The Vow
IZZY'S POV
I stared at the ceiling in my room that night, unable to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father sitting by the window like a stranger in his own skin. That blank stare, that half-remembered smile, the way his voice drifted away mid-sentence.
It wasn’t him anymore and pretending it was would only break me faster.
I got out of bed, threw on a hoodie, and walked down the quiet hallway. The house was still, too still. Matteo’s door was closed and Janet’s light was off, the guards outside nodded as I passed, but no one said anything.
I ended up in my father’s office without even realizing I’d walked there. The door creaked softly when I pushed it open.
The room was exactly how he left it. The heavy oak desk. The shelves full of ledgers and records, The faint scent of his cologne clinging to the air. It felt like stepping into a memory.
I walked around the desk and sat in his chair. The leather was cold against my back. I leaned back and stared at the room from his perspective. This was where every decision that shaped our world was made.
And now it was my turn.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Janet’s voice came from the doorway.
I didn’t even flinch. “Not really.”
She stepped inside, barefoot, wearing an oversized T-shirt and leggings. “I figured I’d find you here.”
“I needed to see it again,” I said quietly. “From here, from his spot.”
She walked closer and leaned on the edge of the desk. “And?”
“It feels bigger than I thought.” I laughed without humor. “It’s like the chair’s too big for me.”
Janet tilted her head. “You said something earlier, fhat he’s gone. Do you still believe that?”
“I know it,” I said. “The man I knew, the one who could command a room with a single word, he’s gone and he’s not coming back.”
She was quiet for a moment. “So what does that mean for you?”
I turned the chair slightly, meeting her eyes. “It means I stop waiting for someone else to fix this. It means I stop acting like a placeholder. It means this is my empire now.”
Janet nodded slowly. “That’s a big step.”
“It’s not a step,” I said. “It’s survival.”
We were silent for a while. The ticking of the old clock on the wall was the only sound in the room.
“I saw fear in his eyes today,” I said finally. “My father, Vincenzo Marino. The man who never flinched. He looked afraid of me, or maybe afraid for me. I don’t know.”
Janet folded her arms. “And how did that make you feel?”
“Angry,” I said. “Because he built this world and left me with the mess. Because he’s still breathing, but I can’t reach him, because I’m supposed to protect everything he created, and I don’t even know where to start.”
“You start by deciding what kind of leader you’re going to be,” she said.
I stared at her. “I already decided.”
“Say it out loud,” she pressed.
I exhaled. “I’m going to be worse than him.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “Worse?”
“Stronger,” I corrected. “More ruthless, he built this empire with blood. I’ll keep it with fear and loyalty, no one is going to challenge me and live to talk about it.”
Janet studied me for a moment. “You know that path comes with a cost.”
“I know,” I said. “But I’m willing to pay it.”
She walked around the desk and sat in the chair across from me. “Then tell me what your first move is.”
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk. “I’m going to rebuild the chain of command. Anyone who’s unsure about me gets cut out, anyone who hesitates gets replaced.”
“That’ll make enemies fast,” she said.
“They’re already enemies,” I said. “I’d rather see their faces now than wait for them to stab me later.”
She nodded. “And the families outside? The ones testing your borders?”
“They’ll get one warning,” I said. “Just one, after that, we move. Hard and fast.”
“And your father?” Janet asked softly.
I looked at the empty chair across the room, the one where he used to sit during meetings. “I’ll keep visiting him,” I said. “I owe him that much but I won’t wait for his approval anymore.”
Janet gave a small smile. “You sound like a boss.”
“I am a boss,” I said. “I just needed to believe it.”
She stood and walked around to stand beside me. “Then swear it right now, say it out loud.”
I looked up at her. “What?”
“Swear it,” she repeated. “Not to me but to yourself, to him. To everyone who doubts you.”
I looked around the office. My father’s office, my office now.
“I, Isabella Marino,” I said slowly, “swear I will not let this empire fall. I swear I will protect it, grow it, and rule it, not as his daughter, but as its queen.”
Janet’s lips twitched. “Queen, huh?”
“Boss, Queen. Whatever word makes them afraid,” I said. “I’ll be it.”
She placed a hand on my shoulder. “Then you’d better be ready. They’re going to come for you harder now.”
“I want them to,” I said. “Let them come, I’ll be waiting.”
Janet sighed, but there was pride in her eyes. “Then I guess I should start calling you boss.”
“Not yet,” I said, standing up. “Not until they do.”
We left the office together, but I paused at the doorway and looked back one last time.
The chair didn’t look too big anymore.
The next morning, the house was already awake when I came downstairs. Matteo was in the kitchen on the phone, pacing back and forth. He hung up when he saw me.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“More or less,” he said. “The Bravini crew is sniffing around again. They think we’re weak.”
“Then they’re about to learn otherwise,” I said.
He raised an eyebrow. “You sound different today.”
“I am,” I said. “We’re done reacting, we set the pace now.”
Matteo studied me for a moment. “You’re serious.”
“Dead serious,” I said. “Call a meeting, full council tonight.”
“Tonight?” he repeated. “That’s fast.”
“I’m done waiting,” I said. “It’s time they see who’s in charge.”
He nodded slowly. “Alright. I’ll make the calls.”
As he walked away, Janet appeared from the hallway, sipping coffee. “You meant what you said last night, didn’t you?”
“Every word,” I said.
“And this meeting?” Janet asked, raising her brows.
“It’s the first move,” I said. “If I’m
going to wear his crown, then everyone needs to see it on my head.”
Janet smiled. “Then let’s make sure they never forget the sight.”