Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask (by Silver Spoon) novel Chapter 77

Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Network of Betrayal

Caleb’s POV

Katelyn’s revelations hit me like a freight train loaded with concrete, but the old woman wasn’t finished unloading her cargo. Each piece of intelligence that spilled from her lips made my blood run colder as I realized how thoroughly the betrayal had infected my organization, festering like a cancer right under my nose.

"Those private investigators you’ve been hiring to track down that mysterious woman from the underground auction," she said, her voice dropping to the conspiratorial whisper she’d perfected over decades of navigating family politics. I nodded grimly, my jaw clenching until I could hear my teeth grinding. "I grew suspicious when I noticed them huddled in corners with Monica every time they visited the compound. The most recent one really caught my attention when I spotted him at a little bistro, several blocks from headquarters, deep in conversation with Rossi and Monica."

My hands balled into fists as she continued her damning testimony.

"The owner is an old family friend who owes us protection money, so I drop by regularly for intelligence gathering. I overheard Rossi praising the investigator’s exceptional work, saying he was extremely pleased with the results they’d obtained. But that same afternoon, I heard you telling Xavier that the man had come up empty-handed, claiming it was impossible to locate the woman. How could Rossi be satisfied if nothing had been discovered?"

The implications crashed over me like a tidal wave of betrayal. Katelyn wasn’t just observant - she was a walking intelligence network who’d been quietly cataloging every suspicious interaction within my family’s operations. This debriefing was going to consume the entire night at this rate. I needed fresh air and had to let Ivy know I wouldn’t be returning to her safe house tonight.

"Give me a moment," I said, stepping toward the garden to make the encrypted call.

"Mr. Thorne, I’m in a generous mood today. You should take full advantage," Ivy’s playful voice managed to cut through the chaos swirling in my head like a blade through silk.

"My beautiful angel," I started, my voice catching slightly on the endearment. I cleared my throat, fighting back the emotion threatening to crack my composed facade. "I won’t be able to see you tonight."

"Is everything under control, Caleb?" The genuine concern threading through her voice made my chest tighten with protective instincts.

"It will be. But there’s a mountain of intelligence to process, and most of it blindsided me completely."

"Handle your family business. We’ll talk when you’re ready."

After we disconnected, I turned to find Xavier standing behind me like a shadow. His hand landed firmly on my shoulder with the weight of decades of loyalty.

"We’re going to weather this storm together," he said with the fierce determination that had made him my most trusted consigliere. "If we have to burn down half the city to get justice, that’s exactly what we’ll do."

I nodded, drawing strength from his unwavering support as we headed back inside to face the revelations.

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