some experience at work, at leading an independent life, before she starts a family"

Sirio shook his head in disbelief. "You knew all along what her fate was. She never stopped being my daughter"

Of course, Gianna knew. She was acutely aware that Clara's freedom has a time limit. She was a daughter of a Don. In this world, it means she was supposed to be married to another "head of the family". Marriage unions were important because of blood bonds. Unions between offsprings were the ways of forming alliances, they prevented wars between the families and ensured tight cooperation. That's why Sirio falsely believed that he never lost his daughter because her fate was all along in his hands. But Gianna knew he was wrong. Clara felt abandoned and she grew to hate her father. This contempt was something Sirio would never simply erase by forcing her to become a part of this family's history.

"She studied so hard and for what? Please give her time to become independent adult few years. That's all I ask for" Gianna said desperately. Few years of freedom. That's what she could plead for her daughters

"And why would I do that?"

"Because if you won't she will end up hating you the same way I hated mine"

Something appeared in Sirio's eyes. A spark of unidentified emotion.

Sirio Giordano entered his car.

Today, he would meet his daughter for the first time after 17 years. This is not how he envisioned their first meeting after such a long time. Sirio as a man completely consumed by his work didn't really know how to spend time not working. This is why he has given up on the idea of meeting his daughter every weekend as a divorced father would usually do. He wasn't this kind of person. If something wasn't business related it simply didn't have a place in his schedule. Several months ago he started to look for a good candidate for Clara's husband and so far none of the men impressed him enough to be considered worthy.

He continued searching while having in mind that the first dinner they would have would be a dinner where he introduces her to her future husband. Sirio hated when things weren't going according to his plan and to be informed by no one else but Lorenzo Vincenti that his daughter is currently at his club and he should pick her up was something he wasn't expecting at all.

Because Clara's name was changed and they had zero contact he believed assigning security for her would be unnecessary and would only grab unwanted attention but he has been clearly wrong. He should have hired someone keeping an eye on her. It was his mistake.

His daughter would never contact him out of her own will it was very interesting that Lorenzo Vincenti of all people called him.

Vincenti family had an indisputable reputation. They were the only clan he knew that maintained a strong presence over the whole city of Palermo, Sicilian capital. Their business was not local, it was global. People in this city and beyond, respected and feared them.

Now, Sirio's family was strong as well. He earned this power through sacrifice. His whole life, family, everything was second place.

So what he was about to propose would make a lot of sense for both Giordanos and Vincentis.

Sirio was greeted by a man named Antonio and led downstairs to the nightclub's basement. There he entered the office where Vincenti brothers could be often seen.

Lorenzo was sitting behind his desk while Clara was sitting in front of him, visibly shaken.