Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask (by Silver Spoon) novel Chapter 497

Chapter 497: Chapter 93 Dangerous Loyalty

Lila’s POV

I watched Beckett loading the last suitcase into his armored Mercedes with a heaviness settling in my chest. "Are you certain you must return to the family estates now?" The words slipped from my lips before I could contain them.

"The Sullivan operations require my immediate attention, Lila," he replied, enveloping me in his protective embrace. His voice carried the weight of someone who commanded vast underground networks. "But I give you my word we’ll coordinate visits more frequently."

I melted into his arms, treasuring these moments with the only family member who truly cared for my wellbeing. "Tell our father I’m managing the Thorne transition successfully. No need for him to concern himself with my security here." With those parting words, I waved farewell as his convoy disappeared around the corner, their reinforced vehicles becoming mere specks in the distance.

Daniel’s powerful arm encircled my waist as we approached his police-issued sedan. "Little one, that woman refuses to abandon her schemes," he said, his voice tight with barely controlled fury. "The Thorne building security can prevent her from accessing your residential floors, but nothing stops her from ambushing you at the law school."

He’d been repeating these warnings recently, and though I recognized the validity of his concerns, I felt cornered without viable alternatives. "I understand Claire’s relentless, but what options do I have?" I sighed, settling into the passenger seat of his vehicle. We’d resumed our established pattern—him serving as my personal security detail, navigating the dangerous intersections between legitimate business and family obligations.

"File formal charges against her and Justin with the organized crime unit," Daniel pressed, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the steering wheel. "Make this official through proper law enforcement channels."

My heart contracted painfully. "Daniel, she’s my mother. And Justin—regardless of our strained relationship, he’s connected to our bloodline. I maintain hope that eventually she’ll release whatever vendetta drives her and acknowledge me as legitimate family. Surely she harbors some maternal feelings, doesn’t she?" Tears gathered in my eyes. The psychological warfare within mafia families remained incomprehensible to me.

Daniel’s voice hardened with bitter experience. "Lila, this pains me to articulate, but that woman embodies nothing resembling maternal protection." His words struck like physical blows. "She gave birth to you, yes, but authentic maternal figures don’t orchestrate the psychological torture you’ve endured."

Alarm coursed through my veins. "Exactly what intelligence did Beckett share with you?"

The systematic abuse throughout my childhood had become such routine background noise I barely registered its severity anymore. The emotional manipulation, the calculated abandonment—merely footnotes in my survival narrative within the Sullivan power structure.

"He revealed sufficient details to make me desire permanent incarceration for both that manipulative woman and her unstable son!" Daniel’s rage barely remained contained within acceptable limits.

"Daniel, I’ve extracted myself from their immediate influence. I’m operating under Thorne protection now. Those incidents belong to the past," I insisted, failing to convince even myself.

His eyes flicked toward my carefully concealed injuries. "It’s not historical when I can detect her handprint beneath your makeup foundation. It’s not resolved when your lip still bears healing cuts from her signet ring and the bruising marks her assault left on your skin. It’s not finished when I was forced to physically restrain that unstable punk from striking you again during their last intimidation attempt."

I swallowed against the rising panic. "Very well. I’ll comply with whatever security protocols you recommend—including withdrawing from law school if absolutely necessary—but I refuse to involve law enforcement against family members." That represented my absolute boundary, and his expression revealed it wasn’t the response he’d hoped to hear.

"Here’s our immediate operational plan," he stated, his tone brooking zero negotiation. "You maintain constant companion security during all campus activities. I’ll personally escort you to classroom entrances and retrieve you from identical locations afterward. The same protocols apply at Thorne headquarters—Jude will maintain surveillance responsibilities during my absences. I’m seriously considering hiring dedicated private security contractors—"

"That seems disproportionate," I interrupted. "What’s the most severe action she could take beyond verbal intimidation or attempting to force my return to Sullivan properties? If she succeeds in abducting me, you’ll mobilize every available resource, eliminate all obstacles in your path, and recover me safely."

He glanced sideways with dangerous intensity. "You’re absolutely correct about my response, even while you persist in defending her supposed maternal status." His voice softened marginally. "If she touches you again, Lila, I’ll personally ensure she spends her remaining years where she cannot inflict further harm."

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