Blood and Betrayal (Part 1)

The air was thick with the scent of gasoline and gunpowder. Aria adjusted the holster on her thigh, her sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit alley where the informant was supposed to meet them. Luca stood beside her, his hand resting lightly on his pistol.

“You sure about this guy?” Luca muttered, his tone laced with suspicion.

Aria narrowed her eyes. “We don’t have a choice. If someone inside Damien’s organization is selling information, we need to know who.”

Footsteps echoed from the far end of the alley. A hooded figure emerged from the shadows, his movements cautious. Aria’s instincts screamed at her—something was off. She subtly shifted her stance, readying herself for an attack.

The informant barely had time to speak before the first shot rang out.

An Ambush in the Dark

Bullets tore through the night. Aria dove behind a rusted dumpster as Luca returned fire, his shots precise. Their ambushers were skilled—trained killers, not common thugs.

“It's a setup!” Luca shouted over the chaos.

Aria’s pulse pounded in her ears. She peeked out, counting at least seven men closing in on them. They moved in a coordinated formation—someone had planned this ambush carefully.

One of the attackers lunged at her, and Aria reacted instantly. She sidestepped, twisting his wrist until his gun clattered to the ground. A swift kick to his ribs sent him crashing into the alley wall. She grabbed his fallen weapon and fired at another approaching enemy, hitting him square in the chest.

“Luca, we need an exit!” she called out.

Luca grunted as he took down another attacker. “Working on it!”

Suddenly, a deep voice echoed from above. “Damien should’ve stayed out of this. Now he’ll pay.”

Aria’s blood ran cold. She recognized that voice.

Before she could react, something struck the back of her head, and darkness swallowed her whole.

Damien’s Fury Unleashed

The moment Luca stumbled back into the mansion, blood dripping from a wound on his arm, Damien knew something had gone wrong.

“Where’s Aria?” Damien’s voice was dangerously calm, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists.

Luca shook his head. “They took her”

A deadly silence settled over the room. Then—

CRASH.

Damien flipped the table in front of him, sending glasses and documents flying. His chest heaved with rage, his eyes burning with unrestrained fury.

“Who did this?” His voice was sharp, lethal.

Luca exhaled, wiping blood from his lip. “It was a trap. Someone inside leaked our location. And whoever they are, they wanted to send you a message.”

Damien inhaled sharply, his mind racing. His enemies had just made the biggest mistake of their lives.

“Get everyone ready,” he ordered, his voice a growl. “We’re going hunting.”

Leo in Danger

While the storm of vengeance brewed outside, inside the mansion, little Leo played in the grand hall, oblivious to the danger creeping closer.

A soft knock echoed through the hallway. The butler hesitated before opening the heavy wooden doors.

A woman stood there, her dark red lips curled into a chilling smile. “Tell Damien I have information about Aria.”

The butler stiffened. “Who are you?”

The woman stepped forward, her gaze flickering to the child playing in the distance. “Someone who knows the truth.”

Her fingers tightened around something hidden in the folds of her coat.

Leo laughed as he built a tower of blocks, unaware that death had just stepped into his home.

Aria’s Fight for Survival

When Aria woke, her head throbbed, and the metallic scent of blood filled her nose. Her hands were bound behind her, her ankles tied to the chair she sat in. A single dim bulb flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows on the cracked concrete walls of what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse.

A slow clap echoed through the space.

“Finally awake, are we?” The voice was smooth and confident.

Aria lifted her gaze to see a man standing before her. He was tall, dressed in a tailored black suit, his face partially hidden in the darkness.

“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t make it,” he continued, stepping closer. “That would’ve been unfortunate.”

Aria clenched her jaw, forcing herself to remain calm. “Cut the theatrics. What do you want?”

The man smirked. “Information.”

She let out a humorless chuckle. “And what makes you think I’ll give it to you?”

His smile widened. “Oh, I have my ways.”

With a snap of his fingers, a door behind him creaked open. Two men dragged someone inside—a bruised and battered Luca.

Aria’s breath hitched, but she masked it quickly.

The man crouched in front of her, lowering his voice. “Let’s make this easy. Tell me Damien’s next move… or I’ll start carving pieces off your friend here.”

Aria met Luca’s gaze. He gave her a barely perceptible shake of his head. They both knew the rules—never betray the family, no matter what.

She took a slow breath before locking eyes with their captor. “Go to hell.”

The man’s smirk vanished. “Wrong answer.”

The first punch came hard, splitting her lip. The taste of blood flooded her mouth, but Aria barely flinched. She had endured worse.

But this was just the beginning.

Damien’s Hunt Begins

Damien stood before a map spread across his desk, red markers placed at key locations. His team had gathered intel, tracking down possible hideouts where Aria could be held.

“They won’t kill her right away,” Luca had told him before being taken. “They’ll try to break her first.”

Damien’s jaw tightened. They didn’t know who they were dealing with. Aria wasn’t easy to break. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t in danger.

He grabbed his gun, slipping it into his holster. Luca’s bloodied jacket sat on the table, a grim reminder of what was at stake.

He turned to his men. “We leave now.”

The room stirred with anticipation. The Mafia King was ready to burn the city down.

And nothing would stop him.

The war had begun, and before the night was over, vengeance would be served in blood.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***