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Queen of Shadows

Queen of Shadows

neta scott

5.0
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85
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Betrayed by the family that was supposed to protect her. Forced into a marriage meant to break her. Alessandra Russo is not a woman to be silenced. After the mysterious death of her father, the powerful mafia boss of New York, Alessa is cast aside by the men in her family-her rightful place as heir taken away from her. They believe her only worth is in forming an alliance through marriage to Luca DeLuca, the ruthless leader of a rival mafia clan.But Alessa has no intention of being a pawn in their deadly game. In the shadows of her forced marriage, she learns to play the game of power and deceit, outwitting those who dare to underestimate her. As secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, Alessa finds herself caught in a web of lies.With betrayal at every turn and the weight of an empire on her shoulders, Alessa must decide whether to rise as the queen of both families or burn them all to the ground. Power comes at a price, and in the mafia, nothing is as dangerous as a woman with nothing left to lose.

Chapter 1 Betrayed by Blood

The night was thick with the scent of cigar smoke and cologne as Alessa Russo moved through her father's lavish estate. Tonight it felt foreign-a monument to a life she was slowly realizing was no longer hers. She could feel eyes on her, assessing her, judging her, as if every whispered conversation was dissecting her worth now that her father was gone.

Her father, the powerful Don Russo, had ruled New York's criminal underworld with an iron fist. Alessa had always known she would be his successor. He'd trained her, made her into the heir who would one day take over. Yet, now that he was gone, it seemed her family had other plans.

"Alessa," her uncle Enzo's voice cut through the murmur of the crowd, and she turned to face him, masking her irritation with a polite smile. Enzo had been a fixture in her life, but there was something different about him tonight, something colder. His eyes were calculating as they swept over her, his expression betraying no warmth or sympathy.

"We need to discuss the future of the family," he said, guiding her into a small side room away from prying eyes. Once the door shut behind them, his tone shifted to something blunt and unforgiving. "The family needs a strong alliance, Alessa. And unfortunately, you alone are not enough to secure it."

Alessa felt a prickle of unease creep up her spine. "What are you saying?"

Enzo's gaze hardened. "Your father left us in a vulnerable position, and the men... they need assurance. Stability. An alliance with the DeLuca family will ensure that."

Realization dawned, and anger sparked in her chest. "You want to marry me off to Luca DeLuca." It wasn't a question-it was a revelation, a betrayal laid bare before her.

Enzo didn't flinch. "It's what's best for the family."

She wanted to scream at him, tell him that she was what was best for the family, that she was her father's heir. But years of training held her back, and she met his cold stare with a steely one of her own. "I'm the rightful heir. My father trained me to lead, not to be a bargaining chip."

"Your father's gone, Alessa," he replied, his voice almost pitying, though the glint in his eyes betrayed his satisfaction. "And the family needs someone strong enough to protect it."

Later that night, Alessa sat alone in her father's study, her fingers tracing the edges of the leather-bound ledger on his desk. She remembered the countless nights they'd spent here, her father teaching her the intricacies of the family business, entrusting her with secrets she now held in silence. He had promised her that this legacy would be hers. But now, all those promises were slipping away.

A soft knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see Enzo standing there, watching her with a look she couldn't quite read. "You leave for the DeLuca estate in the morning," he said simply before turning and walking away, leaving her alone in the suffocating darkness.

As the door clicked shut, Alessa's resolve hardened. If they thought she would simply comply, they were mistaken. She might have been forced into a marriage meant to control her, but she was far from defeated. In that moment, Alessa made a vow to herself: she would learn the rules of this game, outmaneuver them all, and take back the power that was rightfully hers.

Because nothing was more dangerous than a woman with nothing left to lose.

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Chapters
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Queen of Shadows
1

Chapter 1 Betrayed by Blood

09/09/2024

2

Chapter 2 The Deal is Sealed

09/09/2024

3

Chapter 3 Hidden Knives

09/09/2024

4

Chapter 4 Dangerous Allies

09/09/2024

5

Chapter 5 Bound by Secrets

09/09/2024

6

Chapter 6 Hidden Agendas

09/09/2024

7

Chapter 7 The Unseen Ally

09/09/2024

8

Chapter 8 The Game of Betrayal

10/09/2024

9

Chapter 9 The Test of Loyalty

10/09/2024

10

Chapter 10 Walking into A Trap

10/09/2024

11

Chapter 11 Rebellion

10/09/2024

12

Chapter 12 The Unseen Enemy

02/11/2024

13

Chapter 13 More Pieces

02/11/2024

14

Chapter 14 Tides of Deception

02/11/2024

15

Chapter 15 Suspicion

02/11/2024

16

Chapter 16 Veil of Trust

03/11/2024

17

Chapter 17 Whispers in the Dark

04/11/2024

18

Chapter 18 Unmasked Intentions

05/11/2024

19

Chapter 19 Fractured Loyalties

05/11/2024

20

Chapter 20 The Hunter becomes the Hunted

07/11/2024

21

Chapter 21 Enemy Within

07/11/2024

22

Chapter 22 Enemies Close In

09/11/2024

23

Chapter 23 The Trap Tightens

10/11/2024

24

Chapter 24 Danger Lurks

11/11/2024

25

Chapter 25 The Trap Set

11/11/2024

26

Chapter 26 A Dangerous Escape

13/11/2024

27

Chapter 27 Line's Drawn

13/11/2024

28

Chapter 28 Caught in a Trap

14/11/2024

29

Chapter 29 Hidden Away

15/11/2024

30

Chapter 30 Turn of Events

16/11/2024

31

Chapter 31 Run Away

18/11/2024

32

Chapter 32 No Escape

19/11/2024

33

Chapter 33 The Trap tightens

21/11/2024

34

Chapter 34 A Desperate Gamble

22/11/2024

35

Chapter 35 Unfinished Business

23/11/2024

36

Chapter 36 Closing In

26/11/2024

37

Chapter 37 The Chase

02/12/2024

38

Chapter 38 A Dangerous Alliance

03/12/2024

39

Chapter 39 The Ambush

04/12/2024

40

Chapter 40 Cornered

04/12/2024