- Maps and documents covered a makeshift conference table, the paper trail of two empires trying to find their hunter.
- Celeste stood at one end, her fingers tracing patterns between marked locations. She’d shed her usual blazer hours ago, leaving her in a fitted black shirt that made her look more dangerous than professional.
- Stephan watched her from across the table, noting how she’d occasionally pause, tilt her head, and then connect another dot in their growing web of conspiracy.
- “The shipment routes don’t align,” Mikey, Stephan’s right-hand man, pointed out from his position near the window. “The attackers knew exactly when to hit, but the schedule was changed last minute.”
- “Which means they have someone on the inside,” Dante added, running a hand through his dark hair. “Both our organizations are compromised.”
- Stephan watched Celeste from across the table, noting how she’d occasionally pause, tilt her head, and then connect another dot in their growing web of conspiracy.
- Despite the added presence of Mikey and Dante, the tension between them remained palpable.
- “The timing doesn’t make sense,” Celeste muttered, drawing everyone’s attention. “Why wait until now? Why not strike when we were actively fighting each other?”
- “Because we were watching each other then,” Stephan replied, stepping closer to examine her work. “Now we’re both looking elsewhere.”
- Dante shot a warning glance at Stephan’s approach to his sister, but held his tongue. Miley shifted his position slightly, unconsciously moving to better cover his boss’s blind spot.
- She glanced up at him, and for a moment, he saw a flash of the woman he used to know. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared.
- “You’re hovering,” she said flatly.
- “I’m observing.” He didn’t step back. “You’ve gotten better at this.”
- “Better than what?”
- “Better than I remember.”
- Her laugh was sharp, causing Dante to look up sharply from the files he was reviewing.
- “You mean better than when I was playing the role you wanted me to play?” She straightened, meeting Stephan’s gaze directly. “That was the point.”
- Miley cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the personal turn of the conversation, but neither Celeste nor Stephan acknowledged him.
- “And now?” Stephan asked, studying her face.
- “Now I don’t have to pretend to be less than I am.” She turned back to the maps, addressing the whole room. “These attacks—they’re not just about territory or revenge. They’re systematic, designed to destabilize both our operations simultaneously.”
- Stephan moved closer, ignoring the way Dante tensed at his approach. “Show me.”
- For the next hour, they worked together, the four of them falling into an uneasy rhythm. Celeste would point out a pattern, Stephan would challenge it, while Miley analyzed the security implications and Dante cross-referenced their intelligence reports.
- But underneath their productive collaboration, the tension between Celeste and Stephan remained, making both Miley and Dante exchange concerned glances when they thought no one was watching.
- “Your weapons cache was hit first,” Stephan noted, marking the timeline. “Then my shipment. Both precision strikes, both targeting our ability to defend ourselves.”
- “They’re weakening us before the real attack,” Celeste concluded. She reached for a document at the same time he did, their fingers brushing.
- Neither pulled away immediately, the contact sending an unwelcome charge through both of them.
- Stephan broke the silence first. “We need to—”
- The door burst open.
- Catherine stood in the doorway, her elegant features twisted with fury. She wore a red dress that seemed out of place in the stark office setting, like a splash of blood on concrete.
- “Oh, am I interrupting something?” Her voice dripped sweetness, but her eyes were cold as they moved from Stephan to Celeste, then to their still-touching hands.
- Stephan withdrew his hand slowly, deliberately. “Catherine, leave. Now.”
- But Catherine was already stalking into the room, her heels clicking against the floor like gunshots. She turned to Celeste, smiled sharp as broken glass.
- “I just came to remind my fiancé where he belongs.”
- Celeste straightened, a predatory smirk playing at her lips.
- “So your pet parent visits us too. Adorable.” Her eyes flicked to Stephan, then back to Catherine. “Does he forget his collar at home, Cat?”
- The color drained from Catherine’s face, replaced by a fury that made her hands shake. She opened her mouth to respond, but Stephan was already moving, his fingers wrapping around her arm with careful force.
- “We’re leaving,” he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. “Now.”
- “Get your hands off me,” Catherine hissed, but she allowed him to guide her toward the door. At the threshold, she turned back to Celeste. “This isn’t over.”
- “It never is with you, darling.” Celeste’s tone was bored, dismissive.
- Stephan practically dragged Catherine down the hallway to the elevator, maintaining his grip until the doors closed behind them. As soon as they were alone, Catherine wrenched her arm free.
- “Why the hell are you working with her?”
- “It’s temporary.” He kept his eyes on the descending floor numbers, not trusting himself to look at her.
- “No, it’s not.” Catherine moved to stand in front of him, forcing him to meet her gaze. “I know you, Stephan. You don’t let go of things easily.”
- “This isn’t about letting go. This is about survival. This is about protecting what’s mine”
- “Is it?” She searched his face. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re falling right back into her orbit. The way you look at her—”
- “Enough.” His voice cut through her words like a blade. “You don’t understand what’s happening.”
- “Then explain it to me.” Catherine’s voice softened, taking on the pleading tone that usually worked so well on him. “Help me understand why you’re choosing her over us.”
- “I’m not choosing anyone.” He stepped out of the elevator, knowing she would follow. “Someone is trying to destroy both our organizations. Working with Celeste is a necessity, nothing more.”
- “You still call her Celeste.” Catherine’s laugh was bitter. “Not Valerie. Not the lie she used to be. Celeste. Like you respect who she really is.”
- Stephan stopped walking. “What do you want from me, Cat?”
- “I want you to come home.” She moved to stand in front of him again. “I want you to remember who your allies really are. I want—” She cut herself off, blinking back tears that might have been real or calculated. “I want my fiancé back.”
- For a moment, Stephan saw their situation clearly—the woman he was supposed to want. But all he could think about was Celeste upstairs, piecing together the puzzle that threatened to destroy them both.
- “I need to finish this,” he said finally.
- Catherine stepped back as if he’d struck her. “And after? When is it finished?”
- He didn’t answer, which was answer enough.
The Betrayed Mafia’s Heir Chapter 13
The Betrayed Mafia’s Heir Chapter 13
Posted by , ? Views, Released on May 1, 2025
The Betrayed Mafia’s Heir English Novel
Status: Completed Native Language: English
