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CHAPTER 25: TWO SPRUNG ATTACK
Huling Na-update:
2024-12-23 07:09:34
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Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 26: FURY UNLEASHED
The Torres convoy rolled through the industrial district, flanked by armed guards. Sienna sat in the back of an armored van, her wrists once again bound. Ricardo sat opposite her, watching her like a hawk.“Enjoying the ride?” he sneered.Sienna glared at him but said nothing. Her mind was racing, searching for a way out.“Don’t bother,” Ricardo said, noticing her darting eyes. “No one’s coming for you this time.”“You don’t know Enzo,” Sienna replied, her voice steady despite her fear.Ricardo chuckled. “And you don’t know Giancarlo. He’s already won. Falcone’s rage will be his downfall.”The van jolted to a stop. Ricardo frowned, reaching for his radio.“What’s going on?”The response crackled through. “Roadblock ahead. We’re checking it out.”Ricardo leaned toward the front of the van. “Stay alert.”A sudden explosion rocked the vehicle, throwing everyone inside against the walls. Sienna hit the floor hard, her ears ringing.Outside, chaos erupted. Enzo’s men swarmed the convoy, th
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-24Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 27: A LOVE THAT BURNS
Back at the compound, Sienna sat on the worn leather couch, her knees drawn to her chest. Enzo was meeting with his men, overhauling the security system around his home and safehouses.The house was eerily quiet, the only sound coming from the faint crackle of the fireplace, when Enzo came back, he went straight to bar and poured himself a drink. He went to the window and stood staring into the darkness outside. His silhouette was tense, a predator still on edge.“You haven’t said anything in hours,” Sienna finally broke the silence, her voice hesitant.“There’s nothing to say,” Enzo replied without turning around.“That’s not true.” She leaned forward, her fiery determination bubbling up. “You’re angry. Not just at them—at me.”Enzo’s jaw tightened. “I’m angry because they keep finding ways to get to me. And now they’re using you.”“Using me?” Sienna stood, crossing her arms. “I didn’t ask for any of this, Enzo. I didn’t ask to be dragged into your world!”He turned then, his dark ey
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-25Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 28: BETRAYAL RUNS DEEP
The room was silent except for the faint sound of rain tapping against the window. Sienna paced in the library, clutching the phone she swiped from Ricardo while in captivity. Her hands trembled as she scanned the messages contained in the phone for the fifth time.“Enzo,” she whispered under her breath, “you’re not going to believe this.”The door opened suddenly, and Enzo walked in, his tie loosened, his face tired. “Sienna, it’s late. What are you doing?”She turned to him, eyes wide with urgency. “We need to talk.”Enzo frowned. “About what?”“This,” she said, thrusting the phone into his hands.He scrolled through the messages, his brows furrowing deeper with each line he read. “What is this?”“Check the dates of those messages,” Sienna said, her voice steady despite the storm in her chest. “Someone's been feeding information to the Torres Clan. And that someone is Marco.”Enzo froze, the weight of her words settling over him like a heavy fog. “That’s impossible. Marco’s been wi
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-26Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 29: THE PRICE OF LOVE
The dimly lit room reeked of sweat and desperation. Sienna’s wrists were bound to the chair, her hair plastered to her forehead from the hours she had spent struggling. Marco leaned against the wall, a cruel smirk playing on his lips as he toyed with the gun in his hand.“You look comfortable,” Marco sneered. “Enzo really has a thing for broken things, doesn’t he?”Sienna raised her chin despite the trembling in her legs. “You’re underestimating him. And me.”Marco chuckled, pacing slowly around her. “Underestimate you? Sweetheart, you’re nothing but a pawn in a game you don’t understand.”“Funny,” Sienna shot back, her voice sharp, “that’s exactly what people are saying about you. And look where you are—desperate enough to sell me to save your sorry skin.”Marco’s smirk faltered, his eyes narrowing. “Watch your mouth.”“Why? Afraid the truth hurts?” Sienna’s voice didn’t waver. She leaned forward as much as her restraints allowed. “You’re a coward, Marco. You couldn’t beat Enzo, so y
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-27Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 30: NO REDEMPTION
The warehouse was eerily quiet, save for the sound of Enzo’s measured footsteps echoing against the cold concrete. Marco sat slumped in a chair at the center of the room, his face bruised and bloodied, his hands bound tightly behind him. A single bulb swung overhead, casting sharp shadows across the space.Enzo’s men lined the walls, silent and tense. At their feet lay the bodies of the Torres guards who had attempted to break Marco out earlier that night.“You’ve always had a flair for the dramatic,” Marco rasped, his swollen lips twisting into a defiant smirk. “A solitary light bulb? Really? What’s next, a monologue about betrayal?”Enzo stopped a few feet from him, his dark eyes burning with quiet fury. “I don’t need theatrics, Marco. I need answers.”Marco barked a laugh, wincing as pain shot through his ribs. “Answers? Oh, Enzo. I thought you were smarter than this. You already know everything.”“What I know,” Enzo said slowly, his voice as sharp as the blade he pulled from his
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-28Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 31: A MAN IN CONFLICT
The soft flicker of candlelight cast shadows across the room as Enzo sat in silence, staring into the tumbler of whiskey in his hand. He could hear Sienna moving about in the next room, her presence both a comfort and a torment.Marco’s final words echoed in his mind: You can’t change, Enzo. Men like us? We don’t get to choose.“Whiskey for your thoughts?” Sienna’s voice broke the stillness, light and teasing, though her eyes carried a deeper concern as she stepped into the room.Enzo glanced up, his lips twitching into a faint smile. “You shouldn’t be up. It’s late.”She crossed her arms, leaning against the doorway. “Sleep doesn’t come easily these days. You should know that better than anyone.”He swirled the whiskey in his glass, the ice clinking softly. “This life... it’s not easy for anyone.”“No,” she agreed, taking a cautious step closer. “But it’s harder when you don’t let anyone in.”Enzo sighed, setting the glass down. “You’re already too far in, Sienna. If I could take it
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-29Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 32: BALANCING SHADOWS
“Enzo, if you can’t control our men, you’re as good as dead,” Luca snapped, slamming a file onto the table. “Marco’s betrayal was a crack in the foundation. If you don’t patch it now, it’ll crumble under you.”Enzo leaned back in his chair, voice cold, “Do you think I don’t know that? Marco’s shadow still lingers. But let’s not pretend you’ve been a saint, Luca. Questioning my decisions in front of the men doesn’t help.”“Your decisions? Luca asked, defiant You’ve been distracted. That girl—”Enzo cuts him off, voice razor-sharp. “Her name is Sienna. And if you mention her like she’s a problem again, we’ll have more than words.”“Luca isn’t wrong, Enzo." Nico interjected cautiously. "The men… they’re talking. They’re wondering if Marco wasn’t the only one with misplaced loyalty.”Enzo stood abruptly, slamming his palms on the table. “Are you implying Sienna is disloyal?”“No.” Nico said quickly, “But perception matters, and right now, she’s seen as an outsider. She’s your weakness in
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-30Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 33: LINES DRAWN IN THE SAND
“Every time she’s in the room, something goes wrong,” Luca growled, pacing the length of the dining hall. “How much more proof do you need, Enzo?”Enzo leaned back in his chair, unshaken. “You’re overstepping, Luca.”Luca slammed his palm on the table, “No, you’re blind! First Marco, now this mess at the docks. And somehow, it’s never her fault?”“He has a point, boss.” Nico sitting with arms crossed. “The timing doesn’t lie. Ever since she showed up—”“You mean ever since Enzo saved my life?” Sienna cut in, voice steady.Luca turned to her, his glare icy, “Saved your life? Or invited trouble into ours?”Sienna stepped forward. “You think I wanted any of this? You think I asked to be dragged into your world of guns and betrayal?”Nico raised a brow. “And yet here you are, standing in the middle of it.”“Enough.” Enzo bellowed as he rose, his tone silencing the room. “If you have something to say, Nico, Luca, say it to me. Leave her out of it.”“That’s the problem, Enzo.” Luca said wea
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-31
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Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 91: THE CONTRACT
The air inside the office was thick with tension. Federico paced near the window, eyes darting to the street below. Enzo, seated at his desk, flipped a pen between his fingers, his expression unreadable."Word's out," Federico finally said, his voice low. "Everyone knows you've left. Some think you're weak. Others think you’re a liability. And then there are the ones who just want you gone."Enzo didn’t react. He merely leaned back in his chair, the pen still spinning. "And which one sent the hitman?"Federico scoffed. "Does it matter? The fact is, someone’s coming. And we need to be ready."A long silence stretched between them. Enzo finally put the pen down, lacing his fingers together. "How sure are you?""Nico sent word. Said he caught wind of something through one of his informants. A contract’s been put out. Clean, quiet, professional. Someone wants you buried without a trace."Enzo sighed. "Any names?"Federico hesitated. "Just one. Matteo Ricci."Enzo’s brow furrowed. "Ricci?
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 90: A BREAKING POINT
Enzo sat alone in the dimly lit restaurant, the low hum of conversation filling the space. He checked his watch. Ten minutes past the agreed time.He shouldn’t have come.But when Massimo Guiliani requested a meeting, you didn’t ignore it. Not unless you were prepared for the consequences.The door at the back of the restaurant swung open, and a man stepped in. Massimo Guiliani—old but still sharp, his silver hair neatly combed back, his suit pristine. He moved with the careful confidence of someone who had outlived most of his enemies.“Enzo,” Guiliani greeted, sliding into the booth across from him. “It’s been a long time.”“Not long enough,” Enzo said, leaning back. “Let’s skip the pleasantries. Why am I here?”Guiliani chuckled, shaking his head. “Always straight to business. That’s what I always liked about you.”Enzo remained silent.Guiliani signalled the waiter, ordering a whiskey for himself and a water for Enzo. “Still keeping that sharp mind clear, I see.”“I don’t have tim
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 89: NEW BEGINNING BIGGER RISK
The soft clinking of glasses filled the private dining room as Enzo, Federico, and their newest business partners celebrated. The air was thick with the scent of expensive whiskey and success.“To the future,” Federico said, lifting his glass.“To a clean future,” Enzo corrected, meeting his brother-in-law’s gaze.Federico smirked. “Yeah, yeah. To a clean future.”Across the table sat Louis Marcone, a real estate mogul, and Armand Leclair, a high-end logistics investor. Two men who, six months ago, wouldn’t have touched Enzo Blackwood with a ten-foot pole.And yet, here they were, signing deals that would cement Blackwood Holdings as a legitimate empire.Louis swirled his drink, studying Enzo. “I have to say, when I first heard you wanted into luxury real estate, I had my doubts.”Armand chuckled. “We all did.”Enzo leaned back, his expression unreadable. “Yet here we are.”Louis nodded. “Yes, here we are. And with the way things are moving, you’ll be one of the most powerful names in
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 88: A LINE CROSSED
Enzo leaned over the desk, scanning the documents in front of him. Federico sat across from him, swirling the whiskey in his glass, watching him closely.“This is it,” Enzo said, tapping the contract. “The expansion we’ve been planning for. If we do this right, we solidify everything.”Federico smirked. “You mean, we finally get people to stop whispering about how we don’t belong in the legitimate world?”Enzo chuckled, shaking his head. “Something like that.” He pushed the papers toward Federico. “It’s a risk, but it’s the right move. The logistics company is a smart play. Shipping, distribution—completely above board. And once we have control, no one questions our credibility.”Federico scanned the contract, nodding. “I like it. It’s clean. Profitable. And best of all, no one’s getting shot at.” He leaned back. “You think Louis will play ball?”Enzo nodded. “I already met with him. He wants assurance, but he’s interested.”Federico grinned. “So, when do we celebrate?”Enzo smirked.
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 87: FATE'S BENEVOLENCE
Enzo stared at the thick envelope in his hands, his name scrawled across the front in an elegant, familiar handwriting. The lawyer sitting across from him, a thin man with silver-rimmed glasses, cleared his throat. "Mr. Falcone, I understand this comes as a surprise, but your mentor, Rafael Marino, left very specific instructions. He wanted you to have this." Sienna sat beside Enzo, her fingers lightly brushing his arm in silent support. "What exactly is this?" she asked, her voice calm but cautious. The lawyer folded his hands over the desk. "It’s an inheritance. Properties, businesses—legitimate ones—Marino acquired over the years. He left them all to Enzo." Enzo frowned. "Why? I hadn’t spoken to him in years." The lawyer adjusted his glasses. "Because he believed in you. He saw you trying to get out, to build something different. He wanted to give you a chance to do it without being constantly dragged back into the past." Silence stretched between them. Enzo turned the e
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 86: PLUS ONE
Enzo sat at the kitchen table, rubbing his temples as he stared at the stack of documents in front of him. Business had been a battlefield lately, and despite his best efforts to stay on the right path, it felt like every step forward came with two steps back.Sienna moved quietly around the kitchen, her gaze drifting toward him every few moments. She could see the weight he carried, the tension in his shoulders, and the way he rolled his neck as if trying to shake off invisible chains.She placed a cup of coffee in front of him and slid into the chair across from him. “You look exhausted.”He gave her a small smirk, picking up the coffee. “And here I thought I was hiding it well.”“You’re never that good at hiding things from me,” she said, tilting her head.Enzo took a sip, his eyes studying her. “You’ve been quiet tonight. Something on your mind?”Sienna hesitated, her fingers tracing patterns on the wooden table. She had been holding onto this secret for a few days, waiting for th
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 85: THE CHOICES WE MAKE
Sienna was sitting in the office, reviewing contracts, when a knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She frowned, expecting Enzo, but when she opened it, her stomach twisted. Alessandro stood there, leaning casually against the frame, his smirk both familiar and infuriating."Miss me, sweetheart?" he drawled.Sienna's grip on the door tightened. "What do you want? Enzo’s not here.""Yeah, I know." He pushed past her into the office. "That’s why I came now. We need to talk."She turned sharply, watching him as he moved around the space like he owned it. "We have nothing to talk about. Whatever scam you’re running this time, I want no part of it."Alessandro chuckled, tapping his fingers on the desk. "You always did have a sharp tongue. I raised you too well. But let’s not pretend I don’t know why you and your boyfriend are playing house here. You think you’re safe? That Enzo can just walk away from the world he came from?"Sienna’s patience snapped. "Get out. And for the recor
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 84: ENZO'S DILEMMA
The phone rang late at night, its sharp sound cutting through the quiet of their home. Enzo had been sitting on the couch, a glass of whiskey in his hand, his free arm resting around Sienna. She stirred at the noise, her eyes barely opening as he reached for the phone.“Falcone.”A familiar voice came through, strained, urgent. “Enzo. I need you.”Luca.Enzo sat up straighter, instantly alert. “What’s going on?”There was a pause, then Luca’s voice dropped lower. “It’s bad. Worse than before. I wouldn’t be calling if it wasn’t.”Sienna, now fully awake, watched him closely, her fingers tightening around his arm. “What is it?” she whispered.Enzo ignored her for the moment. “Where are you?”“Warehouse on 9th. You coming?”Enzo exhaled heavily, rubbing his face. “I’ll call you back.” He ended the call before Luca could argue and placed the phone on the table.Sienna was already sitting up, her face pale. “No.”He turned to her. “Sienna—”“No, Enzo. Whatever it is, let him deal with it.”
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 83: BETRAYALS FROM WITHIN
The office was quiet except for the rhythmic clicking of Enzo’s pen against the desk. Federico sat across from him, arms crossed, scowling at the file between them.“This doesn’t make sense,” Federico muttered, shaking his head. “We were supposed to close the East River deal next week. Now, somehow, Valente’s already signed with them?”Enzo’s jaw clenched. “They knew exactly what we were offering.”Federico exhaled sharply. “Which means someone gave them that information.”Enzo leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing. “We have a leak.”Federico let out a bitter chuckle. “You sure you don’t miss the old days? Back then, we knew how to deal with rats.”Enzo shot him a sharp look. “That’s not who we are anymore.”Federico scoffed. “Yeah? Because from where I’m sitting, it looks like playing by the rules is just getting us screwed over.”Enzo ignored him, flipping through the contract details again. His mind was already working through possibilities. Only a handful of people had access t
