Dangerous Secrets: My Mafia Stepbrother

Emanuele was now drained and couldn’t focus on Lilly; he had to return to the company. With this new lead, he had to act. However, as he drove, the landscape whizzing by, his emotions were tangled.

How could this happen? The person he’d always trusted, the person he had so much faith in, had betrayed him. He trusted them, yet they didn’t trust him. Lilly didn’t believe he could save her family. That’s why, when threatened, she had sought out the other person first, not even considering asking for his help. Emanuele was deeply disappointed in Lilly. He hadn’t realized something was amiss with her.

Soon, Zak got back to him, informing him that the phone number was anonymous, intentionally concealed, untraceable. Another dead end. Emanuele smoked as he drove, trying to keep his mind clear. This had been his life for years. As the head of the mafia, a life of crime meant he killed, and others would try to kill him. His underlings and his loved ones were always in danger, as was he. He had become accustomed to this dangerous life, so a mere betrayal seemed insignificant. But despite his attempts to console himself, he still felt sorrow.

She had practically grown up before his eyes, almost like family. Isabella had adored Lilly, always asking her to cook and praising her culinary skills. This time, Isabella had sensed something was wrong with Lilly and had asked him to investigate, worried that Lilly was in trouble. Now, everything had changed. If Isabella found out what Lilly had done, she would be devastated. Emanuele didn’t know how to tell Isabella about this.

Emanuele instructed Phillip, “Find Lilly’s husband and children, get them out of there.” He believed they weren’t in Chicago; they were likely nearby, given that they had been kept hidden for so many years. Even though Lilly had betrayed him, he couldn’t let her stay in the apartment. However, their long history led Emanuele to decide to help Lilly with one final act of kindness.

This is how it has to be, Emanuele thought. He didn’t know when he had started to become like this. It seemed he had become more compassionate.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

After Emanuele left, Lilly went back to her room to pack. She knew Emanuele had spared her, but this was a one-time reprieve. She couldn’t show her face in front of Emanuele ever again. She had to leave. As for her husband and children, this was the only way. She couldn’t do more. She would have to apologize to them. If she couldn’t bear it, she would join them in the afterlife.

But she couldn’t bear to leave Isabella. Thinking about Isabella, so innocent and pure, always sharing her thoughts and praising Lilly’s cooking, she seemed like an angel. Yet, Lilly had betrayed them. She felt she couldn’t stay in the apartment any longer.

When Isabella returned home that evening, she didn’t see Lilly. Puzzled, she couldn’t help but ask Emanuele, “Where’s Lilly?”

She found it strange that Lilly was nowhere to be seen. Considering Emanuele’s earlier words, she felt something was wrong.

Emanuele was still at the office. Hearing Isabella’s question, he replied, “Lilly’s gone. I’ll tell you when I get back.”

Gone? Why? Had Lilly done something unforgivable?

When Emanuele returned home, he saw Isabella staring at him intently, eager for answers. Emanuele embraced Isabella, and they sat together on the couch. He said, “I need to prepare you for what I’m about to tell you.”

Isabella nodded.

“Lilly betrayed me. I couldn’t let her stay. Letting her go was the kindest decision I could make.”

“Betrayed? Lilly betrayed you!” Isabella’s eyes widened, as if she couldn’t believe it.

Isabella felt her heart racing, her nerves taut. “Her family was kidnapped, and she was threatened. She provided the warehouse information. That’s why, coincidentally, when we were in Italy, this happened, and I couldn’t come back in time.”

Hearing Emanuele’s explanation, Isabella felt her eyes welling up with tears.

“Is this the kind of thing that happens in the mafia?” Evelyn had been threatened before, and now Lilly was being threatened. Honestly, Isabella could understand. These were their loved ones being threatened. In her position, she might also choose to comply. Thinking of this, Isabella looked at Emanuele. “I can understand why Lilly did what she did. If I were her, I might have made the same choice.”

Although it wasn’t right, it was understandable.

Seeing the woman in front of him, Emanuele couldn’thelp but feel a pang of emotion. Isabella was truly too kind, always considering things from others’ perspectives.

However, if he were to forgive a traitor like Isabella did, he feared that such incidents would keep occurring.

“Isabella, have you ever thought that Lilly could have chosen to trust me? If she had told me everything, I would have acted first when the enemy struck. But she didn’t choose to do that, so I am quite disappointed in her.”

Considering Emanuele’s perspective, Isabella realized he had a point. Despite being so trustworthy, Lilly hadn’t acted accordingly.

Isabella couldn’t help but embrace Emanuele. “Emanuele, I know you’re also hurting right now. Lilly watched you grow up and took care of you all these years, yet she betrayed you.”

She felt that, given Emanuele’s cruel nature, he could have killed Lilly, but he didn’t. This showed that he did have feelings for Lilly. So, he must be hurting too.

“Well, these things happen to me a lot. It’s okay. Isabella, I am more worried that you will be hurt,” Emanuele sighed. For him, the sorrow was momentary, but not for Isabella. Her heart was tender and would suffer greatly.