Cassandra de Ville

Chapter 17

"What do you mean it was Mom?" Cassandra asked, her voice wavering as she stared at Matteo. He kept his head down, avoiding her piercing gaze.

"Uncle...," she tried again, hoping for a response. But Matteo remained silent, his expression one of deep regret.

"Uncle, please," Cassandra implored, her patience wearing thin. The room was thick with tension, her inner circle watching silently, waiting for Matteo to break the silence.

Finally, Matteo lifted his head, his eyes meeting Cassandra's with a mixture of sorrow and guilt. "It's not something I wanted to burden you with, Cass," he began, his voice heavy with emotion. "Your mother... she had a relationship with a man from the Russian Mafia. This was before she married your father, a long time ago."

Cassandra felt a wave of disbelief crash over her. Her mother, always the epitome of strength and loyalty, involved with their greatest rivals? It was almost impossible to comprehend.

"Who was he?" she demanded, needing to piece together the fragments of this newfound reality.

Matteo sighed deeply. "His name was Nikolai Volkov. They met during a time when our families were attempting to negotiate a truce, a fleeting hope for peace. But their relationship complicated everything. When it ended... it ended badly."

Rayan interjected, his voice cautious yet curious. "What happened?"

Matteo's expression darkened; his eyes filled with painful memories.

"The fallout was severe. Both families felt betrayed. The fragile truce disintegrated, leading to a resurgence of violence. Your mother tried to mediate, to protect both sides, but her efforts were in vain. The conflict escalated, resulting in significant losses on both sides. Your mother's parents and brother, who was the heir to the Mariani family, were killed, along with several elders of the Volkov family. After that, your father married your mother to strengthen the family bonds and bring stability."

Cassandra's mind was reeling. Memories of her mother's cryptic warnings and the sadness that sometimes clouded her eyes now made a haunting sense. And the visit of Roman Volkov was also starting to make sense. "Why didn't anyone tell me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"We thought it was best you didn't know," Matteo replied gently. "Your mother and father wanted to protect you all from the past. They believed that knowing about this would only burden you unnecessarily. They wanted you to lead without the weight of their mistakes. And Alessandro didn't want you to find out as well. They both agreed that no one should know about this. It's only us who knows about this and I want you all to keep it that way."

Caleb stepped forward, breaking the heavy silence. "This revelation changes everything," he said gravely.

Cassandra nodded, her mind racing with new thoughts and strategies. The past had cast a long shadow, but she was determined to confront it head-on. What kind of games are we even playing right now? 

"We need to reassess our position and our alliances. We cannot trust anyone," she declared, her resolve hardening. "Rayan, continue digging into Roberto's connections. Matteo, Caleb, let's ensure our current alliances remain strong and unshaken by this revelation. And most importantly, not a word about this to anyone. Understood?"

They all nodded their heads at her.

As the meeting continued, the weight of the past lingered, but Cassandra felt a renewed sense of purpose. The truth, though painful, had given her a clearer understanding of the challenges ahead and the strength she needed to overcome them.

As her inner circle dispersed to carry out their orders, Cassandra turned back to Matteo. "Tell me everything," she insisted. "I need to know every detail, every decision, every consequence. We can't afford any more secrets."

Matteo nodded, his shoulders heavy with the weight of the past. "I'll tell you everything, Cass. It's time you knew the whole truth."

They moved to a more private setting, and as Matteo began to recount the events of the past, Cassandra listened intently, piecing together the history that had been hidden from her for so long. The revelations were painful, but they also fueled her determination to navigate the dangerous path ahead.

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Hello loves!
Thank you reading my book!
Sorry for the short chapter, I didn't have time to write a long one due to finals.