chapter 23: Decent

Elena found herself standing at a crossroads once again. She had become a key player in Luca's rise to power, but with each passing day, she could feel the lines between right and wrong blurring further. The bloodshed, the betrayals, it was all becoming too much.

That night, a knock came at her door. When she opened it, there stood Luca, his expression hard. "We have to move quickly," he said. "Vincenzo's empire is crumbling. We're making our final move tonight."

Elena felt her stomach twist. She knew what that meant. It meant everything would change. There would be no turning back after tonight.

"Are you ready?" Luca asked, his eyes dark and filled with expectation.

Elena stood in the doorway, her heart beating like a drum. The man she had once thought was her ally now seemed like the greatest threat. But she couldn't let him see her fear. Not yet.

"I'm ready," she lied.

But deep inside, Elena knew the truth, she wasn't ready for the storm that was about to hit. And no matter what happened next, she would never be the same again.