THE DON’S FORBIDDEN MARRIAGE
The Don’s Forbidden Marriage – Chapter 19
©Joy Cindy
The Enemy Within
The gunshot echoed through the chapel.
Everyone froze.
Elena felt a hand grab hers.
Alessandro.
He pulled her down just as another shot struck the stone wall behind them.
“Everyone down!” he shouted.
Chaos exploded.
The council members screamed.
Guards rushed toward the exits.
But the doors remained locked.
The chapel was trapped.
Elena’s heart raced.
“Who is shooting?”
Alessandro looked toward the balcony.
“Someone who knows this place.”
The emergency lights flashed.
Red.
Dark.
Red.
Dark.
The old chapel transformed into a maze of shadows.
Lucia stood beside Elena’s mother.
Alessandro’s father moved toward the front.
“Show yourself!”
A laugh echoed through the room.
A familiar laugh.
Elena’s blood went cold.
“Marco.”
Alessandro’s face hardened.
The hidden doors above the chapel opened.
Marco appeared on the balcony.
But he was not alone.
Beside him stood several armed men.
And one person Elena never expected.
Her father.
Elena stared.
“No.”
Her father looked older.
Tired.
But alive.
“You’re surprised.”
Her voice shook.
“You’re dead.”
“No.”
He looked at Vittorio.
“I was hidden.”
Elena looked between them.
“You worked together?”
Vittorio smiled.
“Sometimes enemies make useful partners.”
Alessandro stepped forward.
“You planned this.”
Marco laughed.
“Of course.”
“You used Vittorio.”
“Yes.”
“And my father?”
Marco looked at Elena.
“Everyone has a purpose.”
Her father stepped down from the balcony.
Elena couldn’t move.
“Why?”
He looked at her.
“Because you were never supposed to find the truth.”
“You kidnapped my brother.”
“I protected him.”
“You lied to me.”
“I kept you alive.”
She shook her head.
“You don’t get to call control protection anymore.”
The words silenced him.
For a moment, he looked almost hurt.
Then his expression hardened.
“You have no idea what is coming.”
Lucia stepped forward.
“You never cared about her.”
Her father looked at her.
“You took her from me.”
“No.”
Lucia’s voice was calm.
“I saved her from you.”
The chapel became silent.
Elena looked at her father.
“Is it true?”
He didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Her chest tightened.
“You knew who I was.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I was Romano.”
“Yes.”
“And you raised me anyway?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
He looked toward the council.
“Because the heir controls everything.”
Elena stared.
“So I was an investment.”
“No.”
His voice changed.
“You were my daughter.”
“Then why did you use me?”
Silence.
Her father had no answer.
Alessandro moved closer to Elena.
Her father noticed.
“You trust him?”
Elena looked at Alessandro.
Then at her father.
“I don’t know.”
Alessandro looked away slightly.
The answer hurt him.
But he accepted it.
Her father smiled.
“Good.”
“What?”
“Because you should never trust a Romano.”
Alessandro’s father stepped forward.
“You betrayed your own daughter.”
“I did what was necessary.”
“No.”
Lucia looked at him.
“You did what gave you power.”
Marco lifted his weapon.
“Enough talking.”
He looked at Elena.
“The council has waited long enough.”
Elena stared at him.
“What do you want?”
“The heir.”
“I’m standing here.”
“You are.”
Marco smiled.
“But you are not complete.”
She frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Vittorio stepped forward.
“The heir needs the mark.”
Elena touched the necklace around her neck.
“This?”
Lucia nodded slowly.
“The final symbol.”
Marco smiled.
“Give it to us.”
“No.”
Her father looked at her.
“Elena.”
She turned.
“Don’t.”
His expression changed.
“I’m trying to help you.”
“You lost that right.”
The chapel became tense.
Marco raised his weapon.
“Take her.”
Before anyone moved, Alessandro stepped forward.
“No.”
Marco laughed.
“You still think you can protect her?”
“Yes.”
“You have nothing.”
Alessandro looked around.
Then smiled faintly.
Marco noticed.
“What?”
“You made one mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“You brought everyone into one room.”
Marco frowned.
Suddenly, the chapel doors unlocked.
Guards rushed in.
But not Marco’s guards.
Romano guards.
Marco turned.
“What?”
Leo entered.
Behind him were members of Alessandro’s security team.
“You should have checked who still followed the Don.”
Marco’s expression changed.
“You betrayed me?”
Leo smiled.
“No.”
He looked at Alessandro.
“I followed the right person.”
A fight broke out.
The chapel became chaos.
Alessandro moved Elena behind him.
Her father tried to move toward her.
She stepped away.
“Stay back.”
“Elena—”
“No.”
For the first time, she saw him clearly.
Not as her father.
Not as the man who raised her.
But as someone who had spent years making choices for her.
“I need answers.”
He looked at her.
“You will have them.”
“When?”
“When this is over.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Her voice was firm.
“I decide when I’m ready.”
A loud crash interrupted them.
Marco had escaped into the hidden passage.
Alessandro noticed.
“He’s going after the records.”
Lucia’s face changed.
“No.”
“What?”
“The records.”
She looked toward the underground door.
“If Marco reaches them, he can erase the entire history of the council.”
Elena looked at Alessandro.
“Then we stop him.”
He nodded.
They moved toward the passage.
Behind them, Vittorio remained standing.
Watching.
Elena stopped.
“What about him?”
Alessandro looked back.
Vittorio smiled.
“You still don’t understand.”
Elena frowned.
“Understand what?”
“That Marco was never my biggest threat.”
The lights flickered.
A phone rang.
Vittorio looked at the screen.
Then smiled.
“Because the real enemy has already arrived.”
Everyone froze.
The chapel doors opened slowly.
A figure stood outside.
A woman.
Dressed in black.
Holding an old photograph.
Elena’s breath caught.
The woman looked exactly like the person in the photograph with her mother.
Lucia whispered:
“No.”
The woman stepped into the chapel.
“Hello, Lucia.”
Elena looked at her.
“Who are you?”
The woman smiled.
“My name is Isabella.”
She lifted the photograph.
“And I am Elena’s real mother.”
The world stopped.
Elena stared.
“No.”
Her mother collapsed into a chair.
Alessandro’s expression changed.
Lucia looked terrified.
And for the first time—
Nobody had an answer.
The woman smiled.
“Everyone has been lying to you.”
She looked directly at Elena.
“Even the woman you call mother.”
The chapel fell silent.
Because if Isabella was telling the truth…
Then Elena’s entire life was another lie.
