Ellis Emerson was twenty years old, yet the world seemed to pause whenever she entered a room. Her beauty was effortless, radiant like sunlight filtering through crystal, yet it wasn't just her looks that drew people in. It was her kindness, her generosity, the way she treated every soul, human or child, with unwavering love. She spent countless hours at orphanages, holding babies in her arms, singing lullabies to children who had never known safety or affection. To them, Ellis wasn't just a helper, she was a miracle.
But Ellis's angelic facade hid a secret that could shatter the world. Beneath the soft laughter, the warm smiles, and the gentle gestures, she was the most feared Mafia leader alive. In the shadows, she ruled with unmatched intelligence and cold precision, yet no one, no colleague, no rival, not even her so-called best friend knew. Not a whisper, not a hint. She was untouchable… and utterly alone.
Or at least, she thought she was.
Aria James, Ellis's best friend, was her anchor in a life built on deception. With her soft voice and delicate demeanor, Aria seemed like the perfect companion, kind, sweet, trustworthy. Only in Aria's presence could Ellis let her guard down, laugh without restraint, dream without fear. To Ellis, Aria was a sister, a confidante, the one person she could trust with her soul.
Yet beneath that carefully crafted innocence, Aria harbored a darkness Ellis could never see. She hated Ellis with a fierce intensity, a resentment that simmered beneath her delicate smiles. Every laugh, every act of sweetness was a mask hiding a heart filled with jealousy and malice. The girl Ellis trusted above all would be the one to betray her.
One day, that betrayal would come, not with a warning, not with a sign, but like a knife through the back from the person she loved most. And when it did, Ellis's world, the world she had built, nurtured, and ruled would crumble.
The brightest smiles often cast the darkest shadows. And Ellis Emerson's shadow was about to fall.