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“That is the woman who’ll inherit your wealth? Do you knohat the jackals will do to her?”

“Which is why I want to ensure her well-being If I died tomorrow, Pia would be all alone in the world”

“And so you have advertised her to all of Milan with the size of her inheritance hanging around her neck like a bloody flashing neon sign By toet their hands on Pia”

“I didn’t advertise her, Raphael” A shadow of pain crossed Gio’s usually animated features “I celebrated her presence inabout Lucia, I finally have so she could ever want I want to cherish her, pamper her, protect her

“That child is… Her innocence, there’s soile about her

“Would you deny s? Would you deny hter to the world? The chance to find athe vultures?”

By sheer dint of his will, Raphael kept his shock to hiht Giovanni intended to buy a prince for Pia And hand her over lock, stock and barrel Along with his shares

He couldn’t care He didn’t

“That’s up to you Just…don’t give her any more money Not until I confirm her claim”

“You do what you have to do, Raphael Who knows, maybe she’ll take my seat on the board?”

He wouldn’t, however, watch years of his hard work being throay “She’s an elementary school science teacher and you want to throw her into the shark-infested pool that is the VA board? They’ll pick the meat off her bones”

“She will have you to advise her and guide her”

He stood up, and put away his wineglass “I have neither the tih on my plate with Alyssa, with the company, and now I find out that—” he bit off the last part Giovanni had always had a soft spot for his stepdaughter, who happened to be Raphael’s ex-wife and Alyssa’shis head in Raphael’s business just as he wanted nothing to do with Pia