2025-06-13 17:53:00The stone chamber felt like a tomb. Santino had been tied to this chair for hours, listening to El Amore pace in circles like a shark scenting blood.
"Do you know what your greatest weakness is, boy?"
"Trusting people like you?"
El Amore laughed. "No. Your greatest weakness is believing you had any control over your own life."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means every victory you've ever had was choreographed. Every success was planned. Every choice you made was exactly what I wanted you to choose."
<
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 55: Sewer Defiance
The sewer tunnel was old and narrow. Water trickled along the bottom, carrying the smell of the city above. Santino used his phone's flashlight to navigate through the darkness.Every sound echoed. His breathing as his footsteps splashed through shallow water. Somewhere behind him, he could hear voices. The police had found the storm drain.The tunnel branched ahead. Left or right? He chose left, following the slight downward slope.His phone battery was dying as the light flickered and dimmed.In the weak glow, he saw something carved into the concrete wall. Names and dates. Graffiti from decades past. People marking
Chapter 54: False Mercy
Mia walked around the chair like a predator sizing up her prey. Her whole body language had changed. Gone was the vulnerable woman who had fake cries in his arms. This was someone else entirely, no this was who she truly was."Surprised?" she asked, running her finger along the rope at his wrists."Not really." Santino kept his voice steady. "Your father trained you well.""He did." Her voice was flat and emotionless. "Taught me everything about manipulation. About playing the long game.""So what am I to you? Another mark?"Mia's hand stopped moving
Chapter 53: Puppet Strings
The stone chamber felt like a tomb. Santino had been tied to this chair for hours, listening to El Amore pace in circles like a shark scenting blood."Do you know what your greatest weakness is, boy?""Trusting people like you?"El Amore laughed. "No. Your greatest weakness is believing you had any control over your own life.""What's that supposed to mean?""It means every victory you've ever had was choreographed. Every success was planned. Every choice you made was exactly what I wanted you to choose."<
Chapter 52: Cop's Embrace
The motel room was cheap and anonymous. Peeling wallpaper, a neon sign flashing through thin curtains, the smell of old cigarettes.Isabelle Dubois sat on the edge of the bed, her service weapon and badge on the nightstand. She'd been tracking Santino for eight months, building a case that would destroy his organization.She hadn't planned on caring about him.All this while she has fed him private information.The door opened as Santino entered cautiously, his eyes scanning for threats. When he saw her, something in his posture relaxed."You came," he said.
Chapter 51: Drug of Deceit
Santino paced his apartment like a caged animal. The revelation about Mia's fake wounds burned in his mind, but he needed proof. Real evidence to expose her web of lies.He grabbed his phone and called Zara. "I need you here. Now.""Boss, it's three in the morning.""I don't give a shit what time it is. Get over here."Twenty minutes later, Zara arrived with her laptop bag and a suspicious expression. "You look like hell warmed over.""Feel worse. Coffee?" Santino asked as he moved toward the kitchen.
Chapter 50: Staged Wounds
Mia stumbled through his apartment door like a wounded sparrow. Her usual pristine appearance was shattered. Blood stained her white designer dress. Dark bruises bloomed across her cheekbones. Her perfectly styled hair hung in disheveled strands around her face."Jesus Christ," Santino said despite himself. "What the hell happened to you?""My father." She collapsed onto his leather couch with a pained gasp. "He found out about us. About everything."Santino maintained his distance, every muscle tense. "Found out what exactly?""That I warned you about the surveillance equipment. That I've been feeding you information." She
You may also like
