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The Second Clue
Last Updated:
2025-03-28 08:09:49
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Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Almost Taken
My hand tightened around my phone as I stared at Enzo. My heart pounding in my ears as he got closer. He didn't stop till he was in front of me making me tense. I controlled my emotions immediately. “ It was just Sam.” I said quickly calling her as I hid my phone behind my back. After a second, I hung up. “She was just filling me in on the details of some of the things going to the museum.” I said wiggling my phone in front of him. “ Sam?” Enzo repeated making me nod my head. “Okay. Stop whatever you're doing and come to bed. You and I need sleep.” Enzo said before leaning down to kiss me. My body reacted to his instantly making me wrap my hands around his neck. His lips were warm, firm, and commanding as he claimed my lips. My fingers tightened against the back of his neck, my body instinctively leaning into him, craving the comfort his touch always brought.Just then, Enzo lifted me off the floor easily. He carried me effortlessly, his grip careful as if I were something precious
Last Updated : 2025-03-28Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Steel and Fire
ENZO“What the hell do you mean that Lauren was almost taken?” I asked shouting as I stood in front of Leonardo. “What was she even doing at the hospital?” Leonardo shrugged his shoulders. “ I told her to leave but she is one stubborn hell of a woman. She wouldn't listen to me.” I exhaled sharply feeling the worst kind of feeling. I wanted to go to the Riccardi family and wipe them all out showing them that it was a f**king mistake to touch Lauren. “ No, boss. I know what you are thinking but you can't. If you charge in to have a confrontation with the Riccardi family, the other families will blame you.” Leonardo said making my eyes narrow. I didn't give a f**k about the other families. “Besides, most of our men are in the hospital recuperating. We all need time to heal boss.” Leonardo added. “ Stop telling me what to do and send more men to the hospital. Make sure the entire place is surrounded with our people.” I said walking past him. “ Yes, boss.” Stepping out into the ha
Last Updated : 2025-03-30Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) The Wolf's Arrival
“ The first painting's clue was the dock. It's the dock that was used for our shippings in the past. Now the second clue is an Island. Nonno, do you know anything about the Island?” I asked staring at Don Alonzo. Don Alonzo leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping against the armrest in a slow, deliberate rhythm. His sharp eyes studied me, weighing my words as if deciding how much to reveal. I knew my grandfather. He wouldn't hide anything as long as it was for the family. “ An island?” He repeated tapping his cane on the ground. “There are so many islands in that area, Enzo.” “ You're right. That's why I was hoping you'd know something. After all, Marcello worked for you.” I said feeling frustrated. “ I might not know something but maybe Marcello's children might know something. They might know where their father kept the vault.” My grandfather said making my eyes narrow. “ Marcello's children? He had a family?”“Yes,” Don Alonzo confirmed, his gaze steady. “He kept them aw
Last Updated : 2025-03-30Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Locked in His Game
LAUREN I froze as the words hit me like a lightning bolt. Enzo was searching for Marcello’s daughters. My heart pounded so hard it drowned out everything else. Why? What had triggered this? Had Don Alonzo said something?Then I saw them. One of Enzo's men striding in with Barbara. A cold wave of panic crashed over me. I couldn’t be seen. I had to vanish.Keeping my voice barely above a whisper, I clutched the phone tighter, my eyes never leaving the door as I called Jake. “We have a problem, Jake. Enzo knows about Marcello’s daughters.”“Marcello's daughters? Has your identity been discovered yet?” Jake asked making me shake my head. “ No. Not yet but it won't be long. We have to do something. If he starts investigating, he can find out about me and Taylor.” I said desperate. “We need to move fast,” Jake murmured, his voice tense. “If Enzo digs too deep, it’s over.”I swallowed hard, my pulse racing. It felt like the walls were closing in. The possibility of Enzo discovering my id
Last Updated : 2025-03-30Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) An Unexpected Betrayal
ENZO“Mr. Enzo Santoro. What a pleasure.” Rodion said extending his hand as he stood in front of us. Staring at him, I took a moment trying to see if I could read him. He didn't strike me as the type to put on fake pretenses and smile with the enemy. I nodded taking his hand. “ The pleasure is mine, Mr. Rodion Korashov. Of course I didn't come empty handed.” I said holding his gaze. Rodion’s lips curled into a smirk, his sharp blue eyes glinting with curiosity. “Ah, I expected no less from a man of your reputation.”I signaled to one of my men, who stepped forward with a sleek black case. As I unlatched it, the soft click echoed in the dimly lit room. Inside lay a collection of untraceable diamonds. Rodion took a step closer, inspecting them with a discerning eye. “A generous gift but we both know you didn’t come here just to impress me with expensive diamonds.” I gave a slow nod. “Consider it a show of good faith. I don’t make empty visits, and I don’t waste time. Since you're
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) A Fugitive
It had been five months since I burned the paintings. All of them. The ones Enzo had trusted me with. I thought destroying them would set me free. Free from him, free from the weight of my father’s troubled past with the Santoro family. But I wasn't free. Instead, I found myself deeper in a web of trouble than I ever thought possible. The ship that was supposed to smuggle me out of the country, the one I had carefully arranged, had been overtaken by the Iron Hand Cartel. Miguel Mendez, the leader of the cartel, had seized control. He took the ship, and most of the passengers, too. People who I had made friends with had died. Only a few of us had survived. “ Wake up!” A voice said piercing through my sleep. Suddenly, cold water drenched me from nowhere making me open my eyes. “I said wake up!” I coughed, sputtering as the water dripped down my face, but it wasn’t enough to clear the haze of confusion lingering in my mind. My muscles screamed as I pushed myself to my feet, every join
Last Updated : 2025-04-02Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Nowhere to Hide
“ I asked you a question.” Enzo's voice echoed making my hands shake as I stood. I wanted to run but I couldn't. That would just make me suspicion andgive him more reason to doubt me. My pulse hammered against my throat as I turned to face him. His dark eyes locked onto mine, unreadable, but sharp enough to cut through my hesitation."It—" My voice wavered, so I swallowed hard and tried again. "It's over there.” I said barely using my real voice as I pointed in a direction. Enzo didn’t look away from me. His gaze lingered on my face for a moment longer before shifting toward where I pointed."Over there?" Enzo repeated, his voice slow, deliberate.I nodded, my heart pounding so hard it ached. Turning around, I was just about to leave when suddenly Enzo grabbed the bedsheet I had used to wrap my face pulling it. My heart froze immediately. The fabric slipped from my grasp, unraveling in an instant. Cold air brushed against my exposed skin making me gasp. Enzo didn’t move at first. H
Last Updated : 2025-04-03Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Nowhere to Hide (2)
ENZOI sat down drowning a whole bottle of alcohol but it did not make me drunk. It did nothing. I was furious. Angry and furious that I had ran into Lauren. I wish I didn't. For five months I had spent a lot of time thinking about what I would do when I saw her again. Now I had seen her and she was working for Miguel. As a maid. My hands clenched as I watched her full our cups. It was her job. After five months, she had lost weight but she was still beautiful. She must have spent a lot of time trying to hide from me. “Mr. Santoro, I hope everything is to your liking.” Miguel asked. I knew he was talking about the food but all my focus was on Lauren. She didn't lift her gaze from the table even once. After she was done, she walked out of the disappearing like a good, obedient girl. She was never that way with me. “Stop trying to sweet-talk me, Miguel. I came because of this.” I said sliding across a few pictures to him. Miguel stared at the pictures, his eyes narrowing as I stoo
Last Updated : 2025-04-05
Latest chapter
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Doubts
The cup shattered against the floor, hot coffee splashing across my feet, but I barely felt it. My heart was pounding too loud, too fast.I stared at the message again, my hands trembling.Miguel.The message he had sent me was too sudden. No. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t dare.Would he?I stood frozen in the middle of the living room, the weight of that name pressing down on my chest. If Enzo found out about Marcello,everything would unravel. The vault. The paintings. Me.I crouched down and picked up the pieces of the broken cup with shaky hands. A sharp edge sliced my finger, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.I was already bleeding in too many ways.I dropped the shards in the trash and grabbed my coat. I stepped out the door, the message still open on my phone. The address was just a few blocks away. Without a second thought, I walked out and closed the door behind me before I headed to meet Miguel. ************************The venue was an outdoor restaurant near the coffee shop I usu
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Shadows Within Us
“Are you sure?” Enzo asked letting go of my hand as he walked up to Taylor. “Yes, Mr. Santoro.” Taylor replied smiling.Taylor nodded her head happily taking Enzo's hand as they walked out. My heart stopped. The location of the vault? I didn't know if Taylor had really figured it out or not. The door to the office shut behind them leaving me all alone. Enzo was not only obsessed about me, he was also obsessed about the paintings. I stood there, staring at the closed door like it might open again. But it didn’t. And neither of them came back. Heading out of the office, I walked out of the elevator heading to grab a car. Stopping one, I slid into it. The driver gave me a curious glance through the mirror, but I didn’t say a word. My fingers were tight around my phone, but I couldn’t bring myself to call him. What would I even say? That watching him walk out with her made my chest feel like it was caving in? That I wasn’t sure if I was more afraid of what Taylor found… or how easily
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Shadows at the Door
The tension in the room was suffocating. Sitting down beside Enzo, I stared at Enzo's mother looking at Enzo without a single word. None of them did. It was as if there was so much they were saying telepathically that seemed dangerous, cold. I squeezed Enzo's hand gently trying to urge him to say something but Enzo was like a block of ice. He didn't break his gaze from his mother. “ Boss,” Leonardo said calling him out. Enzo turned to Leonardo before realizing that he had been staring for a long time without saying anything. Enzo's jaw clenched. “ What are you doing here? I saved your life, told you never to return. Did you think it was just an empty threat?” Enzo asked, his voice betraying his bitterness. I knew things were not good between both of them but I never really knew the full story. At the party before, she had looked as if she really cared about Enzo when she thought he was a cripple. “ It's about Rafael.” She said making my heart skip a beat. Rafael? If it was Rafae
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Claimed in his Tower
LAUREN “Excuse me. Hello?” a man asked beside me, catching my attention. I had just arrived at the company with Enzo and was still trying to process how massive the building was. Glass windows stretched up into the sky, reflecting the clouds like a mirror. Everything looked expensive and polished. The man stepped closer, offering a polite smile. He was dressed in a sharp gray suit, hair slicked back like he’d stepped straight out of a magazine. “ I said who are you? This place isn't for begging. It's a company. If you want to beg for food or clothes, you can stay outside over there.” I scoffed stunned by the man's words. He didn't know me yet he was so arrogant. I turned around trying to search for Enzo but he was still at the car. Turning back to the man in front of me, I looked at his worker's ID. Manager “I… I came with someone,” I managed to say, my voice catching slightly in my throat. The man’s eyes scanned me again, slower this time, taking in my simple outfit like it
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) You and I (2)
ENZO How was I supposed to tell her? Sylas's death had been an accident. As much as I wanted the stupid cheating b**tard dead, he was the least of my problems and I didn't care if he was dead or alive. Until I witnessed him trying to kill Taylor, Lauren's sister. I saved her. Seeing Lauren sitting down across me crying, I cursed at myself for letting her cry. Why did I let my jealousy get the best of me? “ Sylas's death is not your fault. It was an accident. He was trying to harm Taylor and I happened to walk into that. I hit him and tried to save him but b***ard fell over the balcony.” I confessed staring at her. She didn’t look up.Her shoulders shook, soft whimpers slipping from her lips. I hated this. Seeing her like this, breaking down because of something I should’ve told her the moment it happened.“I thought you were keeping it from me because it was something worse,” she whispered, finally lifting her gaze. Her eyes were glassy, rimmed red. “I thought maybe… you killed hi
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) You and I
“ Come with me.” Enzo said as he threw me on the bed making me gasp. He was furious, barely holding back himself and I could see it. Watching him run his hand through his hair, I moved back until my back hit the headboard. My chest tightened as he stood there, pacing like a storm trapped in a cage. His jaw clenched, and his eyes burned into me, sharp and wild, like he was fighting every dark thought rushing through his head. The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating, until he finally stopped, turning to face me. His fingers twitched at his sides, like he didn’t trust his own hands near me. “ What are you hiding from me now, Lauren. Don't say you are not because I know you're are.” Enzo said staring at me. My hands clenched at my sides. “ I'm not hiding anything.” I said stubbornly. “ You promised that you won't lie to me again.” His voice was low, but the weight of it crushed the air between us. I swallowed, my throat dry and tight, feeling his stare dig deeper, peeling a
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Whispers in the Dark
LAURENIt had been two days since Enzo and I finally got back together. For the first time, I was able to meet his son, the one that Barbara had prematurely. Enzo claimed that Barbara was locked up getting the help she deserved. I really hoped she wouldn't show up at all. “ What are you thinking about?” Enzo asked as he wrapped his hand around me as I stood in the kitchen. I leaned my head back against his chest, letting his warmth surround me. Since I had decided to be with Enzo now, I needed to trust him instead of worrying. “Nothing important,” I whispered, though the lie tasted bitter on my tongue.Enzo’s hand slid slowly along my arm, his touch light, almost lazy and my body responded to him immediately. I tried hard not to give in. Not to close my eye and give into his torture. “You’ve been quiet all day,” Enzo murmured against my hair. “You and I both know that you are thinking of something. I lifted my eyes, meeting his. Of course, I couldn't lie to him. “Just thinking
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Silent Warnings
“I don't think you and I have anything to discuss so late in the night, Rodion.” I said staring at him as he sat down in the living room. Rodion’s eyes darted to the bag that Lauren was carrying. It was obvious that he had found out about the bag and come for it. It was just drugs, wasn't it? Why was Rodion so tense?His expression was tight, jaw locked, eyes flicking between me and the bag like he was calculating something far beyond what sat in Lauren’s hands.“That bag,” Rodion finally said, voice low and steady, “ Don't tell me that you were planning on running away with goods I paid for?”I instinctively placed my hand over Lauren's. I could see how scared she was. She had never met Rodion before and Dante had not given her even a picture. Things would have gone bad if she had ran away with the bag. Rodion wasn't the type of person to forgive and Dante would never take responsibility. F**king bastard. “ The bag is right here. You can have it. Whatever deals you have with Dant
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) The Devil's Errand (2)
ENZO“ Lauren, what's in the bag?” I asked barely able to restrain my voice as Lauren and Rafael sat down in my car. I had just arrived at the club when I saw gunned men attacking the place. Dante's car was also outside which made me suspicious. The moment I saw Rafael rushing out with Lauren, I quickly drove up to them and made sure that they were safe first. Parked on the side of an empty road, I stared at Lauren watching as she grabbed the straps of the bag. I already knew what it was. Drugs. “You already a druggie now? You're Dante's drug mule?” I asked trying my best to control my temper. Lauren’s fingers tightened around the straps, her knuckles turning white. She lowered her head, avoiding my eyes, and the silence that followed only made the fire in my chest burn hotter.“Answer me,” I said, my voice dropping lower as my gaze became sharper. Shhook her head, barely a movement, but it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t in the mood for games. I reached over, snatching the bag from her
