Page 33 of Malevolent Secrets

“Is there anyone within the organization who might be willing to talk?” I ask, grasping for any possible lead besides Lorenzo. I can’t face the idea of trying to collect information from Lorenzo right now. It seems too impossible.

Mark shakes his head. “It’s unlikely. The Duretti family instills a culture of fear and loyalty. Betrayal is met with severe consequences, not just for the individual, but for their families as well. That kind of fear keeps people in line.”

I sit back, feeling the enormity of the task ahead. “Thank you, Mark. This helps a lot.”

“Look, you’re young. I’d be remiss if I didn’t warn you that this is a dangerous world. It isn’t like you see in the movies. People die because of their dealings with these crime families. I should know.”

He gets a solemn look in his eyes, and for a moment, he looks like he’s been transported somewhere else, somewhere far away, and definitely not a good place.

“You can choose to move on. It won’t be easy. You probably loved your fiancé very much but getting involved in this isn’t worth it if it means you might die.”

“It is worth it. Jeremy would’ve done the same and more for me. He would have walked right into the fires of hell for me. He would walk into the lion’s den, bathed in blood and fear, if it meant that he could get the truth for me, avenge me. I cannot give up now because there’s a possibility of danger. I have to do this.”

My response seems to please him because he smiles a little. It is barely even a smile, but it is something.

“Good. You mentioned in your email that you’ve met Lorenzo as well. I should say that I am impressed by your ability to survive situations that others wouldn’t.”

I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or what to even say, so I say nothing.

“How did you meet him?”

“We got briefly acquainted at The Garden of Eden.”

“You went to his club?” I nod, and he looks me over.

“I suppose you are beautiful. I apologize, I didn’t mean that to be offensive.”

I wave his apology away, wondering what he would do if I told him that we’ve been sleeping together and it wasn’t even coerced.

“I…” but before I can ask him why he knows so much about the Durettis, why his face squeezes in hate every time Lorenzo’s name is mentioned, he hands me a small notebook.

"Keep this with you. It has some names and places that might be useful. And remember, trust no one."

I take the book and flip through the pages, I see that he has written his phone number on the first page. I nod.

“I’ll be in touch.”

Chapter Ten

Daniella

Armed with new information, I head back to my apartment, my mind buzzing with possibilities.

I need to dig deeper into Jeremy’s life, find out what he was involved in that could have led to his murder. I start by going through his belongings, looking for anything that might stand out.

Hours pass as I sift through Jeremy's things: his clothes, books, and papers. Nothing seems out of the ordinary until I find a small, locked box hidden in the back of his closet. My heart races as I pry it open, revealing a stack of documents and a flash drive.

As I sift through Jeremy's things, a sense of betrayal washes over me, sharp and bitter. Every item I touch seems to hold a piece of a life I never knew he had.

Even his clothes, neatly folded in the drawers, now feel like costumes for a role he played so convincingly. How could he have kept so much from me?

I pull out a stack of papers from the back of his closet, my hands trembling. Financial records, account statements, transfers of money—each document is a revelation of deceit.

Jeremy, the man I loved, the man I was going to marry, was involved in something dangerous, something he never shared with me. For years, he lied to me, kept a whole other part of himself hidden away.

Tears sting my eyes as I find yet another locked box and pry it open. Inside are more documents, more secrets. I feel like an intruder in my own life, sifting through evidence of a betrayal so deep it makes my chest ache.

How could he have done this? How could he have looked me in the eyes every day, told me he loved me and kept such a monumental part of his life a secret?

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