The road stretched ahead of them, dark and relentless, as the convoy of vehicles sped toward the industrial zone.Isabela sat in the back seat of the armored car, mentally reviewing every step of her plan. Beside her, Miguel drove with the focus of a man who knew this night could be his last.—"We're five minutes from the meeting point, boss,"— he reported, not taking his eyes off the road.Isabela nodded. Her gaze was fixed on the screen of Alejandro's secure phone. No message, no sign.Her stomach churned with uncertainty, but she couldn't afford to fear or doubt.Adrik and her father's men would be waiting at the agreed crossing. If everything went according to plan, they could intercept the ambush before it was too late.But in the world of the mafia, plans rarely unfolded perfectly.—"We've reached the crossing, boss,"— Miguel announced.In the distance, the headlights illuminated a group of vehic
The old man, his skin hardened by years of labor under the sun, swallowed hard as Dino’s gun brushed against his temple.Eight rough-looking men, their clothes reeking of gunpowder and stained with blood, had violently interrupted his rest, barging into his home uninvited.His humble house, far from civilization and surrounded by the peace of the countryside, was now under threat from ruthless criminals.His trembling hands searched for the kitchen switch, turning it on as the water boiled on the old gas stove.Dino was breathing heavily, the wound in his abdomen bleeding through his shirt, but it wasn’t the pain that consumed him the most—it was rage.—“We got too confident…”—he growled, clenching his jaw.One of Constantino’s sons, Giancarlo, shot him a look full of reproach.—“We got confident because you said Moretti would come alone…”Dino let out a bitter laugh, shoving the old man to hurry with
Lorenzo Cassini was a well-known and respected senator in national politics—a man who governed by playing his cards with mastery.His office was located in the palatial heart of Rome, a refuge of power and luxury. Velvet curtains in deep red cascaded over the windows.The marble floor gleamed under the dim light of crystal chandeliers, reflecting the golden fragments of his life: expensive paintings, antique clocks, and a collection of sculptures that only a select few could afford.Around him, the sounds of the city faded away, but his mind never stopped moving—plotting, calculating. Lorenzo Cassini was dangerously astute.With control over the political threads in his hands, Lorenzo had built a network of allies that stretched from the halls of the Senate to the darkest corners of the city.He had made power his own, not only through political cunning but also through his unwavering will to manipulate those around him.
Vanessa had perfectly played her role as an innocent woman seduced by a pervert like Lorenzo Cassini.It wasn’t the first time that such encounters between Lorenzo and young women had taken place in that hotel suite.There had been several occasions when the hotel manager received a visit from Lorenzo Cassini in his office.— “When the cleaning staff takes care of my suite… they must do so with utmost discretion.”Extending an envelope filled with money over the manager’s desk, he stared at him with brutal intensity. That money carried a threat, both for him and the cleaning staff.The manager had come across the same scene more than once.A young woman lying on the senator’s bed, drugged and sexually assaulted by a white-collar degenerate who would never be accused of anything improper.The hotel employees received a hefty sum of money for their silence and for cleaning
The dense air in Sergio Bianchi’s study was saturated with the mix of aged brandy and the metallic scent of fresh blood. Lorenzo Cassini’s head remained inside the box on the mahogany table, though no one dared to look directly at it. It was a silent warning, an offering of war.Dino didn’t take his eyes off Sergio Bianchi, waiting for the next move from the capo. He knew that in the circles of organized crime, a word carried as much weight as gunpowder, but betrayal was always lurking in the shadows.One of the most important rules was:— Never turn your back on your enemies, nor your friends, if you want to stay alive.Bianchi leaned back in his leather chair and half-closed his eyes, savoring the moment of his revenge against Lorenzo Cassini.— The Morettis and their family are doomed, —he said with a voice as cold as ice—. But that doesn’t mean the execution must be immediate.Dino rested his elbows on his knees, le
Ramiro was a man of iron; he had received a considerable wound to his stomach, and instead of resting as the Greek commander's doctor had recommended, The Wolves, Ramiro was standing, in charge of the watch for his boss.— "This idiot Ramiro would give his life for you, Moretti." – pointed out Vasilakis, the experienced doctor of The Wolves.— "Ramiro is the best man in my organization…"— "You can be sure of him, Moretti."— "I'm never sure of anyone, Vasilakis... not even my own shadow."Alejandro Moretti was a very distrustful man; since he was young, he had to learn to watch his own back.His father had been killed by his supposed best friend, his trusted man, and that marked him for life. When he had the chance, he himself blew the brains out of his father’s killer.So Alejandro Moretti was a man to be careful of, loyal to his men but not blind.At four in the morning, while everyone was sleeping,
Dawn covered the city with a gray veil; that morning, the rain threatened to fall.A luxurious black car appeared parked outside an old industrial warehouse, in an area where shady deals were often made.It was an exclusive model, impossible to overlook, yet no one had noticed it.The unmistakable stench of death began to fill the air, and a passing delivery man was the first to notice something strange in the distance.Frowning, with curiosity creeping up his spine, he stopped his truck and stepped out, approaching just enough to distinguish the macabre scene.What he saw made him take a step back, his stomach churning—lifeless bodies at the foot of a luxury car and a man slumped over the steering wheel, his face pale, his eyes still open in an expression of surprise and horror.Horrified, he called the police.Minutes later, red and blue lights flickered across the scene. Police officers exchanged nervous gla
Once Alejandro received the news of Bianchi’s execution, he went to rest.By morning, the news of his death was not only in the newspapers but on every news channel.Ramiro noticed the tension in Alejandro, that peculiar look that indicated he was scheming something.— “Is something worrying you, boss?”Taking a sip of his coffee, Alejandro remained silent, lost in thought. After a few minutes, he spoke.— “I know Dino well. He will wait for the right moment to make his move…”— “But the idiots from the Constantino family are not that patient…”— “What do you mean, boss?”— “Ramiro, gather the men,” Alejandro ordered without giving any further explanations.Once his men were assembled, Alejandro gave them instructions on what they needed to do. The pieces on his board were moved with a coldly calculated strategy.On the night of Tuesday, October 10th, the Moretti mansion stood surroun
Villa Moretti woke up under an overcast sky. The sea, which usually roared with poetic strength, seemed unusually silent that morning. As if it too sensed that something ominous was coming.Alejandro had been awake since before dawn. He hadn’t slept well since Salvi’s name reappeared on his radar.He checked every message, every email, every file, as if he could catch a ghost before it slipped through his walls.Sitting in front of the large window in his study, his eyes were fixed on the fog over the cliff. In his lap, the Protocollo Nero dossier lay open.A map of connections, allies, enemies, possible traitors, and dormant accounts in tax havens. Each page, a piece of his empire. Each red mark, a target.—Did you get any sleep? —asked Isabela, walking in with a silk coat and her hair still damp.Alejandro closed the dossier and slid it back into the safe.—Sleep is for those without enemies at cour
The Moretti villa in Costa Esmeralda looked like something out of a painting. The sea crashed elegantly against the cliffs, bougainvillea hung from the balconies, and the Italian sun bathed the stone façade as if blessing every inch of the property.But Alejandro didn’t trust perfect places. Nor did he trust weeks that were too quiet. His instinct told him he couldn’t rely on the apparent calm. An enemy could appear from anywhere.Since his return to Italy, he had followed the protocol: reappear as a businessman, cleanse his image in society through charity events, discreet visits to his lawyers, and zero contact with the past.A resurrected ghost in Italian suits and diplomatic manners.And yet, something felt… off. Something in the air unsettled him, as if the wind was warning of a storm, even though the sun reigned high in the sky.—"What’s worrying you, Alejandro?"—Isabela asked, approaching him as he stood on the
The journey back to Italy was as pleasant as it was safe.On a private jet, Alejandro and his family returned without setbacks, leaving behind Greece and a person they had grown to appreciate very much.Miguel.He had decided to stay in Greece with his woman, who was expecting his child.At first, Alejandro didn’t like the idea. Miguel had served him since he was very young, loyally by his side for years.But convinced by Isabela, Alejandro let Miguel go so he could marry Katherine, his former nurse, and start his family in Greece.Miguel would not serve Nikos; his loyalty was only to Alejandro.Melina, at her son Nikos’s request, got him a job at the Italian embassy. Miguel was now an honorable citizen with no criminal past.Grateful to Melina, Isabela left a friend behind—free from the hell she herself wished to escape.While Alejandro and his family arrived at their mansion in Cos
The sun slowly descended over the Greek horizon, tinting the columns of the Mikelos mansion in gold, as if time wished to linger a few more sacred seconds in that twilight moment.Isabela sat on the upper terrace, the one that opened directly to the Aegean Sea, where the sea breeze carried echoes of her childhood among ruins, bougainvilleas, and memories that hurt and caressed all at once.The air smelled of jasmine and hot stone, of history and broken promises. Her father’s mansion stood tall, surrounded by vineyards that stretched across the hills, as if the past tried to hold her tight.And yet, despite being surrounded by people who had watched her grow and appreciated her, despite her last name and her story, Isabela no longer felt at home—she felt like a guest in that enormous mansion.Her brother Nikos laughed in the music room, accompanied by his fiancée and by Alejandro and his children, Mateo and sweet little Lucía.
In the discussion between the Mikelos sisters, there was an involuntary witness. Nikos.He hadn't meant to overhear, he had returned to the mansion with the intention of talking to Isabela and asking her some questions.His fiancée was in agreement. She was having a good time with Isabela's children. Nikos's fiancée was a school teacher, she loved children and found Mateo and Lucía fascinating.Although he heard everything, he didn't mention a word to anyone about what he'd overheard.That night, he dined with Alejandro, whom he liked very much, and the entire Moretti family. Fífi was not invited to the dinner.The morning light broke through the windows of the house, tinting the linen curtains in golden tones.Nikos had woken up early and was watching the sea horizon from his room. His fiancée was still asleep, but he had spent the night awake, torn between the ghosts of the past and the urgent need to act.Hi
Alejandro had found out about the meeting Isabela had arranged with Andreas’s lawyer. He knew that her decision meant something serious.He feared he had lost her again. And what hurt and worried him the most was that this time, he wasn’t guilty of anything—except loving her madly.The first to walk out of that room was Fifi. Her face said it all.Running into Alejandro in the hallway, she stopped and looked at him straight in the eyes.— You’re a bastard, Alejandro. If you had the guts to choose me instead of daddy’s little princess, all of this would’ve been ours, and her organization would have a very powerful leader…— Now, you’ll have nothing. And do you know why? —That stupid Isabela gave it all to daddy’s bastard… he owns everything.Fifi’s bitterness was spit like venom, thinking no one was listening.But behind a heavy curtain stood Isabela.— I can’t believe I fell in love with a bastard like you. —I w
Isabela walked out of the room with her heart ablaze with fury. She no longer cried, but her chest ached so much it made it hard to breathe.Her so-called calm was merely the prelude to the chaos boiling inside her. Her hands trembled and burned. Everything inside her was rage and disappointment.Once again, her perfect world was crumbling before her. Once again, Dino’s words echoed in her head like a lingering curse.— Alejandro was never truly yours. He’s cheated on you with other women… If you don’t believe me, ask him yourself.— That bastard! I saved myself for one man, and you slept with every woman who spread her legs for you…— But if my sister thinks I’ll let her sleep with Alejandro the way she did with Christopoulos… she’ll have to kill me first.Isabela burned with rage, never had she so deeply wished she didn’t have a heart.Every step she took thundered against the marble floor, an echo
The sky had turned red for Isabela, as if even the heavens could sense the storm about to erupt inside the Mikelos mansion.The fine linen curtains quivered slightly with the sea breeze, and inside Isabela’s room, the air grew thick—almost suffocating.Everything in the house seemed calm, but not in Isabela’s mind.She remained still for a few seconds, her fingers gripping the back of the chair, as if letting go would make her crumble entirely.Alejandro’s words hung in the air, spoken with that tone—part guilt, part resignation—he used when he knew he could no longer hide the truth.— “Fífi... always came after me, Isabela. Even before you and I got married.”Time seemed to freeze at that confession.Isabela blinked slowly, as if her body resisted processing everything she had just heard.Alejandro had confessed all the secrets hidden behind her sister’s hypocritical gaze.It made her burn wi
Alejandro had enjoyed his stroll along the turquoise sea with the sound of his children’s laughter as music to his ears.When they reached the dock, Mateo said:— Dad, do you think Aunt Fífi will like me?— Of course she will, champ. How could she not like you? You're the spitting image of your father.Mateo started laughing, while Lucía, tired from the trip, slept in Alejandro's arms.Heading to his children’s rooms, he left them in the care of their nannies.Before he left, his son Mateo asked:— Are you going to see Aunt Fífi?— Not now, champ. I have to take care of a few things. I’ll see her at dinner. But I think your mom will bring her by so you can meet in a few minutes.— Then I’m going to change my clothes. – said Mateo, excited.Alejandro ruffled his son’s hair.— Dazzle her. You’re a Moretti, just as handsome as your father.He used to joke with his son, seeing him