All Chapters of The Mafia’s Reckoning : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Chapter 11The weight of Dominic’s words still echoed in Alex’s mind as he stepped out into the night. The air outside the estate was sharp, laced with the scent of rain-soaked asphalt and distant exhaust. Thunder grumbled low across the horizon, a storm building—inside and out.Sophia hadn’t said a word since they left the library. She walked beside him, her heels clicking softly against the wet pavement as they moved through the narrow passage between the estate’s southern buildings. Her profile was carved in shadow—elegant, unreadable. But Alex could feel it: the tension in her shoulders, the question hanging between them like a noose.“Do you always lie so well?” he asked, voice low.Sophia stopped, turning to face him. Her eyes—those soft, caramel eyes—held a flicker of defiance. “Do you always assume the worst?”Alex stepped closer. “Carlo lied. Now he’s dead. You’re standing in the fire he left behind. Tell me why.”She didn’t back away. “Carlo was working on something bigger t

Chapter Thirteen The penthouse windows shimmered with the blood-orange glow of sunset, the city beneath reduced to moving shadows. Alex Morano stood before them like a statue carved from storm clouds—motionless, unyielding, and ready to shatter. He had spent years building empires from ruin, but nothing had prepared him for the quiet, lethal betrayal whispering through his bloodline.Eliza Maranzano sat like a black widow on the edge of the velvet couch, her legs crossed, hands draped lazily in her lap. Her poise was deliberate, dangerous—she wore power like a diamond necklace, effortless and dazzling. The very sight of her twisted Alex’s stomach. She wasn’t just a ghost from his father’s past—she was the living architect of secrets too carefully buried.“You’re quieter than usual, Alex,” she purred, swirling the amber liquid in her crystal glass. “Is that rage I see brewing… or fear?”“I don’t waste fear on people who lie to me,” Alex said, voice low and sharp. “But—you-you owe me t

Chapter FifteenThe villa was quieter than usual—too quiet. The kind of silence that crept into the walls and made them feel colder, heavier. Sophia stood at the tall window in the guest room, arms crossed, watching the night fold in over the estate. She hadn’t seen Alex in hours. Not since he stormed off after she attempted to explain what she’d just learned herself.Every word between them lately had become a landmine, and she wasn’t sure which of them would ignite the next explosion.She had meant to find him earlier, to clarify what little she could about Eliza Maranzano, but how could she? How do you explain betrayal when you’re still trying to understand your part in it?A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.It was Diego.“Alex hasn’t come down,” he said without preamble. “I thought he might be with you.”Sophia shook her head, her voice almost a whisper. “I haven’t seen him since earlier.”Diego studied her closely. There was no contempt in his eyes—only wary calculation. “He’

Chapter Seventeen The tension in the air was suffocating, a thick fog that clung to every corner of the villa, refusing to lift. The grandeur of the mansion, with its cold marble floors and towering windows, felt suddenly empty, like a shell that no longer contained the warmth it once had. It was as though the walls themselves were suffocating under the weight of unspoken words and unresolved emotions.Sophia stood motionless in the center of the room, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear the muffled sound of Alex’s footsteps approaching, the rage in his steps unmistakable. But as he appeared in the doorway, standing tall and brooding, his jaw clenched in frustration, a pang of regret washed over her. She had never seen him like this—so utterly consumed by distrust. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she couldn’t find the right words to fix it.Alex’s piercing gaze locked onto hers, his expression cold, unreadable. For a moment, neither of them spoke. It was

Chapter Nineteen The tension in the air was palpable. It weighed down on Sophia’s chest like a heavy stone, and every breath felt harder than the last. It had been days since Alex left—days since their confrontation, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that things had already crossed a line that couldn’t be uncrossed. She had seen the hurt in his eyes, the disbelief that she had chosen this life over everything they could have had together. And the worst part? She couldn’t blame him for it.She had lied, hidden things from him, and manipulated the very truth he had trusted her with. And now she was paying the price.Sophia was sitting in the darkened study of the villa, a half-drunk glass of wine in her hand. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since Diego’s visit, but it felt like an eternity. She hadn’t heard from Alex, and despite everything, she missed him. The way he looked at her, the way his presence made her feel safe despite the danger that surrounded them. It had always