16 Our first child came a year later . A daughter we named Aoife - meaning radiant beauty . Holding her , I thought about the child I'd lost . The one who would have been born into uncertainty and lies . " What are you thinking ? " Ronan asked , watching me nurse our daughter . " That timing matters . That she came at the right time , to the right family . " " No ghosts ? " " There are always ghosts in our world . But they don't haunt me . " He kissed my forehead . " Good . " My mother visited often , teaching me the things she'd learned running operations while raising children . " It's harder than it looks , " she warned . " Balancing family and family business . " " I had a good teacher . " " Flattery will get you everywhere . " She studied Aoife's face . " She has your stubbornness already . " " And Ronan's strategic mind . God help our enemies . " We expanded carefully , thoughtfully . The Brennan - Fitzgerald alliance became the strongest in Boston . Not through violence alone , but through smart business , careful planning , and mutual respect . Other families took notice . Some allied with us . Others kept respectful distance . 16