Chapter 2 - Shadows of Betrayal
The ballroom was a sea of silk, diamonds, and false smiles as Alessandro stepped back into the light.
He grabbed a fresh glass of champagne from a passing waiter, ensuring everyone saw him drinking.
Across the room, Vivian was holding court with her wealthy socialite friends, her beauty radiating like a poisonous flower.
She glanced in his direction, her eyes dropping to the glass in his hand with a flicker of cruel satisfaction.
Alessandro offered her a slight nod, playing the part of the devoted, oblivious groom.
His gaze then drifted to Luca, his oldest friend, the man who had fought back-to-back with him in the streets.
Luca was laughing loudly, slapping a rival boss on the shoulder as if he hadn't a care in the world.
But Alessandro noticed the nervous tension in Luca’s jaw, the way his hand kept hovering near his concealed holster.
The betrayal burned in Alessandro’s chest like battery acid, destroying twenty years of brotherhood in an instant.
He realized now that Vivian’s family never intended to honor the peace treaty between their syndicates.
They wanted the Moretti empire, and they had bought Luca’s loyalty to help them steal it from the inside.
Alessandro silently walked through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries while his mind calculated a ruthless strategy.
He knew he could not simply execute them here, not with three hundred witnesses and federal agents watching the perimeter.
He needed undeniable proof, and he needed to break them in a way that would terrify the rest of the underworld.
For the rest of the evening, he played the perfect host, hiding his lethal intentions behind a charming smile.
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When the final guest finally departed, the mansion fell into a deafening, heavy silence.
Alessandro bypassed his master bedroom and quietly made his way up to the third floor.
