Strangers in the End
For five whole years I followed Eli, pouring everything I had into helping him, until he rose to the seat of Don of the Perrone family.
At the celebration banquet, Karina, who'd grown up alongside him, spiked my drink to set me up, and I caught her in the act.
But for the sake of Karina's reputation, Eli threw me out of the Perrone without a shred of mercy.
He even put it about that I'd tried to steal family secrets, and had only been cast out once I was exposed.
Overnight, everyone turned on me. I was driven south, and I vanished without a trace for three long years.
The next time I saw Eli was at an underground auction in Edel Castle, down south.
Karina recognized me the moment she laid eyes on me, and pitched her voice high to humiliate me in front of everyone.
"God, Layla, you really will stoop to anything to keep clinging to Eli, won't you!"
"Don't you know this is Thorne territory? And here you are, a filthy whore, sneaking in after us."
"If they find out a traitor like you slipped in, care to guess whether you'll live to see tomorrow?"
I cut my eyes toward her and let out a cold laugh.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but this happens to be my territory."