Chapter 10 –The Serpent's Coil

A Dance of Shadows

Lies were like whispers in the dark—soft, very deadly, and impossible to trace.

And right now, I was weaving them with expert precision.With all the care in the world,she will craft it out perfectly.

The grand dining hall was alive with the whispers of various voices, the clinking of crystal glasses, and the rich aroma of roasted meats and fine wine. Chandeliers dripped with golden light, casting long, elegant shadows over the gathering of the most powerful figures in the underworld.

Lorenzo De Luca sat at the end of the table,with his fingers curled around a half-empty glass of whiskey. He was tense tonight. Paranoia had started to settle in his bones, turning his usual confident posture rigid with his sharp eyes flickering with suspicion.

I hid my amusement behind the rim of my glass.

Lorenzo was slipping.

And I was the one loosening his The one controlling him.

On the surface, I was still the Isabella De Luca his dutiful step sister,the delicate Mafia princess who knew her place. But beneath the mask, I was a serpent coiling tighter around my prey, waiting for the right moment to sink my fangs into his throat.To kill them off in the most painful method.

Matteo was sitting beside me,with his hand resting a little too close to mine, his body angled toward me in that subtle way men did when they were drawn in.

Good.

Matteo was a soldier of this empire. Loyal. Strong. Blind.

I let my fingers brush against his, barely there, just enough to make his breath hitch. His tightened his grip on the fork.

Across the room,was Rafael Moretti leaning back in his seat, swirling the dark amber liquid in his glass. Unlike the others, he wasn't indulging in mindless conversation or stolen glances. His sharp, calculating gaze was locked onto me.

Watching.

Waiting.

Noticing.

He had always been dangerous, but now… I felt the weight of his curiosity pressing against me like a loaded gun against my ribs.

A dangerous game was unfolding, and Rafael was the only one at this table who saw the pieces moving.

I gave him a dangerous,soft, sweet and deceiving smile

He smirked, tilting his glass in a silent toast.

A silent challenge.

And I accepted.

---

The Tides Turn

Three nights later there was a huge chaos within the De Luca estate.

Lorenzo's voice was raw with rage, echoing through the halls as he slammed his fist against the heavy oak table. "Who the fuck is doing this?!"

Another shipment lost.

Another betrayal suspected.

He had flipped the dining table over, shattering the expensive china plate across the marble floor like the remains of Lorenzo's fractured trust. His men stood stiffly, avoiding his gaze, exchanging uneasy Afraid to make a sound.

Matteo who was standing by the fireplace, exhaled deeply "We're looking into it, but—"

"I don't want excuses!" Lorenzo roared. "I want results!" "All I want is result not too much talk.

I stepped forward, my expression a perfect mask of concern. "Lorenzo," I murmured, touching his arm lightly. "Maybe you should take a breath."

His dark eyes snapped to mine, burning with fury.

For a second, I thought he might strike me.

Then, just as quickly, something in them shifted.

He took a slow breath, his shoulders lowering, the rage cooling into something more dangerous.

"Yes," he muttered. "Yes… You're right."

I smiled gently, soothing.

A balm to his wounded ego.

Rafael, from where he stood in the shadows, observed silently, one brow lifting as he took in the scene.

He knew I was playing a And he thought am rather playing it in a dangerous way.

The problem was… he didn't know the rules.

---

Matteo's Descent

That evening, Matteo found me in the private garden, his face shadowed with conflict.

"You seems different," he muttered.

I lifted my head as if am ignorant of what he is saying and ask with a feign innocence. "Am I?"

"I don't know. Maybe is because I just never saw this side of you before."He said with a sign, running his hand over his hair.

He had.

He just never noticed.

I walk closer to him, while letting my fingers graze his wrist, feeling the tension beneath his skin. "Dint you trust me, Matteo?"

His throat bobbed. "I do."

A lie.

And yet, he want to desperately believe it.Believe everything without a doubt.

I reached up to him, brushing my fingertips against his cheek. "Then don't doubt me."

His breath hitched. His hand covered mine, holding it against his skin as if grounding himself.

This was what I needed.

Matteo was a soldier of Lorenzo's empire.

And now, he was mine.I have make him become mine.

---

A Ghost in the Dark

The estate was silent by the time I made my way to the rooftop, the cold night air biting against my skin. Below, the city stretched out before me—an empire built on blood and betrayal.

I had been a victim of this world once.

Never again.

A deep voice broke the silence behind me.

"You're making waves, Princess."

I didn't turn. "Am I?"

Rafael chuckled, stepping beside me. His scent—whiskey and gunpowder—wrapped around me, intoxicating. "Lorenzo's paranoid. Matteo's tangled in your web. And now… someone's watching you."

A shiver ran down my spine. "Who?"

He held out a phone.

A message glowed on the screen.

Unknown Number: She's not who she says she is.

My blood ran cold.

I kept my expression neutral, my voice smooth. "Sounds like someone's playing games."

Rafael's dark gaze didn't waver. "Or maybe someone finally figured out you're playing one."

The night felt heavier now, pressing against me.

But I smiled.

Because fear was a weakness I could never afford to show.

"I guess you'll just have to find out."

Rafael's lips curved into something dangerous. "Oh, I intend to."

And in that moment, I knew—

The real game had just begun.

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