- Celeste watched as her father’s men dragged in their second informant of the week—a bookkeeper who’d worked for both Lombardi and Koslov.
- Salvatore stood in the shadows, his presence more threatening than any weapon.
- “Tell my daughter what you told me,” he ordered, voice soft but carrying immense weight.
- The bookkeeper trembled, glancing between father and daughter. “They’ll kill me.”
- “We’ll kill you slower,” Celeste replied, examining her nails. “Your choice.”
- He broke faster than expected.
- “It’s called the Shadow Council,” he gasped. “A coalition of the oldest families—the ones who operated before any of us were born. They’ve been watching, waiting…”
- “For what?” Celeste stepped closer.
- “For weakness. When you and De Luca started fighting, it created an opening. They want to destabilize both families, then take over the territory.”
- Salvatore’s eyes narrowed. “Names.”
- “I don’t—” The bookkeeper flinched as Angelo stepped forward. “Wait! I only know about Viktor Koslov and Lombardi. But there are others. At least six more on the council. They have connections everywhere—politics, law enforcement, international trade…”
- Celeste exchanged a look with her father. This was bigger than they’d imagined.
- “The attacks,” she said slowly. “They weren’t just about territory. They were testing our defenses.”
- “Like wolves circling prey,” Salvatore agreed, his expression dark. “Waiting to see where we’re vulnerable.”
- “They’ve been planning this for years.” The bookkeeper nodded frantically. “Building networks, gathering intelligence. The war between you and De Luca just accelerated their timeline.”
- Celeste’s phone buzzed—a news alert. She opened it, then went very still.
- “Speaking of De Luca…” She turned the screen toward her father. “Looks like someone just made another move.”
- * * *
- The raid hit at dawn.
- Stephan watched from his office window as federal agents swarmed his flagship hotel, their vehicles creating a sea of flashing lights in the early morning gloom.
- The sight made something cold and deadly curl in his chest.
- “They had a warrant,” Mikey reported, standing tensely behind him. “Specific intelligence about money laundering through the hotel’s accounts.”
- “Impossible.” Stephan’s voice was very quiet. “Those accounts were clean.”
- “They were. Until someone planted evidence three days ago.”
- Stephan didn’t need to ask who. He’d seen Catherine slip out last night, had been tracking her movements. But he hadn’t expected her to move this quickly.
- “Boss?” Mikey shifted uncomfortably. “What do you want us to do?”
- Before Stephan could answer, the door opened. Catherine walked in like she owned the place, looking immaculate in a cream-colored suit.
- “Leave us,” Stephan ordered, not taking his eyes off her.
- Mikey hesitated only briefly before complying. The door clicked shut behind him, leaving predator and prey alone.
- Or perhaps they were both predators now.
- “Quite a show downstairs,” Catherine said, moving to pour herself a drink. Her hand didn’t shake at all. “The press is having a field day.”
- Stephan watched her, letting the silence stretch. She’d always hated when he did that.
- Finally, he spoke. “Do you think this is a game?”
- Catherine’s smile was sharp as she turned to face him.
- “No, honey.” She stalked closer, all feline grace and contained violence. “I think this is a warning.”
- Her fingers traced his jaw, nails scraping lightly against his skin. Another woman might have missed the way his muscles tensed, the dangerous stillness that settled over him.
- But Catherine knew exactly what she was provoking.
- “Stay in line, Stephan,” she purred. “I won’t be so gentle next time.”
- His hand shot up, catching her wrist in a grip just shy of bruising. “You have no idea what you’ve started.”
- “Don’t I?” She didn’t try to pull away. “I warned you about Celeste. About choosing sides. Now you’re facing the consequences.”
- “The consequences.” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You’re playing with forces you don’t understand, Cat. Your family’s influence, your political connections—they won’t protect you forever.”
- “Is that a threat?”
- “No.” He released her wrist and stepped back. “That’s a promise.”
- Catherine’s composure cracked slightly. For the first time, real uncertainty flickered in her eyes.
- “We’re getting married in three weeks,” she said, and it sounded almost like a plea. “Don’t throw everything away for her.”
- “You’re right about one thing.” Stephan turned back to the window, watching the chaos below. “I am throwing everything away. Just not for the reasons you think.”
- “And what is that supposed to mean?”
- He didn’t answer. After a moment, Catherine’s heels clicked across the floor as she left, the door closing behind her with finality.
- Stephan waited until her footsteps faded before pulling out his phone. He dialed a number he’d memorized but never used.
- “It’s time,” he said when the line connected. “Execute Protocol Seven.”
- He ended the call and poured himself a drink, watching the sun rise over his crumbling empire. By sunset, the Durand family would understand exactly what they’d provoked.
- There would be no wedding. No peaceful resolution. Catherine had made her choice, and now she would learn what it meant to threaten a De Luca.
- His phone buzzed again—a message from one of his surveillance teams:
- “Shadow Council confirmed. Multiple players involved. Permission to proceed?”
- Stephan’s fingers tightened on his glass.
- So it was true.
- They weren’t just fighting Catherine and her family. They were up against something much older, much more dangerous.
- He thought of Celeste, wondering if she’d discovered the same thing. They would need to work together now, whether Catherine liked it or not.
- His empire might be under attack, but Stephan felt strangely calm. He’d built his power from nothing once before. He could do it again.
- But this time, he’d make sure his enemies didn’t just fall.
- They would burn.
The Betrayed Mafia’s Heir Chapter 19
The Betrayed Mafia’s Heir Chapter 19
Posted by , ? Views, Released on May 2, 2025
The Betrayed Mafia’s Heir English Novel
Status: Completed Native Language: English
