BLOOD AND BETRAYAL
1090 Words
The Mafia King’s Forbidden Wife
Chapter Four: Blood and Betrayal
Elena stared at the newspaper until the words blurred.
"The woman who started the war."
The sentence repeated in her mind like a cruel whisper.
Her mother.
The woman Elena remembered as gentle, loving, and warm.
The woman who used to sing softly while cooking dinner.
The woman who held her when she had nightmares.
How could that same woman be connected to a war between two powerful families?
How could everyone know a version of her mother that Elena had never seen?
A knock sounded on the door.
Elena quickly folded the newspaper.
“Come in.”
A maid entered with a tray of breakfast.
“Mrs. De Luca, Mr. De Luca requested that you join him downstairs.”
Elena almost laughed.
Requested.
That was a polite way of saying ordered.
“Tell him I’ll be there.”
The maid nodded and left.
Elena looked at the newspaper again.
Something was wrong.
And she was tired of being the only person who didn’t know the truth about her own life.
---
The dining room was silent when Elena entered.
Adrian sat at the end of the long table, reading documents while drinking coffee.
He looked completely calm.
As if their home had not been attacked the night before.
As if her entire world had not been turned upside down.
“You knew.”
Adrian looked up.
His eyes immediately noticed the newspaper in her hand.
“What did you find?”
Elena placed it on the table.
“You knew my mother was connected to your family.”
A long silence followed.
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised her.
“You’re not even going to deny it?”
“No.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Adrian put down his cup.
“Because knowing the truth puts you in danger.”
She laughed bitterly.
“I’m already in danger, Adrian.”
She pointed toward the newspaper.
“Someone attacked your home last night. Someone is sending me messages. The whole city knows things about my family that I don’t.”
Her voice became softer.
“And I’m supposed to just smile and pretend everything is fine?”
Adrian watched her carefully.
For a moment, he looked like he wanted to say something.
But he stopped himself.
“You need to understand something, Elena.”
His voice lowered.
“The truth you’re looking for is not a beautiful story.”
“I’m not looking for a beautiful story.”
She looked directly at him.
“I’m looking for my mother.”
Something shifted in Adrian’s expression.
A memory.
A pain.
He stood and walked toward the window.
“Your mother was the only person who believed there could be peace between our families.”
Elena listened quietly.
“Your father and my father hated each other. They built their empires on revenge.”
“Then why did my mother get involved?”
Adrian looked outside.
“Because she discovered something both families wanted hidden.”
“What?”
He turned back to her.
“Your father’s betrayal.”
Elena froze.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
She shook her head.
“No. That’s impossible.”
“Is it?”
Adrian’s voice remained calm.
“Do you really know everything your father has done?”
The question hurt because she didn’t have an answer.
---
Later that afternoon, Elena decided to search for answers herself.
If everyone wanted to hide the truth from her, she would find it alone.
She walked through the mansion, searching for anything connected to her mother.
She passed several rooms until she reached a hallway she had never seen before.
At the end was an old wooden door.
Something about it felt familiar.
Almost like she had been there before.
She reached for the handle.
Then stopped.
Adrian’s warning echoed in her mind.
Never enter my office.
She looked at the door.
This wasn’t just curiosity anymore.
This was about her mother.
Slowly, she opened it.
Inside was Adrian’s private office.
Dark shelves.
Old documents.
Photographs.
Elena stepped inside.
She knew she was crossing a line.
But she needed answers.
Her eyes moved across the room until something caught her attention.
A photograph sitting on the desk.
She picked it up.
And her entire body froze.
It was her mother.
Young.
Smiling.
Standing beside Adrian.
But they weren’t enemies in the picture.
They looked close.
Almost like family.
Then Elena noticed something else.
A second person in the photograph.
Her father.
And the three of them were standing together.
Like they had once trusted each other.
“How could this be?”
A voice behind her answered.
“Because the war you know about was never the real war.”
Elena turned.
Adrian stood at the doorway.
His face was unreadable.
“How long were you going to hide this from me?”
He didn’t answer.
She held up the photograph.
“My parents knew you.”
“Yes.”
“My mother trusted you.”
“Yes.”
“And my father betrayed you.”
Adrian’s eyes darkened.
“Yes.”
Elena shook her head.
“My entire life has been built on lies.”
She moved closer.
“Tell me the truth.”
Adrian stared at her.
Then he said the words she never expected.
“Your father didn’t just betray my family.”
A pause.
“He tried to kill me.”
Elena’s breath caught.
“But why?”
Adrian looked at the photograph in her hand.
“Because your mother discovered what he was planning.”
“What was he planning?”
Adrian stepped closer.
His voice became a warning.
“To take control of everything.”
The room went silent.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
A few seconds later, his expression changed.
“What happened?”
The person on the other end spoke.
Adrian’s eyes moved to Elena.
And for the first time, she saw fear.
Not for himself.
For her.
He ended the call.
“What is it?”
Adrian walked toward her.
“Your father is here.”
Elena frowned.
“My father?”
Adrian’s face hardened.
“He wants you back.”
A cold feeling settled in her stomach.
“Why?”
Adrian looked at her.
“Because he knows you’ve started discovering the truth.”
And then he added the words that changed everything:
“He’s not coming to save you, Elena.”
“He’s coming to silence you.”
To be continued…
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