In the city of Ashwood, where the streets whispered secrets and the night hid truths, the Moretti family ruled with an iron fist. For generations, they had built their empire on loyalty, power, and bloodshed. But when Don Marco Moretti, the ruthless patriarch, was found dead in his mansion, the very foundations of the family began to crumble. The once-unshakeable Moretti dynasty was now on the brink of collapse, as the vultures circled and the rats scurried for cover. The time of reckoning had come, and the shadows would claim their own. In this world of treacherous allegiances and deadly rivalries, one man would rise to claim his birthright. Alessandro "Alex" Moretti, a former soldier and the rightful heir, would have to navigate the treacherous landscape of his family's legacy to become the new Don. But at what cost?
THE SHADOW DON
Chapter 1: The Heir
In the city of Ashwood, where the streets whispered secrets and the night hid truths, the Moretti family ruled with an iron fist. For generations, they had built their empire on loyalty, power, and bloodshed. But when Don Marco Moretti, the ruthless patriarch, was found dead in his mansion, the very foundations of the family began to crumble.
Alessandro "Alex" Moretti stood at the edge of his father's grave, the cold rain soaking through his clothes. The former soldier had returned to Ashwood to claim his birthright as the new Don. His father's legacy was one of loyalty, power, and bloodshed.
Victor, Alex's uncle, approached, a false smile on his face. "Alex, my boy, welcome home." Alex's instincts screamed warning. Victor had always been a snake, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. "I'm not here to make friends, Victor," Alex said. "I'm here to claim what's mine." Victor's smile faltered, revealing a glimmer of ruthless ambition. The once-unshakeable Moretti dynasty was now on the brink of collapse, and the shadows would claim their own.
His uncle, Victor, had already begun to consolidate power, whispering lies and half-truths to the family's loyalists. Alex's own sister, Sophia, seemed torn between loyalty to her family and her growing feelings for Victor's son, Michael.
As the funeral ended and the mourners dispersed, a figure emerged from the shadows. Maya Ramos, a mysterious and deadly assassin, watched Alex with an intensity that made his skin prickle. What did she want from him?
Candice's life took a strange turn on her wedding night. Her groom, Greyson, didn't show up to consummate their marriage. Instead, a stranger broke into her room and violated her. Marriage was hell for her. As she licked her wounds, her mother-in-law took every chance to make her feel less of herself. Greyson who was supposed to be supportive didn't give a damn about her. He brought his side chick into their matrimonial home. It didn't take long before she was kicked out of the house. Everyone thought that she was just a helpless weakling. They didn't know that she was an extraordinary lawyer. She dragged the stranger who raped her to court. She intended to make his life a living hell for ruining hers. In the course of this, she was stunned to find out that the rapist was actually the richest man in the city. He was a domineering and clean freak. Things soon went out of her control. This man tried every means to make her marry him. It dawned on her that she caused even more trouble for herself. How could she get this man off her back, while also bringing him to book?
Her fiance and her best friend worked together and set her up. She lost everything and died in the street. However, she was reborn. The moment she opened her eyes, her husband was trying to strangle her. Luckily, she survived that. She signed the divorce agreement without hesitation and was ready for her miserable life. To her surprise, her mother in this life left her a great deal of money. She turned the tables and avenged herself. Everything went well in her career and love when her ex-husband came to her.
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."