Chapter 147

“Why do you want to keep your background a secret?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity. The idea that he might be ashamed crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. The way he had handled the situation at the store suggested he was far from insecure.

Josh glanced at her, his expression serious as he answered her question. “It’s... complicated,” he said simply.

He understood the power of his family’s name. Giovanni De La Cruz was indeed a powerful figure with many admirers, largely because of the charitable work and positive public image he maintained throughout the years. However, the reality was much darker. The De La Cruz family, as leaders of the city’s most feared mafia, were deeply involved in criminal activities that had caused significant harm and suffering. And Josh having grown up poor, understood, and knew what type of harm mafias and gangs caused.

Josh knew that revealing his true identity could lead to mixed reactions: admiration from those who only saw t