Broken Crowns: Kingdom of Lies & Truths Book One: Kingdom of Lies & Truths, #1

By Empress Chang

Leandro was supposed to protect me. He failed me, covered me in blood, and broke my innocence.

Leandro was to love me, but I knew we had no future.

So, I made a decision, and it has been five years since I last saw him. Now he stands before me, not only as my husband but as my Don.

My decision freed me but destroyed the Leandro I knew. This Leandro was covered by darkness and cruelty, and I was drawn to him like a bee to honey.

The more I get to know the man, the more it makes me question everything I know to be right and wrong.

But he is still the boy I knew and even though I needed him to love me, how long before I fall to the unmerciful side of Leandro Scavo, and love him?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chang House Publishing LLC
• Release date: Mar 9, 2023
• ISBN: 9781735030081

Book preview

PART I

Black Sheep, Have You No Mercy?

I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion. – Alexander the Great.

PROLOGUE

LEANDRO

PRESENT

D on’t! Leandro, please. He can never be a danger to you or my uncle! Faye cried out, holding on to the half-conscious body of her thirteen-year-old brother. We will follow your rules. We will be loyal to your name. Your word will be the law! I am begging you, please!

Brando Morelli cried into his hands at the feet of his older brother, Federico. You! You and that bastard killed my son!

Don Federico Morelli patted his brother Brando on the shoulder with a grim look on his face. He’s not dead yet, but I don’t see why I shouldn’t have Leandro take Benito from you for trying to betray me!

He didn’t betray you, Uncle! He didn’t! I did, and she isn’t dead! Faye’s hands, stained with the warm blood of her brother, touched her Don’s hand. She kissed one of the many large rings he wore. Emilia is alive. She is alive and can still be a bride. Leandro’s bride. Her makeup ran down her cheeks as she looked at me, hoping to see a sign of empathy from me.

Alive? Gioele, the Don’s consigliere, whispered from beside Don Morelli. How?

Faye swallowed and turned back to kiss her uncle’s ring. Eden and I . . . We . . . We helped her. But I only know of my part in the task. Eden and I never spoke about what we each did. Only Emilia knows about it.

This sounds like an excuse to not marry me. My tone was clipped, irritation and impatience evident in every word.

I am not a bride fit for you. I know this. Faye glanced toward her uncle. You have chosen Leandro, and after tonight, the men will follow. She chanced a glance at her father, Brando, who was still sobbing at his brother’s feet. Blood-born Emilia Morelli and violence-raised Leandro Scavo. No other is best suited to lead and grow heirs.

Don? I called my master’s name quietly, patiently waiting as he stood in the dinner room of his brother’s house. His nephew’s blood was spilling, his niece was begging for mercy, and his sister-in-law, Camilla, was screaming from the next room he had Gioele’s son, Marcello, drag her to.

‘Blood-born and violence-raised,’ he quoted Faye’s own words. You always knew how to spit pretty words, Faye, and lucky for you, I like them.

Where is she? Gioele asked Faye.

Faye released her uncle’s hands to pick up her brother’s head once again from her blood-soaked lap. Save him. Save him and spare our family, please. Leandro, I beg you, please.

Groaning at her pleas, I pointed to her uncle. "He is still our Don! Beg him for his forgiveness."

I beg you! I know you are my new Don, and I throw myself and my family to your mercy! Faye cried out.

Growling at her open disrespect, I approached her when the Don stopped me. She is correct to throw herself and the family to your mercy. You are my chosen heir and now their lives and punishments are in your hands, Leandro. What is your first rule of order?

Lowering my head at his words, I knew without a doubt what I wanted first. Even if I couldn’t put an emotion to it. Couldn’t explain it. I just knew what was once mine was still mine, and I wanted it back.

Bending to Faye, I cupped her chin and growled into her ear, Where. Is. She?

1

EMILIA

PRESENT

E milia, these came for you! Maria came skipping into the lunchroom with a vase of freshly cut white hydrangeas. And with a note! May I read?

Flashing a smile as half my office friends started a round of oohs and awws, I lowered my fork, filled with chicken and a salad, and covered my face. Ladies, cut it out. They are just flowers.

Yes, but from Chet Marcus! Ruth’s, my coworker in payroll, loud excitement about who my flowers were from had the others growing louder in their joy for me. Maria, read that note, please!

Taking the vase and smelling the flowers, I listened as Maria opened the note and read Chet’s words.

To the woman that keeps me lost in her eyes and my mind on her 24/7, happy two-year anniversary to you, my soul queen. I’ll see you tonight for dinner. Come hungry and prepared for a surprise.

Love,

Your Chet.

Sharp gasps erupted, and I shushed the ladies in the lunchroom. Come on now! It’s not what you all think, I blurted in a rush, knowing well that my coworkers were thinking about a marriage proposal.

It is. It must be, Emilia! You both have been serious for two years and it’s only getting hotter, Maria added while handing me the handwritten note decorated with heart-shaped doodles around it.

I agree with Maria. Chet is the guy who knows what he wants and wastes no time to get it, Ruth said as she took the note from me and read it over with a grin. This man is looking to set down roots and gain a wife, and tonight might be the night he finds one.

I shook my head, thinking about Chet, a man I had only recently taken seriously, asking me to marry him tonight.

There was so much he didn’t know about me, except for what I had wanted him to know. That went for all the others here at work too. They only knew what I’d told them. They knew this version of Emilia, who I’d made up. Who I wanted to be, and in time, they became friends and, dare I say, loved ones?

Three and a half years at CM Real Estate Dreams, a safe space to call home in Key Largo, and all the food and sun and excitement a normal twenty-three-year-old woman needed in life.

Freedom.

This Emilia was free.

After five long years, I was free. But marriage . . . marriage was a lifelong commitment. Something I wasn’t sure I was ready for, and not without telling Chet the truth. What freedom and marriage could I have with the lies I had built to gain them?

Emilia? Ruth whispered and brushed my arm.

Her touch broke the spell of my wavering thoughts. Yes, sorry, I was just—

Nervous? she offered. You are only twenty-three. It’s a lot to consider when you have a man like Chet.

Maria sat to my left in the empty chair and agreed with Ruth. It’s okay to be doubtful, and I’m sure if you ask Chet for some time to think, he would be okay with it. He is a patient man.

With the truth at the tip of my tongue, I took Ruth’s and Maria’s hand in each of my own and gave them a gentle squeeze as I swallowed back my words and added more lies. You’re right. Chet is patient, and I’m sure he would wait for me if I asked him. After all, he loves me.

He does love you, a few of the other ladies said to help reassure me.

Emilia, age 6. Leandro, age 8.

Emilia. I turned my head toward my father, who stood in the doorway of my playroom and called me away from Faye, my cousin, and Eden, our best friend.

Yes, Papa? I ran over to him, holding on to my favorite doll.

Taking my hand in his, Papa walked me out of the playroom, closing the door behind us. Walking with me toward his office, I passed my mother, whose jet-black hair mirrored my own. Her normally soft, delicate features were contorted in anger.

Emilia, this is Leandro. He is Gioele’s new son, and he will be your new friend, Papa said as we stepped into his office. A boy, about my age and height, stood next to Gioele in front of Papa’s large desk.

Looking over at the skinny-looking boy, whose white shirt matched Gioele’s and Papa’s, I squeezed my doll and looked up at my father. He looks funny, I half whispered, and Papa burst out with laughter.

Don’t be rude, Emilia. Leandro has had a long day and is tired, that is all. Bending to my height, Papa kissed my cheeks and took hold of my hands, even with my doll. Be nice to him and he will be nice to you. He will protect and love you, and you will be thankful for him one day. Patting my head, he stood upright. Take him to meet Faye and Eden.

With the not-so-pleased attitude of a six-year-old, I nodded and turned back to the boy. Hello, I’m Emilia, I introduced myself and walked over to him.

I’m Leandro, he muttered as he stared at me with a cautious look on his face.

Taking his hand, I pulled him past the adults and back to my playroom. When we got there, I handed him my doll before going inside. That’s Birdie Star. She is my favorite doll; I have Kens you can play with.

Pushing my doll back at me, Leandro said, I don’t play with dolls. Dolls are stupid, and only little girls play with them.

That’s not true! You take that back! I shouted at him, snatching my doll from his hands. Boys are stupid!

The door to the playroom opened. Faye and Eden took in the scene with tilted heads and their brows drawn together.

Who is he? Eden asked as she pushed her bangs back.

Faye looked him over with a scowl. Where did you come from?

Answering them, I took their hands and walked us back into the room, uncaring if Leandro followed or not. "Papa said to take him to play with us, but I don’t want to play with a doll hater." I took their hands and walked us back into the room, uncaring if Leandro followed or not.

"Well, I don’t want to play with a doll lover," Leandro retorted behind us, and I turned my head to him leaned against the wall next to the door before sliding to the floor to have a seat.

What a weird boy . . .

PRESENT

Beeeeeep!!

Swerving my blue Nissan from out of the right lane so the speeding Toyota from behind me could go ahead of me, I relaxed my killer grip on the steering wheel and checked my rear-view mirror to make sure other cars behind me weren’t trying to run me off the road while my mind had taken a stroll down memory lane.

I found it strange that today, of all days, I would think about my past and the boy that had shown up out of nowhere. Five years of freedom and the past suddenly pops up? It was just too much of a coincidence.

As I turned into the large concrete driveway of a yellow duplex house, a smile lit up my face at seeing Chet’s white BMW, and the thoughts of my past slipped away.

Grabbing my bag and hydrangeas, I jumped out of the car and almost sprinted toward the house. However, when I glanced at the license plate on the BMW, I frowned. It was a different set of numbers from Chet’s, and I stopped to check the streets, searching for his car.

It wasn’t uncommon for my neighbor to have friends or family park in my spot occasionally. In fact, I had encouraged it, and only asked that if their guest planned to stay the night, they didn’t block me in on the weeknights so I could leave for work in the mornings. It was normal, but this car parked here didn’t feel right.

I’m being paranoid, I mumbled, searching up and down the streets for a full five minutes before shaking my head and turning back to head into the house.

Opening the door to the house, I was greeted by my hallway filled with baby blue hydrangeas, with white balloons floating around the ceiling and floor from the doorway to the living and dining room area. Gold confetti scattered around the room and a gift box rested on the hallway table next to the entrance where I kept a