#Chapter 65 - War Amongst Families

Aldo The Marcello estate was a flurry of activity in the aftermath of the attack. The halls echoed with urgent voices and heavy footfalls as my men regrouped and reinforced our defenses. Though the Moretti family had withdrawn for now, the air buzzed with the certainty of retaliation. In a quiet corner of the estate, I stood at the window of my study, staring out over the sprawling grounds. My reflection in the glass was grim, my mind replaying the events of the night over and over. Marco had kidnapped Eli—again— and escaped. Also again. My own bodyguard had betrayed me. And still hanging over it all, tainting the very air, was Aurora’s betrayal. The tenuous peace I’d worked so hard to maintain was now shattered. I groaned and sank into my chair to dig my hands through my hair. What the hell was I supposed to do with any of this? The door creaked open behind me, and I knew without turning that it was Layla who’d entered. I tracked her soft footfalls across the room, scented