16
Stefano’s face turned a deep shade of red, his hands trembling as he slammed his fist on the table. “You’re making a mistake, boy,” he spat, glaring at Zaverio. “This is business. You don’t let personal grudges ruin a good deal.”
Zaverio let out a cold laugh, leaning back in his chair. “Oh? And when you sent my mother away–pregnant, alone, with nothing–was that business? When you told her to get rid of me or face death, was that you being logical?”
Silence
Tony’s jaw clenched, and Hailey shifted uncomfortably. Stefano’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t deny it. He
couldn’t
“You’ve let your emotions cloud your judgment,” Stefano said through gritted teeth.
Zaverio scoffed. “No, old man. I’m just giving you a taste of your own medicine.” He turned to his security.
“Throw them out.”
The room filled with gasps. Tony shot up from his seat. “You can’t do that-*
The security guards were already moving. Two men stepped behind Stefano, while another grabbed Tony’s arm.
The Divoroda Maha
Stefano rose to his teet, seething. “You’re a small fly, Zaverio. And I will squash you.”
Zaverio smirked “Try.”
Tony glared at me, his fury barely contained. “You’re making a huge mistake, Ciara. When he falls, you’ll go down with him.”
I chuckled, standing beside Zaverio as the guards pushed them toward the door. “Oh, Tony You really don’t know who I am, do you?” I tilted my head. “Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon enough.”
Hailey sneered as she passed me, “You think this is over?”
I flashed her a grin. “No, sweetheart. This is just the beginning.”
The doors slammed shut behind them
Zaverio let out a satisfied breath and turned to me. “Well, that was fun.”
I smirked. “Very.”
A moment later, one of Zaverio’s men entered the room, carrying a silver tray with two crystal glasses and a bottle of wine.
Zaverio raised an eyebrow. “Celebratory drinks?”
The man nodded. “A gift from our staff, sir. They’re happy to be working under new management.”
Zaverio took the bottle, inspecting the label. “Good taste.” He poured us both a glass, handing one to me.
“To taking back what’s ours,” I said, clinking my glass against his.
“To revenge,” he corrected with a smirk, taking a sip.
Just as I set my glass down, the door opened again. A tall man in a gray suit stepped in, a leather folder tucked under his arm. He looked like he’d been in the business for years–sharp, professional, and discreet.
“Mr. Gurrelio,” he greeted.
Zaverio nodded. “I assume you have something for me?”
The man placed the folder on the table. “As requested. A full financial report on The Reeds Company.”
C
I sat up straighter, curiosity sparking Zaverio flipped open the folder, his eyes scanning the papers. Then, a slow smirk spread across his lips.
The Divorced on Malan
“Well, well,” he murmured, turning the folder toward me. “You’ll want to see this.”
I leaned in, reading the numbers. My heart pounded as I processed the information.
“This…” I breathed, my fingers gripping the paper. “This could ruin them.”
Zaverio nodded. “Stefano and Tony have been faking their success. Their company is drowning in debt. They’ve been using shell companies to make it seem profitable, but in reality, they’re just one bad deal away from collapse.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “So all that arrogance, all that power they flaunted–it was a lie?”
Zaverio smirked “Exactly.”
“They deserve this,” I muttered. My fingers brushed the paper, as if feeling the weight of their impending downfall.
Zaverio leaned closer “Now, the question is… how do you want to play this?”
I glanced up at him, my mind already racing with possibilities. Then I smiled. “I think it’s time the world knows who we are.”
His eyes darkened with amusement. “You want to go public?”
I nodded. “I came back to society, but no one knows the real me. They don’t know I’m the heiress of the Salvador empire. They don’t know I’m married to you. Let’s change that ”
Zaverio hummed, considering it. “I’ll do it if you do.”
I smirked. “Then it’s settled.”
Zaverio turned to his security. “Release a statement. The heiress of the Salvador cartel and the man behind the Gurrelio mafia empire will be making a public appearance tomorrow.”
The guard nodded and left.
I grinned. “And tomorrow just so happens to be Stefano’s birthday party.”
Zaverio raised an eyebrow. “How convenient.”
I leaned back, satisfaction thrumming through me. “Oh, I’m sure they’ll have a full house.”
Zaverio chuckled darkly. “Not anymore.”
The air between us crackled with anticipation.
The Dodonae Mala Quan
Tomorrow, the world would know who we really were.
Tomorrow, Stefano, Tony, and Hailey would watch their empire crumble.
And I would be smiling the entire time
