All Chapters of A Crown Made of Scars: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

In the Deluca family's grand hall, the tension was palpable, only pierced by the occasional snap and pop from the fireplace.I had just planted my stiletto heel into Rosa Deluca's chest, with the sharp point driving into her like a nail into wood.She did not even have a chance to scream before she stumbled backward, shattering the expensive crystal coffee table behind her.The glass shattered, slashing across her once-prized face.Marco Conti stormed in just in time to witness the aftermath.His eyes were wild with fury as he whipped out his Beretta and pointed it straight at me."Elena! You've got a death wish!"My parents were right on his heels, taking in the wreckage and their injured foster daughter.My father, Dante Deluca, was shaking with rage. "This is outrageous! Grab this monster!"The bodyguards started to close in, but I gave them a chilling look and a mocking smile."Go ahead, make your move. We might just all end up dead."I smoothed out my black dress and pu

Chapter 2

Meanwhile, over at the Romano family's sprawling estate, the place was nothing like a swanky estate. Rather, it felt more like a fortress bristling with security.High walls were laced with live barbed wire, and armed guards were posted every 30 feet.The servants, clad in black, moved with heads down and without a sound, like ghosts drifting through the halls.Upstairs, in the master bedroom, the door was left ajar, letting out a heavy stench of blood that even overpowered the room's fancy cedar scent.A man sat in a wheelchair among the broken ceramics and bloodstains, fiddling with a scalpel still wet with blood.Next to him, a traitor shivered on his knees, his throat cut, twitching as death crept closer."Another one comes to meet their end?"His voice was gritty and dark, laced with a sinister delight for bloodshed.I shut the door with a flick of my wrist, turned the lock, and shut out the prying eyes."Don Romano, I'm Elena," I announced. "Here's a token from the Deluc

Chapter 3

Early the next morning, I stood before a full-length mirror, clad in a custom-tailored black gown that would not be out of place at an Italon mafia funeral.However, I loved it.Wade was in his wheelchair, his mask still in place, hiding half his face. Yet, his eyes had lost the darkness from the day before. It was replaced by a lazy amusement, as if he were an audience to a play."Ready?" he asked."Yes," I answered as I donned a black veil hat that hid half my face, leaving only my chin with its fiery red lips visible.I felt powerful, like the Grim Reaper ready to claim souls."Let's go, my Donna," Wade said, his voice deep. "It's time to play the Grim Reaper for the Deluca family's last rites."…At the Deluca family estate, amidst the wedding festivities.That was meant to be Elena and Wade's engagement celebration.The scene had shifted to Marco and Rosa's wedding ceremony.To hide an embarrassing secret, the Deluca family spun a tale about their real daughter being si

Chapter 4

The news alerts came in a relentless barrage.[Deluca Group implicated in severe money laundering, currently under official investigation!][Marco, heir of the Conti Group, is accused of a rival's murder with solid evidence! Arrest warrant issued by the police!][Deluca Group stocks nosedive by 90%. Bankruptcy and liquidation imminent!]"This… this can't be happening…" Marco shook uncontrollably, his eyes snapping up to Wade. "You! You're behind this, aren't you?"Wade, unfazed and aloof, responded with a chill in his voice, "As the chill sets in, so does the end for the Deluca."His offhand comment was a death knell for the entire clan.Rosa was in utter disarray.She had latched onto Marco for his wealth and the prestige the Deluca name brought. Now, with Marco a fugitive and the Deluca empire crumbling, what was left for her?Desperate, she scurried over and stood before me, head bowed in defeat.She clutched at the fabric of my skirt, her face a mess of tears and snot as

Chapter 5

In the Romano family's study.I lounged in the leather chair, scanning the barrage of insults on my tablet, my fingers rhythmically drumming on the desk."This paternity report is a fake, but it's a work of art. Rosa, that fool, couldn't have pulled off something like this. Looks like she's got a black market forger in her pocket."Wade was across from me, meticulously cleaning his gun. "Do you want me to permanently shut up that forger?""No, we'll ride this wave instead."I got up, strode over to the whiteboard, and grabbed a marker to sketch out the Deluca family tree."Wade, doesn't it strike you as odd?"I connected "Dante" and "Rosa" with a red line."If I'm not his flesh and blood, why did Dante go through all the trouble to track me down years ago?"Just over a kidney? The Deluca family, those self-serving types, would've ditched me in the gutter without a second thought if I wasn't worth more to them."I let out an icy, mocking laugh, my eyes darkening with intensity

Chapter 6

Wade shook his head.He came up behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders, gazing out at the world beyond the panoramic window."I'm going to call a press conference. I want Gabriella to witness firsthand the truth about the daughter she's adored for two decades."The press conference was a spectacle, held in the grand lobby of the Romano Group building.The hook "mystery of the heiress' identity" had drawn a swarm of journalists, their cameras and mics forming an impenetrable wall.Rosa made her entrance, wheeling Gabriella in, both of them dressed up in a pitiful display for the crowd.Gabriella was a mess, her clothes ragged and her face gaunt. At the first flash of the cameras, she broke down, sobbing."Elena, that backstabber! She's hogging all the inheritance and trying to wipe us out!"Next to her, Rosa dabbed at her eyes, the picture of sorrow. "Elena, just own up to your mistake and give back what's rightfully the Deluca'. Then, we'll let bygones be bygones. We're f

Chapter 7

The Deluca family was in ruins.Gabriella had lost her mind and was locked away in an asylum.Dante, overwhelmed by the truth, suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed, spending the rest of his life in bed.Rosa was alive, but her beauty was destroyed, making her an outcast in the eyes of all.I thought that was the end of it.However, then came a stormy night, rain lashing down like the world was ending.My phone rang.It was Marco's voice, laced with terror. "Elena, help me…"His voice was a sharp cry of fear, the eerie sound of metal scraping in the background."Rosa has snapped, she's taken me… She's at the old chemical plant out west! She said if you don't show up, she'll blow the place sky-high! There's a ton of explosives…"The line went dead.Was it a trap? It could not be clearer.Regardless, I had to go, but not to rescue Marco, the good-for-nothing. I wanted to put an end to a looming threat once and for all.With 20 of our best, fully-geared soldiers, I headed

Chapter 8

The Romano family's basement was Wade's personal chamber of horrors, a place reserved for dealing with traitors. Torture devices adorned the walls, and the floor featured ominous channels stained with the dark hue of dried blood.Rosa and Marco were caged like animals, side by side. Rosa's wrist was crudely wrapped, still oozing blood, her face ashen.Marco was a mess of bruises and cuts.The moment I walked in, their eyes were wide with terror."Elena… Please, let me go… I'm your sister…"Rosa's plea was soaked in tears, her earlier bravado gone."Sister?"I had someone fetch a chair and sat down in front of their cage, a glass of red wine in my hand."Did you remember that I'm your sister earlier when you were thinking of blowing me up?"Wade was lounging next to me, a sleek scalpel in hand, casually grooming his nails."Darling, what's the game plan? Encase them in concrete? Or maybe turn them into dog chow?"Those words sent a shiver of horror through the two captives.

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