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CHAPTER 78: TOUGH TIMES,TOUGH MEASURES
Last Updated:
2025-03-07 04:39:05
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Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 79: BLOWBACK FROM THE PAST
Enzo sat at the back of the high-end restaurant, his fingers drumming lightly against the table. The air smelt of seared steak and expensive whiskey, but there was a tension beneath the polished atmosphere that he couldn’t ignore.Across from him sat Fabio Santori, a small-time player from the life Enzo had left behind. Fabio looked relaxed, sipping his wine, but Enzo wasn’t fooled. The man never did anything without an angle.Sienna sat beside Enzo, her presence a silent anchor. She had wanted to come, and Enzo hadn’t argued. If this meeting was going where he thought it was, she had every right to hear it for herself.Fabio set his glass down with a satisfied sigh. “You’ve done well for yourself, Enzo. Clean slate, legitimate business—quite the transformation.” He smirked. “But you know how it is. The past never really lets go.”Enzo’s jaw tightened. “If you came here to reminisce, I don’t have time for it.”Fabio chuckled, shaking his head. “Always direct. I respect that.” He leane
Last Updated : 2025-03-10Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 80: SCALING UP
Enzo leaned back in his chair, scanning the paperwork in front of him. The numbers were solid. Their latest expansion deal was moving forward, and the projections looked even better than expected. Across the desk, Federico grinned, tapping his fingers against the polished wood.“We’re actually doing this,” Federico said, shaking his head in amusement. “Legitimate, profitable… almost feels like a dream.”Enzo smirked. “Told you we could.”Federico scoffed. “Yeah, yeah. But let’s not pretend you didn’t have doubts.”Enzo’s expression darkened slightly. “I still do. People like us don’t get clean slates. We build something good, and someone always wants to tear it down.”Federico’s grin faded. “You think Fabio's going to make a move?”Enzo sighed. “I don’t know. But I don’t trust him to sit back and do nothing.”Federico leaned forward. “So what’s the plan?”Enzo tapped the papers. “We keep expanding. The stronger we get, the harder we are to touch.”Federico nodded slowly. “I like it. B
Last Updated : 2025-03-11Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 81: THE WEIGHT OF THE PAST
Enzo sat at his desk, flipping through a newspaper, his jaw tightening as he read the headline.FORMER UNDERWORLD FIGURE TURNED BUSINESSMAN—CAN A LEOPARD REALLY CHANGE ITS SPOTS?The article went into detail about his past—his connections to the mafia, his leadership under the Falcone name, the violence, the power struggles. There were no outright accusations, but the implications were clear: Could someone like Enzo Falcone truly go legitimate?Federico stormed into the office, slamming the door behind him. “Have you seen this crap?” He threw the paper onto Enzo’s desk, eyes blazing.Enzo exhaled. “Yeah.”“This is deliberate,” Federico spat. “Someone fed them this. This isn’t just some journalist digging around—it’s a hit piece.”Enzo nodded. “I know.”Federico paced, running a hand through his hair. “I bet it’s Rossi.”Enzo’s gaze darkened. Carlo Rossi, their biggest competitor in the commercial real estate sector, had been circling them like a shark for weeks. He had old money, deep
Last Updated : 2025-03-12Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 82: PUSHING BACK
Enzo leaned against his desk , arms crossed, as Federico slammed a file down in front of him.“They pulled out,” Federico said, his voice tight with frustration.Enzo barely blinked. “Who?”“Lannister Holdings.”Enzo exhaled. “That was a done deal.”“Yeah, well, now it’s undone.” Federico ran a hand through his hair. “That’s the third one this week, Enzo. Investors are getting spooked. We’re hemorrhaging money, and I think I know why.”Enzo straightened. “Who?”Federico tossed another file onto the desk. “Valente Group.”Enzo’s jaw tightened. “Mauro Valente?”Federico nodded. “He’s connected, Enzo. Not just business—old-school mafia ties. Word on the street is, he doesn’t like that we’re making waves. Doesn’t like that we’re clean.”Enzo let out a slow breath. “So he’s squeezing us.”“Hard,” Federico confirmed. “Pressuring our suppliers, whispering in investors’ ears, making it clear that doing business with us is a liability.” He leaned forward. “This isn’t just competition. This is
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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
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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.”
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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
Last Updated : 2025-03-22Beneath 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
Last Updated : 2025-03-24
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Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 99: WE ARE HOME
Enzo is with Federico to look at the books. He’s impressed with the figures, as he watches Federico pace behind the desk, sleeves rolled up, tie askew, an earpiece clipped to one ear.“Move the meeting with the Milan investors to Thursday, I want numbers in my inbox by tomorrow morning—no excuses.”He ended the call and turned to Enzo. “If these projections hold, we’re expanding to Zurich by next quarter.”Enzo blinked. “Zurich?”Federico grinned. “You said you wanted global. I’m delivering global.”“Remind me never to underestimate you again.”Federico smirked. “That’s twice this week you’ve said that.”“Because that's twice you’ve shocked him this week. Matteo added, tapping away at his laptop, glancing between screens and a printed contract.“You highlighted the wrong clause,” Enzo said mildly.Matteo frowned. “I thought that was the jurisdiction clause?”“It is. But the problem’s in the indemnity section.”Matteo groaned. “This stuff is so dry.”Enzo chuckled. “So was accounting w
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 98: FINDING PEACE
The warm light from the desk lamp cast a soft glow over the dark wood and leather. Enzo sat behind the desk, going over reports. The door creaked open, and Luca stepped in, unannounced but expected.“You’re late,” Enzo said without looking up.Luca smirked as he closed the door. “You never used to care about time when we were running heat in our backstreets.”“Now I care about school runs and quarterly projections,” Enzo replied, setting down his pen. “Different stakes.”Luca nodded and sat across from him. “It’s quieter out there.”Enzo raised an eyebrow. “Too quiet?”“There’s a vacuum, Enzo. Since you left… there’s no one solid holding things together.”“That’s not my concern anymore.”Luca leaned back, studying him. “You always had the head for order. Even when we were knee-deep in mess, you brought structure. People respected that.”“And feared it,” Enzo muttered. “Don’t romanticize it, Luca.”“I’m not. I’m telling you there’s instability. Factions forming, reckless kids stepping
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 97: LIVING THE LIFE
The late afternoon sun filtered through the kitchen windows, casting a golden hue across the counters. Sienna stood barefoot at the island, cutting strawberries for Lucia, who sat in her high chair, babbling to herself and occasionally tossing fruit to the floor.“Sweetheart,” Sienna said, laughing, “the food goes in your mouth, not under the fridge.”Lucia squealed in delight, clearly unconcerned.Enzo entered, sleeves rolled up, loosened tie around his neck. He leaned down, kissing Lucia’s forehead and then Sienna’s cheek.“Smells good in here,” he murmured.“That’s because it’s strawberries and not one of your protein shakes,” she teased.He chuckled. “Fair.”They watched Lucia for a moment, both quiet.“She’s growing fast,” Sienna said softly. “Seems like just yesterday I was waddling through this house, cursing swollen ankles.”Enzo smiled, resting a hand on her back. “And now she’s tossing berries like confetti.”Sienna turned to look at him. “Have you ever thought about having
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 96: GIVING BACK
Sienna adjusted the collar of her blouse as she stood in front of the small group of women seated in folding chairs. A banner hung behind her, the freshly printed letters reading: Lucia Foundation – Hope Beyond the Shadows. Natalia stood off to the side, clipboard in hand, giving her an encouraging nod.“You’ve got this,” Natalia whispered.Sienna smiled, then took a breath and stepped forward.“Thank you all for coming today. I know how hard it can be to walk into a room like this. I’ve been where you are. Caught in a world that told me silence was survival.”A murmur of agreement rippled through the group.“But silence isn’t strength,” Sienna continued. “Community is. And that’s what we’re building here.”After the session ended, Natalia approached her with a wide grin. “You were amazing. The women were hanging on every word.”Sienna exhaled, wiping her palms on her skirt. “I was terrified.”“Didn’t show.”Just then, Sienna’s phone buzzed. It was a picture from Federico—baby Lucia n
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 95: A GHOST OF THE FUTURE
Enzo leaned back in his chair, flipping through the latest quarterly report. The numbers didn’t lie. His lips curled into a wide smile just as Federico walked in, looking confident, sleeves rolled up and phone still in hand.Enzo raised a brow. “That the final call?”Federico nodded, tossing his phone onto the desk. “Done. They signed.”Enzo blinked. “You closed it?”Federico smirked. “I told you I would.”Enzo stood and walked around the desk. “You got them to agree to our terms? All of them?”“Every single one,” Federico said, voice calm but proud. “Distribution rights, branding control, full autonomy for expansion in the next region.”“Jesus,” Enzo muttered, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “That’s huge, Fed. This deal alone will cover our overhead for the next six months.”Federico chuckled. “Told you to trust me.”“I do trust you,” Enzo said, then added with a smirk, “But I didn’t expect you to wipe the floor with their legal team.”“They tried to box me in,” Federico said, settl
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 94: ONE LAST CHANCE
Enzo stood behind the counter of his café, sleeves rolled up, taking a break. The late afternoon crowd had thinned, leaving a calm lull in the air. The door chimed softly.Nico stepped in, dressed down in jeans and a black hoodie, eyes scanning the space.“Didn’t peg you for the espresso crowd,” Enzo said, smirking as he glanced up.Nico shrugged. “Didn’t come for coffee.Enzo picked up his coffee. “Then come on. Back patio’s quiet.”They moved out to the enclosed terrace, where potted herbs lined the walls and the city noise faded behind a curtain of green. Nico sat, drumming his fingers on the table.Enzo leaned back in his chair. “Talk to me.”“I’ve been thinking,” Nico started, eyes distant. “Things are shifting. Luca’s hanging by a thread. Everyone’s watching their backs. It’s not the life it used to be.”“It never was,” Enzo replied. “We just convinced ourselves it was worth the cost.”Nico looked up. “You made it out. Legit. I didn’t think it was possible, but you did it.”“It
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 93: BABY ON BOARD
Sienna pressed a hand to her belly, breathing through the tightness that gripped her. The restaurant bustled around her, waiters weaving between tables, the scent of fresh pasta and espresso filling the air. She tried to focus on the conversation with her friend, but another sharp pain made her grip the edge of the table.“Are you okay?” her friend, Natalia asked, concern flickering in her eyes.Sienna exhaled slowly. “I think—I think it’s happening.”Natalia’s eyes widened. “Now? Sienna, we need to call Enzo.”Sienna nodded, fumbling for her phone. Her hands trembled as she hit Enzo’s number. He picked up on the first ring.“Hey, piccola. What’s wrong?”She sucked in a breath, another contraction making her voice waver. “It’s time.”A chair scraped loudly on the other end. “Where are you?”“At the restaurant. I was meeting Natalia—”“I’m on my way.” His voice was sharp with urgency. “Stay put.”The call ended, and Natalia stood, waving down a waiter. “We need to get her somewhere mor
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 92: TWO SIDES OF A COIN
Alessandro DeLuca sat in the sparsely furnished living room, an empty glass in his hand, staring at the pile of unpaid bills scattered across the table. The walls around him felt smaller, suffocating.The front door opened, and Veronica stepped inside, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor. She wasn’t alone—Julian and Victoria trailed behind her, their expressions unreadable.Alessandro straightened. “You’re back.”Veronica met his gaze, but there was no warmth in her eyes. “Only to get the rest of our things.”His stomach dropped. “What?”She sighed, placing her purse down. “I’m leaving, Alessandro. For good. And the kids are coming with me.”Julian, arms crossed, stood firm. “We don’t want to be part of this anymore, Dad.”Victoria, barely holding back tears, nodded. “Mom’s right. It’s not safe here.”Alessandro’s jaw clenched. “Safe? I’m your father. You think running away is the answer?”Veronica stepped closer, her voice calm but unwavering. “You burned every bridge, Ales
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?
