All Chapters of Crowned In Betrayal (The Santoro Family 1): Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Barbara was a Riccardi. I didn't know if I should have been shocked or surprised at my unexpected discovery, but somehow, it all made sense. From the looks of things, she was a double informant. Barbara was in love with Enzo and with the promise of his grandfather and his mother, Barbara had switched sides. Me: Barbara has the painting. Sending the message quickly, I slid my second phone into my pocket hiding it before Enzo could spot it. Now, I was working with the police. It was the best, safest option for me. If the police were able to arrest Enzo and the Ricciardi's, I would be safe. I just needed to find enough evidence of their crimes. That vault was the best evidence. “I don't care if you have to turn the entire country upside down, find Barbara immediately!” Enzo shouted making me jerk afraid. Enzo's body was tense, his fists clenched at his sides as he barked out orders to his men. His usual calm, arrogant demeanor was gone. I inahaled slowly, steadying myself. The last

The rooftop restaurant sat high above the Seine, offering a breathtaking view of Paris as it shimmered under the night sky. Soft candlelight sat across the polished tables, its glow catching in half-filled wine glasses while the city buzzed with life around us. The restaurant had the most romantic setting in the city. It was perfect because I wanted to show Lauren she could have everything she wanted. Seated from my seat, I could see the entrance and everyone in the restaurant. Couples laughed and chatted happily but I couldn't relax. Not until I had the painting. Glancing at my watch, my gaze flickered to Barbara who was dressed in a stunning red gown. She reached for her glass taking a sip as if she didn't have a care in the world. “ You haven't said a single word since.” I said turning my gaze to Lauren. “ Are you still flustered by what Barbara did?” “ I'm okay.” Lauren said as she adjusted the top of her dress trying to cover her cleverage. It was obvious that she was not comf

ENZOJake had to be the most f**king dumbest officer to sign Lauren as a secret agent against me. I wanted to chuckle the moment I saw my clothes disarranged along with hers. It was obvious that she was searching for her second phone. She was so cute, my gurriera. Lauren forced a yawn, stretching her arms lazily. “Sleeping.”I snorted. “Sure you are.” Grabbing a fresh shirt from my bag, I slipped it over my head. “You look guilty as hell.”“You’re paranoid.” She countered. Any other f**king person, I won't go through the trouble of hide and seek. One bullet through their knee or some torture would get me all the answers I needed but hell, where was the fun in that? I smirked, running a towel through my hair. “And you’re a terrible liar, gurriera.”I watched as her gaze turned into something unreadable. I was curious. What exactly was she thinking? Suddenly, she turned to her side backing me. “Whatever. I need to rest.”The sound of my phone buzzing caught my attention. I grabbed

The place was classy but not too fancy. One of my old classmates owned the hall, making it a great spot for our reunion. Warm lighting, soft music, and the hum of conversation filling the air. Waiters moved through the crowd with trays of champagne, and laughter echoed from different corners of the room.I stepped inside, adjusting the beautiful silver dress Enzo had sent me. It fit almost too perfectly, like he knew my body better than I did. The moment I entered, I could see all eyes on me. Familiar faces caught my attention as I walked over to an empty table. I didn't like social events like this but I wasn't about to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me hide. “ Lauren!” A voice called out making me stop just as I was about to walk past them. My gaze flickered to the man dressed in red suit. “Come sit with us.”I forced a polite smile staring at him even though my instincts told me to keep on walking . The man in the red suit, Aaron, if I remembered correctly was the son to

The night air was crisp against my skin as I stepped out of the wheelchair, phone pressed to my ear. Lauren stood a few feet away, watching me with a mix of curiosity and concern. I should be wary of her but right now, all I could focus on was Leonardo’s voice.“The encryption was cracked?” I repeated, keeping my tone even, though my pulse quickened.“Yes,” Leonardo confirmed. “It wasn’t easy, but we found something.”I gripped the phone tighter. “Explain.”“There was a set of numbers hidden in the painting,” Leonardo said. “At first, we thought they were nothing, but they match old nautical coordinates.”“Coordinates to where?” I asked.“A location tied to a smuggling route from decades ago. It was used by the Italian family in the 1900’s. Probably back when your grandfather was still active. The route was super safe until when the government discovered it.” A smuggling route. My jaw tightened. What could it mean? “ Have you sent people to take a look at it?” I asked running my han