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CHAPTER 31: A MAN IN CONFLICT

Author: Phylicia Ines
last update Last Updated: 2024-12-29 05:49:54

The soft flicker of candlelight cast shadows across the room as Enzo sat in silence, staring into the tumbler of whiskey in his hand. He could hear Sienna moving about in the next room, her presence both a comfort and a torment.

Marco’s final words echoed in his mind: You can’t change, Enzo. Men like us? We don’t get to choose.

“Whiskey for your thoughts?” Sienna’s voice broke the stillness, light and teasing, though her eyes carried a deeper concern as she stepped into the room.

Enzo glanced up, his lips twitching into a faint smile. “You shouldn’t be up. It’s late.”

She crossed her arms, leaning against the doorway. “Sleep doesn’t come easily these days. You should know that better than anyone.”

He swirled the whiskey in his glass, the ice clinking softly. “This life... it’s not easy for anyone.”

“No,” she agreed, taking a cautious step closer. “But it’s harder when you don’t let anyone in.”

Enzo sighed, setting the glass down. “You’re already too far in, Sienna. If I could take it
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  • Beneath the Shadows   EPILOGUE

    Luca reclined on the couch in the Falcone’s residence, one leg propped up on a cushioned stool. The faint edge of a bandage peeked out beneath the collar of his shirt, evidence of the wound still healing beneath. Lucia toddled across the rug with determined little steps, a stuffed giraffe clutched in her chubby hands. Her giggle echoed through the room, bright and triumphant.“Hey there, bambina,” Luca said, his lips tugging into a grin. “You bringing that to me, or is it a bribe?”“Bibe, ncle Luca!” Lucia babbled as she reached him and dropped the toy into his lap with a high-pitched giggle, wobbling on her feet before plopping onto her bottom.“That’s what I thought,” he murmured, lifting the giraffe and inspecting it with mock seriousness. “You’re trying to win Uncle Luca over with cuteness. Mission accomplished.”From the kitchen, Sienna’s voice floated in. “It’s not hard. You’re already wrapped around her finger.”She entered with a bowl of fruit balanced in her hands, a teasing

  • Beneath the Shadows   CHAPTER 100: BLOOD AND BROTHERHOOD

    The shrill ring of Enzo’s phone cut through the silence of the bedroom. He blinked, dazed, the soft glow of the screen illuminating the time—2:47 a.m. Beside him, Sienna stirred, her hand brushing his arm.“Who is it?” she murmured, voice thick with sleep.He didn’t answer. The name flashing on the screen—Nico—already tightened something in his chest. Enzo swiped to answer.“Nico?”“It’s Luca,” Nico’s voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. “His right-hand man just called me. There was a shootout. He’s been hit bad, Enzo. They’re not sure he’ll make it through the night.”Enzo sat bolt upright, the cold rush of adrenaline flooding his system. “Where?”“An abandoned warehouse off Via Caruso. They moved him to a private clinic on the edge of town. His crew didn’t want to alert the authorities.”Enzo was already out of bed, dragging on his jeans. “I’ll get Federico. Stay by your phone.”He ended the call, only to find Sienna sitting up, her expression taut.“What happened?” she asked,

  • Beneath the Shadows   CHAPTER 99: WE ARE HOME

    Enzo is with Federico to look at the books. He’s impressed with the figures, as he watches Federico pace behind the desk, sleeves rolled up, tie askew, an earpiece clipped to one ear.“Move the meeting with the Milan investors to Thursday, I want numbers in my inbox by tomorrow morning—no excuses.”He ended the call and turned to Enzo. “If these projections hold, we’re expanding to Zurich by next quarter.”Enzo blinked. “Zurich?”Federico grinned. “You said you wanted global. I’m delivering global.”“Remind me never to underestimate you again.”Federico smirked. “That’s twice this week you’ve said that.”“Because that's twice you’ve shocked him this week. Matteo added, tapping away at his laptop, glancing between screens and a printed contract.“You highlighted the wrong clause,” Enzo said mildly.Matteo frowned. “I thought that was the jurisdiction clause?”“It is. But the problem’s in the indemnity section.”Matteo groaned. “This stuff is so dry.”Enzo chuckled. “So was accounting w

  • Beneath the Shadows   CHAPTER 98: FINDING PEACE

    The warm light from the desk lamp cast a soft glow over the dark wood and leather. Enzo sat behind the desk, going over reports. The door creaked open, and Luca stepped in, unannounced but expected.“You’re late,” Enzo said without looking up.Luca smirked as he closed the door. “You never used to care about time when we were running heat in our backstreets.”“Now I care about school runs and quarterly projections,” Enzo replied, setting down his pen. “Different stakes.”Luca nodded and sat across from him. “It’s quieter out there.”Enzo raised an eyebrow. “Too quiet?”“There’s a vacuum, Enzo. Since you left
 there’s no one solid holding things together.”“That’s not my concern anymore.”Luca leaned back, studying him. “You always had the head for order. Even when we were knee-deep in mess, you brought structure. People respected that.”“And feared it,” Enzo muttered. “Don’t romanticize it, Luca.”“I’m not. I’m telling you there’s instability. Factions forming, reckless kids stepping

  • Beneath the Shadows   CHAPTER 97: LIVING THE LIFE

    The late afternoon sun filtered through the kitchen windows, casting a golden hue across the counters. Sienna stood barefoot at the island, cutting strawberries for Lucia, who sat in her high chair, babbling to herself and occasionally tossing fruit to the floor.“Sweetheart,” Sienna said, laughing, “the food goes in your mouth, not under the fridge.”Lucia squealed in delight, clearly unconcerned.Enzo entered, sleeves rolled up, loosened tie around his neck. He leaned down, kissing Lucia’s forehead and then Sienna’s cheek.“Smells good in here,” he murmured.“That’s because it’s strawberries and not one of your protein shakes,” she teased.He chuckled. “Fair.”They watched Lucia for a moment, both quiet.“She’s growing fast,” Sienna said softly. “Seems like just yesterday I was waddling through this house, cursing swollen ankles.”Enzo smiled, resting a hand on her back. “And now she’s tossing berries like confetti.”Sienna turned to look at him. “Have you ever thought about having

  • Beneath the Shadows   CHAPTER 96: GIVING BACK

    Sienna adjusted the collar of her blouse as she stood in front of the small group of women seated in folding chairs. A banner hung behind her, the freshly printed letters reading: Lucia Foundation – Hope Beyond the Shadows. Natalia stood off to the side, clipboard in hand, giving her an encouraging nod.“You’ve got this,” Natalia whispered.Sienna smiled, then took a breath and stepped forward.“Thank you all for coming today. I know how hard it can be to walk into a room like this. I’ve been where you are. Caught in a world that told me silence was survival.”A murmur of agreement rippled through the group.“But silence isn’t strength,” Sienna continued. “Community is. And that’s what we’re building here.”After the session ended, Natalia approached her with a wide grin. “You were amazing. The women were hanging on every word.”Sienna exhaled, wiping her palms on her skirt. “I was terrified.”“Didn’t show.”Just then, Sienna’s phone buzzed. It was a picture from Federico—baby Lucia n

  • Beneath the Shadows   CHAPTER 95: A GHOST OF THE FUTURE

    Enzo leaned back in his chair, flipping through the latest quarterly report. The numbers didn’t lie. His lips curled into a wide smile just as Federico walked in, looking confident, sleeves rolled up and phone still in hand.Enzo raised a brow. “That the final call?”Federico nodded, tossing his phone onto the desk. “Done. They signed.”Enzo blinked. “You closed it?”Federico smirked. “I told you I would.”Enzo stood and walked around the desk. “You got them to agree to our terms? All of them?”“Every single one,” Federico said, voice calm but proud. “Distribution rights, branding control, full autonomy for expansion in the next region.”“Jesus,” Enzo muttered, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “That’s huge, Fed. This deal alone will cover our overhead for the next six months.”Federico chuckled. “Told you to trust me.”“I do trust you,” Enzo said, then added with a smirk, “But I didn’t expect you to wipe the floor with their legal team.”“They tried to box me in,” Federico said, settl

  • Beneath the Shadows   CHAPTER 94: ONE LAST CHANCE

    Enzo stood behind the counter of his cafĂ©, sleeves rolled up, taking a break. The late afternoon crowd had thinned, leaving a calm lull in the air. The door chimed softly.Nico stepped in, dressed down in jeans and a black hoodie, eyes scanning the space.“Didn’t peg you for the espresso crowd,” Enzo said, smirking as he glanced up.Nico shrugged. “Didn’t come for coffee.Enzo picked up his coffee. “Then come on. Back patio’s quiet.”They moved out to the enclosed terrace, where potted herbs lined the walls and the city noise faded behind a curtain of green. Nico sat, drumming his fingers on the table.Enzo leaned back in his chair. “Talk to me.”“I’ve been thinking,” Nico started, eyes distant. “Things are shifting. Luca’s hanging by a thread. Everyone’s watching their backs. It’s not the life it used to be.”“It never was,” Enzo replied. “We just convinced ourselves it was worth the cost.”Nico looked up. “You made it out. Legit. I didn’t think it was possible, but you did it.”“It

  • Beneath the Shadows   CHAPTER 93: BABY ON BOARD

    Sienna pressed a hand to her belly, breathing through the tightness that gripped her. The restaurant bustled around her, waiters weaving between tables, the scent of fresh pasta and espresso filling the air. She tried to focus on the conversation with her friend, but another sharp pain made her grip the edge of the table.“Are you okay?” her friend, Natalia asked, concern flickering in her eyes.Sienna exhaled slowly. “I think—I think it’s happening.”Natalia’s eyes widened. “Now? Sienna, we need to call Enzo.”Sienna nodded, fumbling for her phone. Her hands trembled as she hit Enzo’s number. He picked up on the first ring.“Hey, piccola. What’s wrong?”She sucked in a breath, another contraction making her voice waver. “It’s time.”A chair scraped loudly on the other end. “Where are you?”“At the restaurant. I was meeting Natalia—”“I’m on my way.” His voice was sharp with urgency. “Stay put.”The call ended, and Natalia stood, waving down a waiter. “We need to get her somewhere mor

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