Chapter 9 –The Beginning of the End

A Web of Lies and Promises

Power was a fickle thing—so easy to gain, so easy to lose.

And right now, I was making sure Lorenzo's days were numbered.

I sat in my father's old office, I can perceive the scent of aged wood and cigars clinging to the air. The dim lighting cast long shadows on the walls, swallowing the past in darkness. Across from me was Matteo who sat stiffly,tapping his fingers against his knee in a restless rhythm. He had been watching me more closely lately.

Not with suspicion.

But with desire.

And that was exactly what I wanted.

I leaned back in my chair, twirling a pen between my fingers. "You asked to see me?"

Matteo hesitated. "i noticed you've… changed."

I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "Oh?"

His frown his face and furrowed his brow. "You're not the same girl I used to know."

Good.

The girl you used to know was dead.

But I smiled instead, playing the part he needed me to play. "Maybe I finally realized what it means to survive."

Matteo exhaled deeply,running a hand through his hair. "I don't know. It's just… I don't just want anything that would get you hurt, Isabella."

If it was before,my heart should have ached at his words.

But it didn't.

Not anymore.

I softened my gaze instead, letting my lips part slightly,and lowering my long lashes in a way that made Matteo swallow hard. "I can take care of myself, Matteo.you don't need to worry yourself."

He sighed, his hand reaching across the desk, fingers grazing mine.

And I let him.

Because this was a game.

And Matteo was a pawn I intended to use.

---

Rafael's Warning

That night, I found Rafael Moretti waiting for me in the estate's private garden.

The cool night air brushed against my skin, carrying the scent of fresh roses and something darker—something dangerous. Rafael leaned against a marble pillar, his suit crisp, his expression unreadable. The dim golden glow of the garden lanterns highlighted the sharp angles of his face, the cruel curve of his lips.

I should have expected him.

He had always been lurking around like a shadow lurking out of reach.

"You're playing a risky game, Princess."He said with a smooth voice,filled with amusement.

I took a slow step closer, my heels clicking softly against the stone path. "Am I?"

Rafael smirked, but there was no humor in it. "Lorenzo's not an idiot. He'll notice soon enough."

I arched a brow. "And what about you, Moretti? Are you noticing things you weren't supposed to?"

His smirk deepened as he pushed off the pillar, closing the distance between us. "I notice everything," he murmured.

A challenge.

A warning.

But I refused to blink. "Good. Then you should know that I don't intend to lose."

His dark eyes flickered with something unreadable—something almost dangerous.

Then, just as quickly, he stepped back,"Let's see if you can keep up."He said in a mocking voice.

And just like that, he was gone.

But I knew one thing for certain.

Rafael was watching me.

---

Lorenzo's Paranoia Begins

The first crack in Lorenzo's confidence appeared three days later.

One of his shipments had been seized.

No evidence pointed to me.

But the whispers had begun.

I sat at the long mahogany dining table of Lorenzo's estate, sipping from a glass of wine as I watched the scene unfold. Lorenzo's tapped his fingers against his glass, his jaw tightening with barely concealed frustration. Across from him, Matteo leaned in.

"Are you sure it was Montano? The man doesn't have the resources to pull something like this off."

Lorenzo gritted his teeth. "Someone's helping him. Someone who knows our operations."

I swirled my wine in my glass, hiding the smirk that threatened to form.

Viper had done his job perfectly.

Further down the table, Rafael sat in silence, watching the conversation unfold with quiet amusement.

And then…

His gaze slid to me.

Calculating. Assessing.

A flicker of suspicion.

A whisper of curiosity.

I merely offered him a sweet, unreadable smile before taking a sip of my wine.

Lorenzo was starting to spiral.

And soon, he'd be too blinded by paranoia to see the real enemy standing right in front of him.

---

The First Betrayal

That night, I met Viper in the abandoned warehouse.

The air was filled with the smell of oil and that of rust, the dim light casting long,eerie shadows across the concrete floors.

Viper was already waiting, he pressed his back against a stack of crates. He flicked a cigarette into the dirt,the smirk in his mouth widening the moment I approached him.

"You had done a great job," I murmured, handing him a thick envelope.

Viper chuckled. "i didn't even need to break a sweat. Your uncle's about to lose his mind."

I nodded. "Good. But we're not done yet."

Viper leaned forward. "You really hate the bastard, don't you?"

My fingers curled slightly.

Hate is even an understatement,it wasn't strong enough for how I feel about him.

But instead of answering, I simply met Viper's gaze. "Are you ready for the next step?"

His gin widely and said"am always ready."

That's when my phone buzzed.

I pulled it out, my eyes narrowing at the unknown number.

A single message.

Unknown Number: I see what you're doing.

My grip on the phone tightened.

Viper peered over my shoulder. "Problem?"

I locked the screen. "Not yet."

But deep down, I knew.

Someone was watching me.

And whoever they were, they were getting too close.

---

A Trap in the Dark

I needed to know who was watching me.

And I needed to know now.

So I set a trap.

That night, I lingered in the darkened halls of the estate, allowing my movements to be just careless enough to draw attention. I could feel it—the weight of unseen eyes tracking my every step.

The garden. The west wing corridor. The private study.

I turned a corner—empty.

But the hairs on my neck rose.

Someone was here.

Watching.

Waiting.

I took another step—then a voice, low and dark, whispered in my ear:

"Careful, Princess. Keep playing with fire, and you'll see who gets burned first."

My breath caught.

I spun around—

But there was no one there.

The only thing left was the faint scent of whiskey and danger.

Rafael.

I exhaled, my pulse steadying.

So he was the one watching me.

Good. Let's see how long he can keep up.