Chapter 156

Chapter 156
The ceremony was short and sweet. Mila and Carlo exchanged simple, heartfelt vows. They talked about love, kindness, and building a life together based on shared values. When they said "I do," a wave of warmth spread through the small gathering. It wasn't about power or money, just two people choosing each other, choosing a quiet, good life.

I looked at Dimitri. His eyes, usually so sharp and calculating, were soft as he watched his brother. I knew how much he had worried about Carlo, how much he had pushed him to find this kind of happiness. To see it unfold, to see Carlo so genuinely content, must have been a great relief for him. His hard work, his silent battles, had led to this.

When Carlo and Mila shared their first kiss as husband and wife, a cheer went up. Carlo pulled Mila into a tight hug, spinning her around, his laughter ringing out, truly free. This was the Carlo I had always hoped he could be.
Later, during the small reception, the garden was filled with quiet conversation and gentle laughter. Carlo kept looking at Mila, like he still couldn't believe she was real. He introduced her to everyone, his voice full of pride.

I watched him, and then I saw Dimitri walk over to him. Dimitri put a hand on Carlo's shoulder, a gesture of rare warmth. I couldn't hear what they said, but Carlo nodded, his smile wide, and then he pulled Dimitri into a brief, heartfelt hug. It was a silent moment of understanding between brothers, a shared acknowledgment of how far Carlo had come.

I knew that Dimitri’s world, our world, would always have its shadows. Antonio, even from jail, would try to cause trouble. But today, in this beautiful garden in Axton City, under the bright sun, a new kind of strength had bloomed. It wasn't the strength of power or control, but the strength of quiet happiness, of purpose, and of choosing love.

My art would have to reflect this. The beautiful, chaotic dance between the dark and the light. Because today, the light had won, shining brightly for Carlo and Mila, and for all of us. And I knew that no matter what problems came next, we had built a foundation of joy that was truly unbreakable.

Dimitri

The quiet after Carlo and Mila's wedding was almost a relief, a deep breath after the joy and the underlying tension. The ceremony in the Axton City garden had been perfect, a bright, clear moment that showed the kind of future Ava, Carlo, and I were fighting for. For a few days, the happiness of the new couple filled the house, pushing back the shadows.

But I knew the calm wouldn't last. My father, Antonio, was a stubborn man. His attempt to disrupt Carlo's wedding had failed, thanks to quick action, but he wouldn't simply give up. He'd see it as a challenge, a sign that he needed to push harder, to be more aggressive.
And I was right. Two days after the wedding, Lena came into my office, her face set in a grim line. She didn't even need to speak for me to know the quiet was over.

"Mr. Andreas," she began, placing a new set of reports on my desk. "The attempts to cause problems have escalated. They're no longer just 'gnats.'"
I picked up the first report. It was from our financial department. "What is it now?" I asked, my voice calm, but my mind already racing.

"Someone has begun a coordinated effort to devalue shares in several of our smaller holdings," Lena explained. "Not enough to cause a collapse, but enough to create unease. To make investors question the stability. It's subtle manipulation of the market, using small, untraceable accounts to buy and sell at specific times."

This was more serious than customs delays or manufactured protests. This was directly aimed at my financial strength. It was a slow bleed, designed to annoy me, yes, but also to truly hurt my business reputation if left unchecked.
"And the source?" I asked, though I knew the answer.

"The same offshore accounts, the same network of shell companies Antonio used before," Lena confirmed. "He's managed to gain access to more resources from jail, or rather, his remaining loyalists outside are pooling what they have. And they're using financial experts who clearly know what they're doing."
My father was trying to hit me where he thought it would hurt most: my money, my control. He wanted to show me that even from prison, he could still shake the foundations of my empire. He wanted me to feel his reach.

"He's bolder now," I stated, leaning back in my chair, looking out at the sprawling Axton City skyline. "He's escalating because he's angry about Carlo's wedding. He wants to prove he still has power."

"That appears to be the case," Lena agreed. "We've also seen a slight increase in calls trying to reach him in prison. New names trying to connect."
Antonio was gathering his forces, even from behind bars. He was trying to build a new network, a new shadow army, simply to spite me. It was a waste of his time and resources, but a dangerous one if I didn't shut it down completely.

"This is no longer just about cutting off lines," I told Lena. "This is about finding every single person involved in these financial attacks. Every 'expert' he's hired. Every investor is taking his money. And hitting them where it hurts most. Financially. Their reputations. Their freedom."
Lena nodded, her eyes hard. "Understood. A more aggressive strategy."

"Yes," I confirmed. "We expose them. We cut off their funds. We make it so dangerous to take money from Antonio Andreas that no one will ever consider it again. And we find out who is helping him access these resources and these people from inside the prison. The guard we dealt with was clearly just the beginning."

This was going to be a harder fight than the subtle "gnats." This was a direct, calculated move against my financial interests, designed to cause chaos. But I was ready. My resolve was clearer than ever.

I thought about Carlo, so happy and settled with Mila. About Ava, so bright and peaceful in her studio. About Liam, growing up in a world I was trying to keep safe for him. Antonio wanted to drag me back into the old ways, the constant battle for dominance. But I wasn't just fighting for power anymore. I was fighting for their peace.

My father was a ghost trying to reclaim his past. But I was building a future. And that future was worth fighting for, with every tool at my disposal. If Antonio wanted to escalate, I would show him what true power looked like. Not the power to cause petty trouble, but the power to protect, to build, and to utterly crush those who threatened my family's stability.