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Ultimatums and Betrayals (2)
Last Updated:
2025-04-28 23:59:44
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Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Crossroads
“How is he doing now?” I asked as I walked into the room to find Enzo silently watching over his son. Days had passed since the doctor’s visit. Enzo’s son, Giovanni, was getting stronger, his tiny chest rising and falling softly as he lay on the bed. I stood there in the low light, my eyes locked on the sweet little baby. My fingers curled tighter around the knife hidden in my hand. I wanted to end this. I wanted kill Enzo for all the lies he told me. But no matter how hard I tried to summon the anger, my heart refused to go through with it.“ Lauren.” Enzo called bringing me out of my thoughts. I turned my gaze to him. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?” I heard him ask making me freeze. “ I'm fine.” I nodded quickly, forcing a small smile. The handle pressed against my palm, a cold reminder of what I came here to do. However as I looked into Enzo’s eyes, those dark, heavy eyes that always seemed sincere towards me. As if he couldn't liveor breathe without me, I hesitated. He mov
Last Updated : 2025-04-29Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Veins Of Treachery
The drive was quiet.Too quiet.Enzo didn’t look at me once. His hands stayed tight on the wheel, his jaw locked, his eyes straight ahead. There was no music. No words. Just the low hum of the engine and the panic building in my chest.I sat beside him, trying to breathe normally. Trying to act like I didn’t feel the shift. Like I didn’t notice the way his eyes had gone cold ever since Leonardo had woken up.The meeting was been held in Don Alonzo's estate tucked behind heavy iron gates. Guards stood tall, guns in view. One of them opened my door. I stepped out, heart pounding.Enzo didn’t reach for my hand as he usually did. “ Enzo, I think we should go back home. I don't feel too well. Plus leaving Giovanni alone after he just recovered doesn't sit well with me.” I said trying to pull him back but Enzo dodged my touch. I thought he was going to leave but he suddenly Enzo walked back to the car before crouching down in front of me. He reached for my legs gently taking them out of th
Last Updated : 2025-04-29Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Veins Of Treachery (2)
ENZOLauren’s scream still echoed through the room, her voice thick with grief and fury.“If you want me dead, just do it, you monster!” She said making my grandfather clock his gun. My eyes widened as I stood in front of both of them. Lauren had been crying for a while and had not stopped for a second. I didn't expect Don Alonzo to pull the trigger. I moved fast. Faster than I’d ever let myself in front of him. I stepped between them, my hand raised slightly toward Don Alonzo.“Enough,” I said, my voice low and controlled but barely.Lauren was behind me now, shaking, her sobs ragged. Taylor’s blood had already started to pool beside her feet but Lauren didn't care. Don Alonzo’s eyes narrowed. “Step aside, Enzo.”“She’s not your enemy.” I answered. “She’s a liar. And liars die.”“She’s mine,” I said, forcing the words out. “And that means she answers to me. No one else.”Don Alonzo’s jaw ticked. “She made you weak.”The tension between us skyrocketed as both of us stood. I knew wh
Last Updated : 2025-04-29Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) The Betrayal and the Chase
LAUREN"Come on, Sylas, I would never hurt your mother, let alone push her down the stairs. I love her. I love you," I said softly, my voice trembling as I tried to reach him, to make him see the truth. But Sylas didn’t move, his expression cold and unyielding.Suddenly, a sharp slap stung my face, the sound ringing out like a gunshot in the quiet house. My cheek burned as I knelt there, stunned. Sylas had hit me. And Taylor? She just stood there with smug satisfaction. I couldn't believe it. My husband whom I had loved so much had slapped me because of Taylor. It was her fault. She had lied to him. Made him believe that I pushed his mother down the stairs but it wasn't true.“Are you saying Taylor’s lying? She’s your older sister. Why would she lie about something like this?” Sylas demanded as Taylor busted out crying.She leaned against him, her head on his shoulder, playing the victim while Sylas comforted her, stroking her hair. They thought they had fooled me, but I wasn’t blind.
Last Updated : 2025-01-17Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Bound by Secrets
ENZO A stranger I hardly knew sat on the edge of my bed, her presence more unsettling than the raging storm outside. Rain lashed against the windows, but it was the least of my concerns. She wore a torn blue dress that once looked elegant, now in tatters, and her hair was a wild mess, partly hiding her striking face. Cuts marked her arms and legs, painting a grim picture. I stood frozen, unsure how to handle the situation especially since she now knew my secret. God, I hated men who abused their wives. "Stefano, I need your help to investigate something. A man called Sylas. Once you are done, send his information to the police. Make sure nothing traces back-” I said as I stood by the window speaking to my Captain on the phone. A hand suddenly gripped mine and I turned to see the woman who had just entered my room. The look of fear in her eyes made something turn in my stomach. “ Please don't tell the police.” She begged, her voice barely audible. “F**k!” I said hanging up bef
Last Updated : 2025-01-17Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) A Deal with the Devil
LAUREN I stood there, frozen. The sound of the storm outside was drowned out by the pounding in my chest. Enzo’s back was to me, his focus entirely on the door as he gripped the gun with a steady hand. My heart raced, and I felt that familiar knot in my stomach. The one that I had felt a few minutes ago because of Sylas and Taylor. I was scared. Terrified, even. Why did Enzo have a gun? Who exactly was he? The question buzzed in my mind as I wat him grip the gun tightly. The door creaked. “Don't move,” Enzo said, making a shiver run down my spine. It wasn’t a suggestion. It was a command. The intruder slowly raised his hands, frozen in place, as Enzo stepped forward and snatched the gun from him. Without warning, Enzo struck him hard with the weapon, sending the man crumpling to the ground. I flinched at the sound, my heart racing as I saw the intruder fall to the ground unconscious. A few minutes later, the storm outside had quieted, and the lights flickered back on. I sat f
Last Updated : 2025-01-17Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) A Fragile Claim
When we arrived at the shop, I got out of the car and watched as Enzo’s driver carefully helped him into his wheelchair. As I stepped into the antique shop, my chest tightened. The place was in chaos. Workers were everywhere, clearing things out. My books, my paintings. Everything I’d collected and loved was being packed up and hauled away.Then I saw it. My office. My things, my private space, all being dismantled. Panic rose in me like a tidal wave. Without thinking, I rushed forward and grabbed the arm of one of the workers, desperate to make it stop“ What do you think you're doing? This is my shop. You don't have the right to move anything.” I said, staring at the workers when suddenly, Sylas stepped out of my office, making me stagger in shock. What was he doing? Samantha didn't tell me he was here. “Lauren, I knew that you would come here the moment you heard that the antique shop was in danger. Too bad. This place doesn't belong to you anymore.” Sylas said making me clench m
Last Updated : 2025-01-17Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Whispers of the Sea
My head tuned out for the rest of the conversation with the doctor. The only words that were stuck in my head were, “You're not pregnant,”. I didn’t know whether to be relieved or sad. Sylas and I had once talked about starting a family. I also thought it would be enough to make him love me but I was wrong. A part of me was relieved. After seeing what he and Taylor did to me, I realized that having his child wasn’t the best thing that would happen to me."I... I understand," I managed to reply, though my voice didn’t sound like my own.The call ended with a professional reassurance that they'd review their processes to avoid future mistakes, but that was a distant hum in my mind. My hand fell to my side, my fingers barely wrapped around the phone."Lauren."I turned, my gaze locking onto Enzo’s. His expression was unreadable, his cold eyes studying me with that unnerving intensity of his.“What did the doctor say?” he asked, his voice calm but commanding.I swallowed hard trying to hi
Last Updated : 2025-01-17
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Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Veins Of Treachery (2)
ENZOLauren’s scream still echoed through the room, her voice thick with grief and fury.“If you want me dead, just do it, you monster!” She said making my grandfather clock his gun. My eyes widened as I stood in front of both of them. Lauren had been crying for a while and had not stopped for a second. I didn't expect Don Alonzo to pull the trigger. I moved fast. Faster than I’d ever let myself in front of him. I stepped between them, my hand raised slightly toward Don Alonzo.“Enough,” I said, my voice low and controlled but barely.Lauren was behind me now, shaking, her sobs ragged. Taylor’s blood had already started to pool beside her feet but Lauren didn't care. Don Alonzo’s eyes narrowed. “Step aside, Enzo.”“She’s not your enemy.” I answered. “She’s a liar. And liars die.”“She’s mine,” I said, forcing the words out. “And that means she answers to me. No one else.”Don Alonzo’s jaw ticked. “She made you weak.”The tension between us skyrocketed as both of us stood. I knew wh
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Veins Of Treachery
The drive was quiet.Too quiet.Enzo didn’t look at me once. His hands stayed tight on the wheel, his jaw locked, his eyes straight ahead. There was no music. No words. Just the low hum of the engine and the panic building in my chest.I sat beside him, trying to breathe normally. Trying to act like I didn’t feel the shift. Like I didn’t notice the way his eyes had gone cold ever since Leonardo had woken up.The meeting was been held in Don Alonzo's estate tucked behind heavy iron gates. Guards stood tall, guns in view. One of them opened my door. I stepped out, heart pounding.Enzo didn’t reach for my hand as he usually did. “ Enzo, I think we should go back home. I don't feel too well. Plus leaving Giovanni alone after he just recovered doesn't sit well with me.” I said trying to pull him back but Enzo dodged my touch. I thought he was going to leave but he suddenly Enzo walked back to the car before crouching down in front of me. He reached for my legs gently taking them out of th
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Crossroads
“How is he doing now?” I asked as I walked into the room to find Enzo silently watching over his son. Days had passed since the doctor’s visit. Enzo’s son, Giovanni, was getting stronger, his tiny chest rising and falling softly as he lay on the bed. I stood there in the low light, my eyes locked on the sweet little baby. My fingers curled tighter around the knife hidden in my hand. I wanted to end this. I wanted kill Enzo for all the lies he told me. But no matter how hard I tried to summon the anger, my heart refused to go through with it.“ Lauren.” Enzo called bringing me out of my thoughts. I turned my gaze to him. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?” I heard him ask making me freeze. “ I'm fine.” I nodded quickly, forcing a small smile. The handle pressed against my palm, a cold reminder of what I came here to do. However as I looked into Enzo’s eyes, those dark, heavy eyes that always seemed sincere towards me. As if he couldn't liveor breathe without me, I hesitated. He mov
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Ultimatums and Betrayals (2)
LAUREN My heart froze on the spot as I heard Don Alonzo's ultimatum. He was threatening Enzo with his position as the head of the Santoro family. Staring at Barbara, I could the smirk on her face as she stared at me. I had always guessed she would return. I knew it wouldn't be long however I didn't expect the reason Enzo had picked her out was because she had been taking d***s while taking care of her child. Suddenly, I heard a small whimper from the child. My hands trembled as I held the baby against my chest, his tiny body so fragile in my arms. The shallow rise and fall of his chest sent a chill through me, and the sickly pale color of his skin made my heart skip a beat. There were also rashes. Something was wrong. I pressed him closer, instinctively trying to warm him, but he barely moved, his eyes half-lidded and vacant."He's burning up," I whispered, my voice strained with panic. “Enzo.” Barbara’s sharp laugh broke through the thick silence, sending a wave of nausea th
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Ultimatums and Betrayals
The weight of the gun in my hand felt heavier as I stared at Rafael. His words echoed in my head, but they didn’t make sense. Divorce papers? I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt. Every part of me wanted to pull the trigger. Wanted to wipe that smug look off his face. But something was in his eyes... It was finality. Like he meant it. Slowly, I lowered the gun, my chest heaving with the effort it took not to react. "You're lucky my sister is watching," I muttered under my breath. "Otherwise, you'd be bleeding in my driveway." Rafael tossed the envelope onto the ground between us. "It's over," he said, his voice cold, like he didn’t even care. "Tell her we are done.” I stepped closer, close enough to smell the faint cologne he always wore. "That's why you hit her?" I growled walking up to him. “You deserve to be killed on the spot.” His eyes flickered, just for a second. "I made a mistake," he said, voice tight. "But it doesn't matter now. We're done." I wanted to rip h
Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1) Shattered Alliances
ENZO“Marcello? Who told you I killed Marcello?” I asked staring at Lauren. Her entire body seemed to be trembling as she stood in front of me. Like she was fighting the urge to lose control. I loosened my grip on her wrist, letting her go, but she didn’t move away. She just stood there staring at me. “Lauren,” I said, softer this time. “Who told you that? Why the hell would I kill Marcello?” “I can’t do this anymore,” she said, her breathing uneven. “It’s too much, Enzo. All of it. I feel like I’m drowning.”“I’m not your enemy, Lauren. You hear me? I’m not the one you should be scared of.”Her eyes met mine, glassy and filled with so much confusion it made my chest ache.“Then why does it feel like everyone’s lying to me?” she whispered. “Why does it feel like you’re lying too?”I swallowed the anger tightening in my throat.“I don’t know who’s been putting shit in your head, but I swear on everything I am that I didn’t kill Marcello. I was a young boy when it happened. I couldn'
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
