Marcus gestured to a chair, but remained standing himself—a subtle power play that wasn't lost on Gianna."I'm not sure what there is to discuss," Marcus said carefully. "Given the circumstances.""The circumstances being Rocco Benedetti's interference?" Gianna asked directly."Among other things," Marcus replied diplomatically. "Look, Gianna, I'll be honest with you. The way things are looking right now, I'm leaning heavily toward accepting the Benedetti family's offer."Gianna felt her stomach drop. "Marcus, please—""Their proposal is more competitive," Marcus continued, "and frankly, they don't come with the kind of... complications... that seem to surround your firm.""Complications?" Gianna's voice cracked. "You mean Rocco sabotaging a private business meeting?""I mean instability," Marcus corrected. "Conflict. Drama. Strong Inc doesn't want to get caught in the middle of whatever feud you have with the Benedetti family.""That's not fair—""Fair or not, it's reality," Marcus s

Vincent ended the call and resumed his pacing. Twenty minutes later, the hospital's front entrance doors burst open with explosive force.Isabella Moretti stormed through like a hurricane made flesh, her designer clothes and jewelry announcing her status even as her face contorted with rage. Her eyes locked on Vincent immediately, and she charged toward him with singular purpose."You!" she screamed, drawing the attention of every person in the lobby. "You did this!"Vincent turned to face her calmly, his hands relaxed at his sides. Isabella's hand flew up, aiming a slap at his face with all her considerable fury behind it.Vincent sidestepped smoothly, the movement so fluid it looked almost casual. Isabella's hand whistled through empty air, her momentum carrying her forward several stumbling steps before she caught herself.The miss made her look foolish, and the few people who'd witnessed it tried poorly to hide their smirks."Mrs. Moretti," Vincent said calmly, "perhaps we should

The temperature in the lobby seemed to drop several degrees.Rocco's face went pale, his earlier bravado evaporating as he remembered—viscerally remembered—what Vincent was capable of.His broken finger throbbed sympathetically with his bandaged wrist."I—" Rocco's voice cracked. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the cool hospital air. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.The automatic doors opened again, and Kevin Romano made his entrance with the practiced confidence of someone accustomed to commanding attention.His expensive suit and confident stride marked him as important, powerful, someone who mattered."What's going on here?" Kevin demanded, surveying the scene with imperious authority."Kevin!" Isabella grasped at this new ally desperately. "Thank God you're here! This man—" she pointed at Vincent "—has been terrorizing us, and the hospital won't do anything!"Kevin's eyes found Vincent, and his expression hardened with recognition and remembered humiliatio

Kevin and Rocco exchanged glances, then filed reluctantly toward the door. Isabella hesitated, clearly torn between obedience and maternal concern."Mama, I'll talk to you later," Gianna said more gently. "Just... not right now."Isabella nodded stiffly, shooting Vincent one more venomous glare before leaving. The room emptied until only Vincent and Gianna remained.Vincent moved closer to the bed, his expression concerned but respectful of her space. "How are you feeling?""Tired," Gianna admitted. "Confused. Angry.""That's understandable.""Why didn't you eat?" Vincent asked quietly. "Even one meal would have prevented this.""I was busy," Gianna replied defensively. "I had problems to deal with.""Problems that landed you in the hospital.""Problems you created!" Gianna's voice rose, then she winced at the effort. "If you hadn't antagonized Giovanni, hadn't humiliated Rocco and Kevin—""They would have found other ways to pressure you," Vincent interrupted gently. "People like tha

Rocco's face flushed with anger and confusion. "This is ridiculous! Mr. Chen, you can't possibly believe this homeless-looking nobody has any connection to Iron Hands International!""Homeless-looking?" one of the executives muttered, emboldened by Rocco's mockery. "Look at his suit. I've seen better clothes at charity shops.""Exactly!" Rocco seized on this support. "Mr. Chen, I'm begging you—use your eyes! Look at this man! Does he look like someone who has connections to one of the world's largest corporations?"Marcus Chen did look at Vincent—really looked this time.The worn suit, the modest shoes, the completely unremarkable appearance of a man who could blend into any crowd and be immediately forgotten."I..." Marcus hesitated, doubt creeping into his expression. "I mean, no offense intended, but Mr. Benedetti has a point. Iron Hands International doesn't exactly... they don't work with individuals. They deal with major corporations, government contracts—""They deal with whoev