Chapter 19: Betrayed my loyalty

Santino sat in the center of the couch, a handgun held loosely in his hand as he looked over the palace maids standing before him in rigid rows, their heads bowed in silence.

"Someone among you helped the sniper last night," Santino said, his voice dangerously cold. His dark gaze swept over the crowd before he rose to his feet and walked slowly toward them.

"Whoever it was, step forward now, before the bullets in this gun find your hearts one by one. My patience is running thin, so on the count of three, that person will step forward."

The maids murmured among themselves, clearly terrified of their master, but no one stepped forward to admit to the crime.

Santino began the countdown. When he reached three and no one moved, he fired a bullet directly into the leg of the maid standing closest to him. She collapsed to the floor with a sharp cry, clutching her knee as blood pooled onto the rug.

Several of the maids screamed at the sudden violence, dropping to their knees to beg for mercy. Seeing them, the rest quickly followed suit, shivering in fear that they would be next.

"Master, we never betrayed you," one maid choked out through her tears.

"Shut your mouth," Santino said coldly. "Whoever it was needs to step up before this woman bleeds to death."

The injured maid’s cries echoed through the room, but Santino remained entirely unmoved. He was furious about the previous night. Soraya had been inches away from death, and the thought of losing her sent a cold rage through his veins.

"Stand up, all of you," Santino commanded.

The women scrambled to their feet immediately, keeping their faces raised as ordered. Santino walked down the lines, studying them one by one. His eyes tracked every micro-expression, every nervous tremor, and the subtle movements of their hands.

He walked past the back line, pausing briefly at the last maid before turning on his heel and stopping in front of the fourth row.

"Drag her out," Santino ordered his men.

The maids glanced at one another in panic, trying to figure out who he was pointing at until two guards grabbed a woman from the middle of the row.

Leo stepped forward, checking a tablet in his hand. "Boss, her name is Lizzy Preston. She is working here for the last three years."

"No, I didn’t do anything!" Lizzy shrieked, thrashing violently against the guards’ grip. "Master, please, you have to believe me!"

Santino flicked his wrist. The guards released her instantly, letting her stumble back.

"Did you pass information to outsiders?" he asked, his voice dead calm.

When Lizzy frantically shook her head in denial, Santino raised the gun and fired. The bullet grazed her upper arm, tearing through fabric and flesh. She screamed, clutching her arm as she dropped to her knees on the marble floor.

"I will tear you apart alive if you don’t talk," Santino said, standing over her. "I don’t show mercy to anyone. Speak the truth now, before you’re begging me for a quick death."

"Yes, I did it!" Lizzy finally admitted, her tear-filled eyes meeting Santino’s cold gaze.

At that exact moment, Soraya stepped into the hall. Catching sight of the brutal, bloody scene unfolding before her, she instantly froze and ducked behind a marble pillar.

"Why did you do it?" Leo demanded.

"Because I love Master Santino. I have served him day and night for the past three years, and I never once failed in my duties," Lizzy sobbed.

"Kill her and feed her body to the hawks," Santino ordered flatly.

"No, Master! Please, you have to listen to me," Lizzy begged, her voice frantic. "I love you, and I always have. Why would you marry a woman who doesn’t even love you? She doesn’t even respect you an ounce! I saw how she kicked you out of your room last night. You betrayed my loyalty. I only tried to remove Soraya from your life because she is dangerous to you, Master."

Behind the pillar, Soraya pressed a trembling hand over her mouth, her eyes widening as she found the truth of last night’s attack.

Santino had heard enough of Lizzy’s bullshit.

"You dared to orchestrate something so delusional that it brings you straight to your grave. How dare you say those pathetic words to me?" Santino’s temper snapped, his hand raising the gun to end it right there. "I’ll make an example of you so no one else ever dares try something this foolish."

"Master, how can you say that? I—I truly love you. I’d die for you," Lizzy sobbed, clutching her bleeding arm. "There were nights when you were exhausted from work, and I brought you coffee and meals. I stayed awake until you fell asleep. That’s the kind of devotion I have for you."

Soraya finally stepped out from behind the marble pillar.

"That’s not love," she declared.

"Sora!" Santino lowered the gun, his expression shifting as the trembling maids parted to let her walk to the front. "You came back early."

"I’m glad I did. Is this why you tried to ship me off with my brother this morning?" Soraya asked, frowning as she looked between him and the bleeding maid on the floor.

"Who did you pass my information to?" Soraya demanded. "Answer before he actually kills you."

"I will never answer you," Lizzy muttered through her teeth.

Leo handed his tablet to a nearby guard and stalked over, hauling Lizzy up by the neck with a harsh grip. "Answer the mistress of this house," he warned in a low hiss. "Or you won’t get a quick death."

Panicking, Lizzy gasped, "His name is Franco Bristow! Master, please forgive me. I truly love you."

"Throw her in the dungeon and extract everything she knows," Santino ordered without looking back. "And get the wounded maid to the medical wing."

"You never loved Santino. If you had, you would have never joined hands with the enemy," Soraya pronounced while watching Lizzy being getting dragged out.