Chapter 109 -
(One week later)
The main hall was packed again. Nia stood against the wall, same spot as before. But this time no one questioned her presence. The men in suits moved around her like she was furniture, but their eyes avoided hers. She was something new, something they hadn't figured out yet.
At the front, Don Emilio sat in his high-backed chair. Maps covered the long table before him, markers showing Cimmera territory, Valdez territory, and the warehouse that was now a pile of ashes.
Leo stood at his right hand with Christian at his left while Micheal leaned against the wall near Nia, crossing his arms, and watching the room with tired eyes.
The Don spoke, his voice resonating across the room.
“Valdez burned our property and killed our people. This is no longer a threat. It is an act of war.”
Murmurs rippled through the room. One of the captains stepped forward. A thick-necked man with a scar above his eye.
“We should hit them back hard. We shouldn't wait or debate. We should show them what happens when someone touches us.”
Another voice from the far side of the table.
“He’s sheltering Santiago. That alone is enough. We go after both.”
Christian nodded once.
“Agreed. Let's hit a direct strike on Valdez’s main compound. Take out leadership, and the rest crumbles.”
Leo shook his head slowly. “That’s what they want.”
Christian turned to him. “What they want?”
“Reaction… chaos.. us running in blindfolded. Santiago knows how we operate. He knows our temper. He’s counting on us doing exactly what you’re suggesting.”
Mr. Scar-Eye frowned. “So we just sit here? Wait for the next fire?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Then what are you saying?” Christian pressed further.
Leo stepped forward, moving toward the maps. His finger traced along the coast. “Valdez’s territory runs along these three ports. Eighty percent of his revenue flows through them. We don’t storm his house. We choke his income.”
“That takes weeks,” one of the lieutenants muttered.
“Then we start today.”
Christian’s jaw tightened. “Weeks we don’t have. Every day Santiago stays free, he builds alliances. Every day Valdez holds him, we look weak.”
“We don’t look weak,” Leo replied evenly. “We look strategic.”
Christian let out a short, humourless laugh. “That’s what you call it? That's funny.”
“And what do you call charging into a fortified compound with half our intel compromised?” Leo shot back. “Brave?”
“Necessary.”
“Reckless.”
The room grew still. Don Emilio raised a hand and silence fell instantly.vHe looked at Leo first.
“Explain your plan fully.”
Leo didn’t hesitate. “We block the ports quietly. Pressure the shipping companies. Freeze accounts through intermediaries. Hit suppliers who rely on Valdez. We don’t make noise. We make him bleed where it hurts.”
“And Santiago?”
“We isolate him. Cutting off communication, we make him a liability instead of an asset.”
Christian crossed his arms. “And if Valdez responds with another fire?”
“Then we’re already positioned,” Leo replied. “And this time, we control the response.”
Don Emilio’s dark gaze shifted to Christian. “You disagree.”
“I think power respects power,” Christian said flatly. “You don’t whisper to men like Valdez. You break something they love.”
“The message is already sent,” the Don replied. His voice carried more fatigue than anger. “Four of our men are dead. Two workers who had nothing to do with any of this. The message is received.”
Christian’s expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes.
After a long moment, Don Emilio leaned back.
“We do it Leo’s way. Block the ports. Freeze the assets. Make Valdez sweat.”
A ripple of reluctant agreement moved through the room. The meeting soon dissolved into logistics.
As Nia watched Leo and Christian work, Micheal leaned closer to her, lowering his voice.
“Brotherly love at its finest.”
“They don’t get along.”
“They haven’t for years.” He shrugged lightly. “Christian thinks Leo plays too safe. Leo thinks Christian plays too fast.”
“Which one’s right?”
“Both of them are,” Micheal said. “That’s the problem.”
Nia glanced at Christian again. “It feels like more than strategy.”
Micheal hesitated. “It is.”
“What happened?”
He sighed quietly.
“Christian married a woman he didn’t love because the Don told him to. It secured territory and strengthened alliances.”
“And Leo?”
“Leo was going to marry the woman he did love.” Micheal’s voice softened. “But unfortunately, she died before the wedding.”
Nia’s stomach tightened. “Was that Andrea?”
“Yeah. Leo told you about this?”
“Yeah. That must’ve—”
“Complicated things in many ways, Christian followed the call of duty and lost himself. Leo chose love and lost her. It's pretty much hard to find common ground after that.”
Before Nia could respond, Christian turned, and his eyes found them. Then he walked over to them.
“Micheal. Meet me outside. Now...”
Micheal straightened slightly. “What?”
“I said meet me outside right now.”
There was no room for argument. Micheal glanced at Nia briefly, then followed Christian out, and the door closed behind them.
Leo appeared beside her moments later. “You okay?”
“I'm fine.” She tilted her head toward the door. “What’s that all about?”
“I don’t know.” His gaze lingered there. “But I’ll find out.”
“You and Christian don’t trust each other.”
Leo didn’t deny it.
“We trust the mission, and that's good enough.”
“For now.”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“Don’t start, please. ”
“I’m not starting anything.” she said softly. “I’m just observing.”
He looked at her for a moment longer, then returned to the table.
Later, Nia found Micheal in the kitchen. He was sitting at the small table, a glass of whiskey in front of him half filled. She pulled out the chair across from him.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I am.”
“You liar.”
He almost smiled.
“You’ve been here what, a few months? And you’re already reading us?”
“It’s not hard. You all carry your tension like badges.”
He stared at the glass.
“Christian wanted to warn me off.”
“Off what?”
“Off you.” He looked up at her now.
“He thinks I’m getting too close. That it’s dangerous.”
“What? Is it really?”
“For me? Maybe.”
He leaned back and sighed.
“For you? Definitely.”
“Because?”
“Christian doesn’t do anything without a reason. If he’s warning me away, it’s because someone told him to.”
“Who did then?”
“I don’t know.” He rubbed his face. “The Don or someone feeding him information.”
“About me?”
“About you and Leo.”
She went still.
“You think they’d use me against him.”
“I think in war, everything becomes currency.”
She reached across the table and touched his hand.
“You can trust me.”
His eyes lifted to hers.
“I know,” he said quietly.
“That’s what scares me.”
“Why?”
“Because trusting someone in this house usually costs you something.”
“And you think I’m a huge cost?”
“No.” He shook his head.
“I think you’re a risk.”
She held his gaze.
“I’m already here.”
“But that doesn’t mean you’re safe.”