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CHAPTER 87: FATE'S BENEVOLENCE
Last Updated:
2025-03-27 09:37:07
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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.
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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
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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
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Beneath 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?
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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
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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
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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
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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
Last Updated : 2025-04-06
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Beneath the Shadows EPILOGUE
Luca reclined on the couch in the Falcone’s residence, one leg propped up on a cushioned stool. The faint edge of a bandage peeked out beneath the collar of his shirt, evidence of the wound still healing beneath. Lucia toddled across the rug with determined little steps, a stuffed giraffe clutched in her chubby hands. Her giggle echoed through the room, bright and triumphant.“Hey there, bambina,” Luca said, his lips tugging into a grin. “You bringing that to me, or is it a bribe?”“Bibe, ncle Luca!” Lucia babbled as she reached him and dropped the toy into his lap with a high-pitched giggle, wobbling on her feet before plopping onto her bottom.“That’s what I thought,” he murmured, lifting the giraffe and inspecting it with mock seriousness. “You’re trying to win Uncle Luca over with cuteness. Mission accomplished.”From the kitchen, Sienna’s voice floated in. “It’s not hard. You’re already wrapped around her finger.”She entered with a bowl of fruit balanced in her hands, a teasing
Beneath the Shadows CHAPTER 100: BLOOD AND BROTHERHOOD
The shrill ring of Enzo’s phone cut through the silence of the bedroom. He blinked, dazed, the soft glow of the screen illuminating the time—2:47 a.m. Beside him, Sienna stirred, her hand brushing his arm.“Who is it?” she murmured, voice thick with sleep.He didn’t answer. The name flashing on the screen—Nico—already tightened something in his chest. Enzo swiped to answer.“Nico?”“It’s Luca,” Nico’s voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. “His right-hand man just called me. There was a shootout. He’s been hit bad, Enzo. They’re not sure he’ll make it through the night.”Enzo sat bolt upright, the cold rush of adrenaline flooding his system. “Where?”“An abandoned warehouse off Via Caruso. They moved him to a private clinic on the edge of town. His crew didn’t want to alert the authorities.”Enzo was already out of bed, dragging on his jeans. “I’ll get Federico. Stay by your phone.”He ended the call, only to find Sienna sitting up, her expression taut.“What happened?” she asked,
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
