Chapter 116

I felt my breath catch in my throat. "Are you saying our family is involved in organized crime?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Alexander's lips curved into a humorless smile. "That's putting it mildly," he said. "The Guerrero family is one of the most influential crime syndicates in Italy. Our grandfather, King Guerrero, was known as 'Il Re Ombra' - The Shadow King. He controlled everything from illegal gambling to international weapons trafficking,"

My mind reeled at this information. It seemed impossible that my mother - the woman who had raised me, who had taught me to paint and to appreciate beauty in the world - could have come from such a background.

"But... my mom wasn't like that," I protested weakly. "She was an artist, a gentle soul," But even as I spoke the words I knew they weren't true.

Trenton stepped forward then, his face etched with sympathy. "Your mother was indeed an artist, Miss Amelia. But she was also a product of her upbringing. The Guerrero family