All Chapters of The Crown That Fell: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

I was so sure I was a goner, but then I blinked open my eyes to the sterile white of a hospital room."Awake?" came a voice, deep and seething with anger, next to me.Turning my head was a struggle, but I managed, only to wish I had not. There he was, Don, the mafia boss–my so-called husband, Nolan Winston.Nolan's face was like stone, but his voice dripped with mockery."Sophia Wood, you're a mafia Donna, yet you jumped into the sea just for a little sympathy? You've made a mockery of the Winston name."His words were like ice, and my heart felt like it had frozen over.To Nolan, my leap of despair was just a cheap trick for attention.I was so shocked, I could not even find the words to respond.In Nolan's eyes, my silence was as good as an admission of guilt.He scowled at me and said with a frosty edge, "Today, I'm calling a family meeting. You're going to say sorry to Lena in front of everyone and confess that the whole kidnapping mess was your own little drama."And if

Chapter 2

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

Chapter 3

When I came to, I was lying on the icy floor of the now-empty mansion.I rushed to the hospital and signed the death confirmation under the pitying gazes of the doctors and nurses.I stood in the morgue, looking at Dad's body. The sickness had taken its toll, but he still had that gentle look, as if he were just sleeping.I rubbed my eyes, dry and tearless, wondering why I could not cry.Then the nurse who cared for Dad came in. She handed me a torn medical record. Dad had left his last words on it before they took him off the ventilator.I stared at the note.[Sophia, my dear daughter, don't cry for what I chose. I just want you to be happy and free.]Only then did the tears come.Dad knew everything all along. He knew my struggles, my sacrifices for his illness, and that I was tormented. I was shackled.He made one final choice for me. He used his death to give me the strength to break away and leave Nolan behind.How could I let his sacrifice be in vain?I pulled out my p

Chapter 4

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

Chapter 5

"Sophia?" Lena forced a smile, "What's all this? Can't we just talk it out?"I merely kept my eyes on her, steady and silent.This was the woman who plotted my kidnapping, forcing a thug to hold a gun to my head on live camera.This was the woman who, as I apologized, faked concern to Nolan with a sneaky, triumphant smirk.This was the woman who wrecked my seven-year marriage and played a part in my dad's death."Lena," I finally said, "it's time to settle the score."Lena stumbled back, seeking refuge behind Nolan. "Nolan, look at her! She's lost it!"Nolan wrapped his arms around her protectively, his gaze fixed on me. "Sophia, if you've got beef, take it up with me. Leave Lena out of this."I could not help but laugh at the sight.For seven years, Nolan had never looked at me with such intensity.That fierce resolve to shield her at any cost, that unwavering readiness to take the hit so she would not have to…He could love, after all; he just did not love me."Nolan," I

Chapter 6

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

Chapter 7

A month later, I was back in Italvia, but as Donna Vincent.I did not return for vengeance. I was there to pick out the perfect final resting place for my dad.We settled on a spot on a Tuscona hillside, with a view of endless olive trees and the tips of church spires in the distance.His headstone was pure white marble, with his name and the last message he left me etched into it.[Sophia, my dear daughter, don't cry for what I chose. I just want you to be happy and free.]I stood there in front of that stone for ages, long enough for the sun to climb from the horizon to high above."Dad," I whispered, "I'm happy now, and I'm free. You can rest easy."Heading down the hill, I spotted a car I knew all too well at the base.It was Nolan.He looked like he had been through the wringer since I last saw him a month ago. Beard all unkempt, suit a wrinkled mess, not at all the polished Don he used to be.His eyes sparked to life when he saw me, but faded just as fast."Sophia," he

Chapter 8

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

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