I tried to leave, but Alex held me from behind. "I'm sorry, my love, I'm so sorry!"

"The family business has been so demanding, I haven't had time for Leo. You've been so stressed with family matters, and taking care of him is exhausting. I just wanted to help, so sometimes I let Elena look after him."

I didn't want to hear any more of it. I struggled against his hold.

But Alex wouldn't let go. "My love, it's all my fault!"

"I'll make her disappear right now. She won't be in New York by tomorrow!"

"My love, I love you. I can't live without you. Please, don't leave me."

His voice was shaking. I stood there, silent and still.

Alex's voice broke. "We've been together for so long. You gave me such a smart, wonderful heir. Casey, I'm begging you, don't abandon me."

He sounded so pitiful, like a big dog afraid of being abandoned by its master.

But his words no longer moved me. All I could think about was Leo.

He was so young, and just a short time with Elena had already started to corrupt him.

This alliance had to be broken. And I was taking our heir with me.

I turned to face him. "I would never abandon Leo."

I would never abandon my son.

His eyes lit up with relief, and he leaned in to kiss me. I turned my head away, disgusted by the thought of his touch.

"The riding lesson is about to end. I'm going to pick up our son."

With that, I left. I picked up Leo and we went home. He was happily playing with his toys on the sofa.

I tried to keep my voice steady, not wanting to frighten him. "Leo, can Mommy ask you something?"

"Go ahead," he said without looking up.

I took a deep breath. "If one day, I had to leave Daddy, who would you choose to be with?"

He turned to look at me, his eyes cold and detached. "Mommy, is Daddy leaving you?"

His expression stunned me. Behind the coldness, there was a flicker of excitement, of anticipation.

"I'm staying with Daddy! I don't want to be with you!"

My heart felt like it was bleeding. I had raised him since birth. While Alex was a decent father, the first few years of Leo's life were turbulent for the Five Families. Alex was almost never home. It was only after things settled down that we started having any real family time.

A chill spread through me, my hands and feet turning to ice. My nails dug into my palms.

That night, I lay in bed, unable to sleep. When Alex returned, he slipped under the covers and held me. I could smell that he had showered, using the custom-scented body wash I had made for him.

He whispered in my ear, trying to win me over. "Casey, I've dealt with Elena. She'll never come between us again."

I couldn't bring myself to speak. I turned my back to him and lay awake all night.

The next morning, after he left for work, I called Julian, the consigliere, again. "Julian, if the alliance is broken and my son doesn't want to come with me, what are the chances the elders will grant me custody?"

Julian and I spoke for a long time. I had Maria take Leo to school, then I met Sophia at a café on a busy shopping street.

I told her everything about Alex and Leo. She tried to comfort me. "So, what are you going to do? Are you going to stay with him, or is this the end?"

I looked up at her. "I'm breaking the alliance with the Moretti family."

I didn't want a man who was so thoroughly tainted.