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?
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...
June Rivera was divorced by her husband after three years of marriage because he wanted to be with her sister who was pregnant for him. Kicked to the curb with a divorce and rejected by her parents,she struggles to make ends meet and get a job until she saves Luis Ambrose from an accident - the only child of Rafael Ambrose, a widowed man and the CEO of Ambrose Corporation. When little Luis asks to have her as a nanny, and Rafael's mother pressures him to get married, they draw a contract. To be Luis's nanny and his fake wife for one year in exchange for 50 million dollars!
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.