Chapter 2
2
At five in the morning, Dr. Ward sent me an encrypted link.
The field hospital had one surgeon slot left.
I logged in with my Ghost Surgeon Black Level clearance.
Three seconds later, the system approved it.
[Application accepted.]
[Final confirmation required. Once confirmed, cancellation locked.]
I did not press the final button.
After sunrise, Dante wrapped his arms around me from behind.
“Don’t go to the hospital today. Come with me to Harbor Club.”
Before, that would have made me happy for a long time. Harbor Club was Dante’s private waterfront club, the place he valued most. The Marcelli family’s yachts were docked there, and his private office for port routes and money transfers was hidden inside.
He rarely brought anyone there. I once thought that meant I was special.
At ten, I went to Harbor Club with him.
On the top-floor terrace, Isabella Vitale sat barefoot beside Dante’s most treasured navigation chart.
Half a glass of champagne had spilled across the paper. Takeout boxes sat by her feet.
I remembered eating a mint there two years ago because my blood sugar had dropped.
Dante had thrown it into the trash and said the club was not allowed to smell like a hospital.
Now he crouched in front of Isabella and wiped sauce from her ankle.
Isabella looked up at me and smiled.
“So this is the doctor girl you told me about?”
She looked down at the chart again and acted innocent.
“Did I ruin it? Dante said it was fine, but I still feel bad.”
She said she felt bad, but her toes pressed against the wet stain.
Dante laughed softly and tapped her nose with a napkin.
“You’re impossible, princess.”
I looked at the chart.
It was a hand-drawn map of the first smuggling route the Marcelli family ever used.
Last month, a server had touched the frame by accident. Dante had his hand broken on the spot.
Now Isabella stepped champagne into the paper, and he thought she was cute.
I said, “I thought you hated it when people made a mess here.”
Dante’s face cooled.
He stood and moved in front of Isabella.
“Ava, don’t make this ugly.”
Isabella blinked.
“Did I upset you? Sorry. I forgot you were coming too.”
She paused, then smiled wider.
“Dante said you were sensible. He said you wouldn’t mind.”
I did not answer her.
I took out my phone and logged into Harbor Club’s medical licensing system.
Three years ago, Dante wanted a shipment moved through Pier 7.
The shipment had no legal clearance. I used an anonymous medical fund to attach a cold-chain medical license to Harbor Club, which allowed the shipment through the port.
After that, the route became the Marcelli family’s most stable transport line.
Dante always thought it was his power.
I opened the license status.
[Active.]
Then I revoked it.
[Medical cold-chain certification suspended.]
Ten seconds later, Dante’s phone rang.
He answered, and his face darkened fast.
“What do you mean the Pier 7 shipment was detained?”
The voice on the other end sounded urgent.
Dante’s tone turned cold.
“A spot inspection? Do they not know that cargo belongs to Marcelli?”
He turned aside and listened with his anger held down.
Isabella glanced at me.
I locked my phone and smiled at her.
Her expression froze for a second.
Dante ended the call and came back with a hard face.
Isabella grabbed his sleeve at once.
“Did I interrupt your work?”
Dante softened his voice.
“It’s not your fault.”
Then he looked at me.
“Ava, go home first. Don’t cause more trouble today.”
I took the black diamond bracelet from my bag and held it out to him.
“This is yours. Take it back.”
Dante looked at the bracelet. His face sank.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“We’re done.”
The terrace went quiet.
Isabella covered her mouth, but her eyes were full of amusement.
Dante stared at me for a few seconds, then gave a cold laugh.
“You can be jealous, but don’t use a breakup to scare me.”
He tossed the bracelet box to Enzo.
“Put it away. Give it back when she calms down.”
Dante did not believe I would leave him.
He thought I would do what I had always done. If he gave me one step down, I would take it.
My phone vibrated in my pocket.
The field medical system showed the final confirmation.
[Confirm deployment?]
I looked back at the terrace.
Dante was lowering his head to comfort Isabella.
I pressed confirm.
[Deployment locked.]