VEIL OF RICHES (Elite Shadow serie #1)

C - 8

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The crackling sound of flames echoed through the streets of Sicily, and the air was thick with smoke. Shenaya watched from her hiding spot as the once-peaceful city she had come to love descended into chaos. The orange glow of fire illuminated the night sky, and in the distance, she could hear the terrified screams of the residents trying to flee.

Zachary had done it. He had declared war on the city—all in his obsessive quest to find her.

For weeks, Shenaya had evaded him, hiding in the deepest corners of Italy, using every resource she had to stay out of his reach. She had hoped that maybe, just maybe, Zachary would give up, that he would realize she was gone and move on. But she had underestimated the lengths he was willing to go.

The mafia king had unleashed hell on Sicily, sending his men to burn entire neighborhoods in their ruthless search for her. He wasn’t just looking for her anymore; he was making a statement. No one would be safe until Shenaya was his again.

From her vantage point, Shenaya saw the black SUVs rolling through the city, filled with Zachary’s men—armed and dangerous. They ransacked homes, interrogated civilians, and left destruction in their wake. She pressed herself against the wall of the abandoned building she had taken refuge in, her heart pounding in her chest. The city was burning, and it was all because of her.

Suddenly, the low hum of a helicopter’s blades filled the air, and Shenaya’s eyes widened in horror. Zachary. He was here.

The helicopter circled above the city, its spotlight sweeping the streets below, searching for any sign of her. Shenaya knew it was only a matter of time before they found her hiding spot. She had to move—fast.

With trembling hands, she gathered what little supplies she had left and slipped out the back of the building, keeping to the shadows as she moved through the alleyways. Her mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. There had to be some way to escape, some way to get out of this city before it was too late.

But then, she heard it—a voice over the loudspeakers, booming through the streets, reverberating off the walls.

“Shenaya!” Zachary’s voice rang out, cold and commanding. “I know you’re here. There’s no point in running anymore.”

Shenaya froze, her blood turning to ice. She pressed her back against the wall, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

“You think you can hide from me forever?” Zachary continued, his voice filled with a dangerous calm. “I’ve burned this city to the ground for you. Do you really want to see what else I’ll destroy?”

Tears welled in her eyes. The devastation—the pain—he had caused in his pursuit of her was too much. Innocent people were suffering because of his twisted obsession, and no matter how far she ran, Zachary would never stop.

“I’ll give you one chance,” Zachary’s voice boomed again. “One chance to end this madness.”

The helicopter circled lower, its spotlight sweeping the streets nearby. Shenaya’s heart pounded as she watched the light grow closer, her mind screaming at her to keep running. But then, Zachary said something that made her freeze in her tracks.

“Marry me,” he said, his voice dark and resolute. “And I’ll stop the war.”

Shenaya’s heart skipped a beat. **Marry him?** That was his ultimatum? After everything he had done—after all the destruction and chaos—his demand was for her hand in marriage?

“If you come to me now,” Zachary continued, “I’ll end this. No more fire. No more bloodshed. All you have to do is say yes, Shenaya. Say yes, and I’ll stop the war.”

Shenaya sank to the ground, her body trembling with a mix of fear and despair. How could he ask this of her? How could he demand her love in exchange for the lives of innocent people? The cruelty of it made her sick to her stomach.

She covered her mouth, stifling the sobs that threatened to escape. Zachary’s twisted love had turned into a nightmare—a nightmare that had engulfed an entire city in flames.

The helicopter’s spotlight passed overhead, and Shenaya stayed hidden in the shadows, her mind racing. She couldn’t give in. She couldn’t marry him. But if she didn’t… what would he do next? How many more lives would be lost in his desperate search for her?

Zachary’s voice came again, this time softer, but no less menacing. “You can’t outrun me, Shenaya. You never could. This can all end—right now. All you have to do is come to me.”

Shenaya clenched her fists, her heart torn in two. She didn’t love Zachary. Not anymore. The man she had once cared for had become a monster, consumed by his obsession. But how many more people would suffer if she refused?

Slowly, Shenaya rose to her feet, her body trembling with the weight of her decision. She knew what she had to do.

With a deep breath, she stepped out of the shadows, into the light of the burning city.

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