บททั้งหมดของ The Crown That Fell: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 8

However, walking away from Nolan was not an option, not with my dad still depending on the Winston family's medical hookups.I was stuck.Half an hour later, I showed up at Skycrest Estate, right on schedule.Dragging my bruised self through the grand entrance, I felt like a total mess in my baggy hospital scrubs, standing out like a sore thumb in the glittering hall.Nolan's crew was lounging around a long table, throwing me looks that mixed pity with scorn."Donna! Always the same, huh? Can't even bother to change before you come home, always looking for sympathy...""Donna? Please, Lena is back now. Time for this fake to take a hike."I tuned them out and made my way to the upstairs lounge.The moment I pushed the door open, the chatter inside stopped dead.Lena was perched on the central sofa, decked out in a pristine white designer dress, looking every bit the innocent angel.Nolan was right there beside her, casually sipping wine, his eyes fixed on me with a smirk."Lo

The commotion in the crowd was reaching a fever pitch. Some were even gearing up to storm the stage to stop me when suddenly, the banquet hall doors slammed open.The screech of brakes violently cut through the downpour.It was not just one car that had arrived, but an entire motorcade of six black armored Hummers that crashed right through the glass walls of the banquet hall, sending shards flying everywhere.The car doors swung open in unison, and a stream of figures in black poured into the banquet hall.Beneath their jackets, the subtle outlines of guns hinted at danger, a chill of menace in the air.A bodyguard with utmost respect opened the door of the central stretch limo.William Vincent, the iron-fisted ruler of Northland's shadowy corners, clad in a sleek black trench coat, walked over the glittering carpet of broken glass towards me.He was the man behind the mysterious calls, my mentor in all things firearms, my ace in the hole.William dropped to one knee before me

Three days later, the Winston family's empire in Italvia had been dismantled.Casinos, docks, hotels, and clubs all changed hands overnight.Nolan's once-trusted circle was gone. Some were dead, while others had turned traitor. The mighty crime dynasty had been reduced to nothing more than an empty mansion.Back in Northland, with William leading the way, I found myself in his cozy study. He handed me a steaming cup of cocoa, his eyes searching mine. "So, what's the game plan, Sophia?"Clutching the warm mug, I gazed out at the streets that felt so alien to me. "First things first, I need to lay my dad to rest," I murmured. "After that... I want to soak up everything you can teach me."William's eyebrow rose in surprise. "Really?"I squared my shoulders, meeting his gaze with newfound resolve. "I'm done being the victim, William. I want to be strong, like you."I yearned for the strength to shield myself and the ones I love, to never be at the mercy of anyone else's whims or cru

Five years have passed.In the heart of Northland, at the Vincent family's grand estate.I was perched at my desk in the study, sifting through the stack of papers that had come in that day. A steaming mug of cocoa sat nearby, William's daily creation.Five years had passed, and he had never broken the ritual.No matter his schedule, he always found time to whip up a cup of hot cocoa for me, then sat close by, watching as I took each sip."Donna." The door tapped open, and one of my guys stepped in. "Got word from Italvia: Nolan Winston has kicked the bucket."I looked up."How'd he go?""Booze got the best of him, ended up a popsicle in some slum alley." He flicked a photo my way. "Caught it on the scene."I snagged the photo for a quick look.The man in the photo was huddled against a wall, covered in grime, with the telltale purple of a drunk's demise.Without a closer look, no one would have guessed he was the same high-and-mighty mafia boss from back in the day.I set