Chapter 3 –The Game Begins

The world still saw me as Isabella De Luca, the sweet, naïve Mafia Princess.

Let them.

I had played this game once before. I had been the perfect daughter, the perfect pawn, the perfect fool.

And I had died for it.

Not this time.

This time, I would rewrite my fate.

But this time around, I would be the predator, not the prey.

And my first move?

Making them all believe I was still that same foolish girl.

The De Luca estate had always been a fortress—lavish, imposing, and filled with men who had no idea I was already working against them.

The long dining table stretched before me, draped in white silk, lined with gold-rimmed plates and crystal glasses. It was a scene of elegance masking the brutality beneath.

Around me sat the De Luca underworld—men who had once treated me as nothing more than a bargaining chip.

They still thought of me that way.

Good.

Because underestimating me was their first mistake.

My father, Don Vicenzo De Luca, sat at the head of the table, his presence commanding, his cold blue eyes scanning the room with a calculating sharpness.

Next to him sat Matteo Russo the man I had once loved, once trusted, once died for.

The man who had whispered love into my ear while plotting my downfall.

And across from me sat Alessia Romano, my best friend. My only friend.

She was still alive—for now.

But if I didn't change the past, she would be dead within months.

I gripped my fork, forcing my expression to remain soft, my posture relaxed. I had to play this perfectly.

My father's voice broke through the silence.

"I've called this meeting because new alliances must be forged," he announced. "Our enemies are moving, and we must move faster."

I already knew this.

This was the moment, in my past life, when my father had started negotiations with Matteo's family—arranging our engagement.

A future that had ended in betrayal, blood, and my own execution.

But now, I had knowledge that no one else had.

And knowledge was power.

"Isabella," my father suddenly said, his voice turning smooth. "You've always been close to Matteo. Tell me, do you trust him?"

I felt Matteo's gaze burn into me.

He was waiting for me to fall back into his trap.

To cling to him like I had before.

I smiled softly, lowering my lashes, pretending to be that same lovestruck girl.

"Of course, Papa," I murmured, letting my voice tremble just slightly. "Matteo has always protected me."

Across the table, Alessia stiffened.

She knew me too well.

She knew something was wrong.

But Matteo?

Matteo looked satisfied.

Fool.

I had just set the bait.

And he had swallowed it whole.

---

The Silent War Begins

I made my first move,I made my first move.

I slipped into the corridors,moving silent as a shadow, making my way to a small, hidden chamber behind the east wing as the whole estate was asleep

In my past life, this room had been used by my father's most trusted guards—a place where whispers of assassinations and betrayals were spoken behind closed doors.

But now?

Now, it was mine.

I lit a candle, letting the flickering light dance against the walls, and then pulled out a small notebook.

I began to write.

Matteo believes I still love him. Good. Keep playing the part.

Father is moving fast. The alliance will be finalized soon. Must delay.

Alessia is suspicious. She must be protected before they target her.

Begin gathering my own network. Trusted people. Ghosts of the underworld.

I tapped the pen against my lips while thinking.

In my past life, I had trusted the wrong people.

Now, I needed spies of my own—loyal to me, not to my father.

And I knew exactly where to start.

---

A Secret Meeting

The next day, I sent a message to an old name—Dante Falco, a man who had once been nothing more than a forgotten street rat in my father's world.

But in my past life, I had learned something no one else had.

Dante was a ghost, a man who could move unseen, who had built an empire in the shadows.

An empire I now intended to use.

The air was filled with dust and I can perceive the scent of old metal as I met with him in an old abandoned warehouse at the edge of the city.

He leaned against a rusted crate,with his arms crossed,watching me with sharp, dark eyes.

"Didn't expect a princess to come knocking," he drawled.

I lifted my chin, keeping my voice steady. "I need information."

His smirk deepened. "Information costs."

I reached into my pocket and tossed a small, golden locket onto the crate between us.

He stilled.

Because he recognized it.

Because in my past life, this locket had been used to blackmail him.

I smiled. "Consider this proof that I know more than you think."

For a long moment, he said nothing.

Then, slowly, he chuckled. "You've changed, Princess."

"You have no idea," I murmured.

Matteo's Trap

When I returned home, Matteo was waiting.

He stood by my bedroom door, his smile easy, his stance relaxed.

But I knew better.

Matteo Russo was never relaxed.

He was a snake, always watching, always waiting.

"My beautiful Isabella," he murmured, stepping closer, his fingers brushing my wrist. "You've been avoiding me."

I lowered my gaze, playing my part. "I— I've been busy."

His hand curled around my wrist, tightening slightly. Not enough to hurt, but enough to remind me of who he thought he was.

"You would never lie to me, would you?" he whispered.

I forced a shaky breath.

"Never," I lied.

Because lying to him was the only way I would survive.

He smiled. "Good girl."

Then he kissed my forehead—gentle, affectionate.

And I let him.

Because the best way to kill a snake…

…was to make it believe you were still under its spell.

The Predator's Eyes

That night, I received an unexpected message.

A name. A meeting.

Rafael Moretti.

My breath caught.

Rafael.

The Mafia King.

My family's rival.

The man who, in my past life, had wanted me, but had never had me.

And the only man who had ever seen through my lies.

Fate had placed him in my path again.

This time?

I wouldn't run.

I would face him.

And I would win.

To Be Continued…