Shadows Of Deceipt

Chapter 12

Tom paced back and forth in his penthouse office, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His mind was racing, filled with thoughts of the upcoming event—the one he wouldn’t be able to attend. The one Anna would be going to with him—Tonny Russo. It was driving him insane.

“Damn it!” he growled, slamming his fist down on the desk. Rico sat across from him, nervously adjusting his glasses. He’d been the one to break the news, and now he was watching Tom spiral into fury.

“Boss, it’s...it’s not like you can just cancel this meeting,” Rico said cautiously. “Tonny made sure of that.”

Tom’s eyes snapped to him, blazing with anger. “What do you mean, he made sure of it?” His voice was low, dangerous.Rico gulped, shifting in his seat.

“It’s no coincidence you’ve got a meeting with some of your biggest investors on the same night as the gala. I checked. Tonny set it up.”

Tom glared, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. “He what?”Rico sighed, pulling up a folder on his laptop.

“He made a deal with your investors a few weeks ago, through one of his front companies. It wasn’t obvious at first, but I tracked the money back to him. He’s the reason they’re demanding this meeting, and they’re big enough players that you can’t just brush them off.”

Tom cursed under his breath, the realization sinking in. “So that bastard’s orchestrated this whole thing to keep me away from Anna.”

Rico nodded, though he kept his gaze low, knowing Tom’s temper was about to explode. “That’s right. He’s making sure you’re tied up all night.”

Tom turned away, his fists trembling as he tried to rein in his fury. Tonny had played him perfectly, setting up this elaborate distraction to keep him from the event, all while cozying up to Anna. And there wasn’t a damn thing Tom could do about it. Not without blowing the cover he had worked so hard to maintain.

“Smart move,” Tom muttered through gritted teeth, hating how calculated Tonny had been.

Rico hesitated, then added, “He’s not just after your girl, boss. He’s trying to undermine you in every way. Word on the street is that Tonny wants a bigger piece of the action. He’s been making moves, gaining influence.”

Tom’s jaw tightened as he stared out at the city skyline. “He’s always wanted more,” Tom said, his voice cold. “But coming after Anna? That’s crossing the line.”

Rico cleared his throat. “He knows she’s important to you. Tonny’s leveraging that. This gala is just the start. He wants to shake you.”

Tom felt the rage bubbling in his chest. The thought of Tonny, sitting at that event, charming Anna, filling her head with lies—it was too much. He couldn’t stand it. But Rico was right. He couldn’t skip the meeting without risking his empire. And as much as it burned him, Tom knew that going after Tonny in the wrong way could blow everything wide open.

“Damn it!” Tom shouted, slamming his fist against the wall. “He won’t get away with this.”

Rico stayed silent, letting the fury work through his boss. He had never seen Tom this on edge. It wasn’t just about Tonny’s power plays—it was about Anna. Tom wasn’t the type to let anyone get close, but Anna had found a way in. Now, Tonny was threatening to rip that apart, and Tom wasn’t about to let that happen.

After a few moments of silence, Tom turned back to Rico. “You’re sure this meeting can’t be rescheduled?”

Rico shook his head. “Not unless you want to lose the deal. These investors don’t play around, and they’re already wary after Tonny’s involvement. If you cancel, they’ll take it as a sign of weakness.”