Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask

Caleb’s POV

"Rossi, are you at the family compound?" I said the moment that insufferable woman answered her phone. "I want to take you somewhere important today."

The shriek that followed nearly burst my eardrum. Naturally, she was thrilled at the prospect of being seen with the Don of the Thorne crime family. This was exactly what I had calculated. My plan was already in motion. I sat in my armored Escalade outside her modest apartment, ready to escort her on a little trip without revealing our true destination. The private medical facility that served our organization exclusively. If she resisted, my consigliere was on standby to apply the kind of pressure that made people reconsider their choices. She would not leave that clinic without providing those blood samples. The timing was perfect since Xavier had confirmed Rossi was occupied with territory negotiations at the docks, giving me a clear window to execute this strategy without interference from other family business.

Within minutes, that conniving little schemer bounced out of her building, practically floating in a white summer dress paired with ridiculous pink heels. Madonna mia, what a spectacle. As she approached my vehicle, I gestured for her to slide into the passenger seat.

"Baby, I am so excited! Where are we going? You absolutely have to tell me." Her voice grated against my nerves like fingernails on concrete.

"Consider it a surprise. I just need to handle some family business first," I replied, forcing what I hoped resembled a genuine smile. "Though I do have one small requirement."

"What kind of requirement?" she asked, bouncing in her seat with anticipation.

"Hand over your cell phone. I refuse to let anyone interrupt our time together, and I know those friends of yours never stop calling." Every word required tremendous effort to sound affectionate and caring, but I desperately needed this charade finished quickly.

"But honey, I literally cannot survive without my phone." She produced the most ridiculous pout I had ever witnessed.

"No phone means no outing, since I know we will be constantly interrupted by your social circle. I want my complete attention focused exclusively on you." She studied me with narrowed eyes before finally surrendering the device. She placed her phone in my palm, and I immediately powered it down before slipping it into my jacket pocket.

When we pulled into the medical facility’s parking garage, suspicion flickered across her features.

"Why exactly are we here, sweetheart?"

"I need to collect something from our family doctor. It will only take a moment," I offered another manufactured smile. "Come along, I want you to meet him. He is going to be our child’s godfather."

She practically launched herself from the vehicle, releasing a series of delighted squeals that sent pain shooting through my skull. As we approached Dr. Taylor’s private practice, my blood nearly froze at the scene before me. Ivy and Zoe stood directly in my path. Rossi, sensing an opportunity to mark her territory, immediately latched onto my arm possessively. Ivy regarded this display with obvious disgust. She appeared absolutely exhausted from her recent ordeals.

"Ivy, are you feeling well?" Concern colored my voice despite my efforts to remain neutral.

"I am perfectly fine, thank you. Let’s go, Zoe." Ivy’s response was clearly meant to mask her distress and avoid any confrontation.

"Oh darling, let’s hurry up and meet your family doctor because I am simply dying to continue our romantic day together." That chattering harpy could not resist taking a verbal swipe at Ivy in front of witnesses.

"Really, Thorne." Zoe’s tone dripped with disapproval as she swept past me, following Ivy toward the exit.

"Dr. Taylor will see you immediately, Don Thorne." The receptionist bowed respectfully, understanding exactly who commanded this facility.

Soon enough, the doctor emerged from his consultation room and welcomed us inside, maintaining perfect courtesy toward Rossi while keeping his true loyalties clear. We engaged in brief pleasantries before a pair of nurses appeared with their equipment ready.

"Shall we proceed with the testing as discussed?" Taylor inquired professionally.

"What testing? I absolutely refuse to do any tests!" Rossi’s voice rose to a shout that echoed through the soundproofed room.

"Oh darling, but you absolutely must." I regarded her with my most charming smile, keeping my tone as gentle as silk. "Listen, my family’s legal counsel explained it is a mandatory requirement from my father’s estate planning. The marriage contract must include comprehensive health screenings to verify we are both in perfect condition for producing legitimate heirs."

"That is complete nonsense, Caleb! Your father has been dead for years!" Her volume increased dramatically.

"Sweetheart, I agree it seems foolish, but failure to comply means I forfeit the entire family inheritance. The territory, the legitimate businesses, the offshore accounts. I would be financially destroyed and stripped of my position as Don," I stated with complete seriousness. "So what harm could there be? It is merely a simple blood draw and basic screening."

"I am carrying your child, Caleb! What sort of testing are we discussing?" She crossed her arms with obvious irritation and growing suspicion.

"Just routine blood work and disease screening for you. For myself, they also mandated those same tests plus narcotics screening to ensure I was not compromising the family’s interests with substance abuse. As you can see, it is completely standard procedure, but I have no choice but to comply." Her eyes remained filled with doubt.

"I do not like any of this," she declared firmly.

"Would you prefer to speak with the family attorney directly?" I retrieved my secure phone. She nodded, so I placed the call and requested he explain the legal circumstances. He essentially repeated my fabrication while using sophisticated legal terminology that lent the entire situation an air of complete legitimacy and family tradition.

"So darling, please do this for my sake and the family’s honor. I cannot bear the thought of losing everything my father built," I pleaded sweetly. Then inspiration struck, and I delivered my final manipulation. "Afterward, we can visit the family estate, where we will establish our home with our little one. How does that sound?"

"YES!" She began screaming and clapping wildly. "Baby, what finally made you see we belong together?"

"Exactly that. I finally see the complete truth!" I replied, and for once, my words contained genuine sincerity about exposing her lies.

"Wonderful, shall we begin the procedures?" Dr. Taylor, who had been observing this entire performance with barely concealed amusement, asked professionally.

"Absolutely," Rossi agreed and extended her arm toward the nurses with eager compliance.

All necessary samples were obtained, and I exhaled with profound relief. Now I simply needed to find a method to keep that creature under control until the results proved her deception. I would take her for a scenic drive through our territory, pretend I had forgotten the estate access codes, and postpone the visit indefinitely.

"Dr. Taylor, thank you for accommodating us today. We would be deeply honored to have you serve as godfather when we formalize this union." Taylor looked at me with obvious amusement, clearly enjoying this elaborate performance.

"Don Thorne, the honor is entirely mine to serve as godfather for such a remarkably unique couple!" Taylor responded with perfect theatrical timing.

"Oh, how absolutely wonderful! Now let’s go, honey. Goodbye, godfather!" Rossi waved enthusiastically, acting as though they were lifelong family friends.

Once we returned to the armored vehicle, she immediately launched into excited chatter about needing to contact her friends and mother to announce she would be moving into the Thorne family compound. I informed her that phone calls would have to wait until after our outing was complete. She would need to contain her enthusiasm a bit longer. I drove toward the gates of my family’s fortress-like estate and began an elaborate show of searching for access devices in every pocket, the glove compartment, and anywhere else I could think of.

"Darling, I could have sworn I grabbed the security fob before leaving. But I cannot locate it anywhere," I said, projecting genuine disappointment. "Let me call my head of security, Walter, to bring the backup codes."

"Oh yes, honey, call him immediately!" Her excitement had her practically bouncing in the passenger seat.

My secure phone rang at precisely the right moment. Knowing exactly what this call concerned, I activated the vehicle’s speaker system for her benefit.

"Thorne here."

"Caleb, where are you? Get to the compound immediately." It was Xavier, and this call had been carefully orchestrated between us earlier.

"Xavier, I am handling personal business at the moment. What is the emergency?" I feigned ignorance perfectly.

"The Fresh Ramsey situation. We have a serious problem developing, and the other families are demanding a video conference with both senior leadership present." Xavier spoke with such gravity I nearly burst into laughter.

"Can you not handle this situation independently? I am in the middle of something extremely important."

"Absolutely impossible, Caleb. We cannot afford to lose face with the Commission. Come immediately or risk a territory war."

"Fine."

I ended the call and turned to her, projecting deep frustration and family duty.

"Darling, I have to leave immediately. These negotiations represent enormous family interests and our standing with other crime families. I will take you home, and we can reschedule the estate visit. Actually, this works out better since I can ask security to have the entire place professionally cleaned so you will not suffer any allergic reactions to accumulated dust from recent renovations."

"Oh, how disappointing! Well, family business comes first, I suppose."