Second Life: The Mafia Wife’s Cold Awakening Chapter 04

Second Life: The Mafia Wife’s Cold Awakening Chapter 04

Chapter 4 The Setup

Days passed, and Warehouse No. 3 ran smoothly and efficiently under my management.

Cargo loading and unloading speed doubled, and the accident rate dropped to an all-time low.

Finished

Dominic was pleased. He gave me more authority, putting me in charge of all weapons transportation at the docks.

This meant I was holding one of the Vittori family’s main arteries in my hands.

And Lucian? Still hauling crates. Still invisible.

He grew quieter and gloomier. Every day after work, he hid alone in a corner to smoke, not speaking to

anyone.

I had eyes on him constantly. But he just worked. Nothing else.

That only made me more paranoid.

The quiet before the storm. That’s what kills you.

Sure enough, just as I suspected, trouble hit a month later.

That night, a huge shipment of weapons was set to leave the docks.

Eastern European client. Fifty million dollars on the line.

If this went sideways, we weren’t just losing cash. We’d lose the whole partnership permanently.

I supervised the loading personally at the docks to make sure every step was perfect.

Just as all the crates were loaded onto trucks and ready to leave, a group of cops stormed in.

“Tip came in! Drug smuggling! Nobody f*cking move!” The lead cop had his piece out. Shouting.

My heart dropped. I knew at once it was Lucian’s doing.

They didn’t wait. Started tearing through the trucks.

I tried to block them. Got shoved aside.

He’d definitely called the police anonymously and hidden drugs in the crates, hoping the cops would destroy the shipment and make me look bad in front of the Don.

The police wasted no time tearing through the trucks. I attempted to intervene, but they pushed me out of the way.

“Officer. We have permits. This is legal cargo.” I said calmly, my eyes discreetly scanning the corner of the warehouse-the very spot where Lucian usually worked and the easiest place to hide something.

“Save it. If it’s clean, we’ll know soon enough.” He was by-the-book. No attitude. Just procedure.

Soon,they pulled white bags from a hidden compartment in one of the crates.

“Caught red-handed.” He held a bag in my face. “Take her in! Seize all the cargo!”

Two cops stepped forward at once to grab me.

Just then, Finch Marco arrived with a dozen bodyguards.

“Try touching her and see what happens,” Finch said, his voice like ice.

The lead cop’s face hardened. “What’s this? You planning to assault an officer? That’s a felony.”

“Felony?” I laughed. Sharp. Stepped right up to him. “Officer, you’ve been played. Those drugs aren’t mine. Someone set me up.”

I turned to Finch Marco. “Check Warehouse No. 3 security footage right now. Focus on Lucian’s work area this afternoon and the entire loading process.”

Finch Marco sent men to pull the footage at once. I turned back to the lead officer. “The man who framed me is Lucian. He was demoted by the Don, holds a grudge, and planned this to destroy the shipment and ruin me.”

The officer’s gaze wavered. He clearly thought something was off.

No one smuggles this loud. Not at a major dock. Not under floodlights.

Minutes later, a guard jogged back with a tablet. “Ma’am. Got it. Lucian planted the drugs during the afternoon break.”

I handed the tablet over. Pointed at the screen. “That’s him. Lucian. He also slipped off-site this afternoon. Used a payphone. We can pull those records right now.”

The lead cop watched the footage and ordered his men firmly. “Two of you secure the scene, get drug samples tested, and copy the footage for records. Contact the ATF right away to verify the weapons permits. Everyone else, stand by.”

He stepped up to me, serious and apologetic. “Mrs. Ashford, sorry for the raid based on an anonymous tip. We’ll open a case against Lucian right away and prosecute him. For the weapons, we’ve contacted the ATF to check permits-if legal, they’ll be returned once verified. We’ll update you on progress.

“Appreciate it, Officer.” I gave him a small nod.

I looked at the white powder on the ground, my gaze freezing over.

“Where’s Lucian?” I asked the guard beside me.

“He was working in the warehouse just now, but he’s gone.”

”

“Find him.” My jaw was tight. “Tear this dock down to the studs. I want him dragged back here.”

Half an hour later, they found him crammed inside a rusted-out shipping container.

When he was dragged before me, there wasn’t a trace of fear on his face. Instead, he wore a manic grin. “So you got lucky this round.” He stared at me. Pure venom in his eyes. “But hear this. I don’t quit. I don’t

from.” forget. And as long as my heart’s beating, I will turn your life into a nightmare you can’t wake up

I stepped up to him and slapped him hard across the face.

“You think these petty tricks can take me down?” I stared him down. “You’re dumber than I thought.”

I waved a hand. “Break one of his legs. Throw him back into Warehouse No. 3. He doesn’t leave that warehouse for one step.

”

The bodyguards stepped forward at once and slammed a steel pipe into his leg.

His scream tore through the whole dock.

I watched them drag him off. Not a flicker in my eyes.