Page 58 of Influence

I ran my hand through my hair, feeling its rough strands as I read her message again:

I love you. I love you. I love you…

If there was already love between us, I would be at a disadvantage. That thought terrified me.

Was I ready to give up even a little of my hard-earned control? I had clawed my way through hardship and sacrifice, and everything I had built was now at risk. Moreover, opening myself up to love felt like inviting heartbreak.

If Laya ever left, the pain would be unbearable. I was just starting to heal from the devastating losses of my mother and sister. How could I face another blow of such magnitude?

I reclined on a worn chair on the sunlit terrace, the cool evening breeze brushing against me. Disappointment churned within me as I heard deliberate footsteps approaching.

I turned to see Pavlos Tripi coming over. He was my second-in-command, someone I trusted with my life, and I viewed him more as a brother than those related by blood.

“Pavlos,” I called out, noticing the agitation on his face. “Is there an issue?”

“You could say that,” he replied, urgency clear in his voice.

Pavlos was a large, imposing man, sharp and strong. With a mix of educated insight and street smarts, he had stood by my side for years, his loyalty unwavering.

“Sit down and tell me about it.” I gestured to the empty space on the worn lounge chair beside me.

Taking the chair across from me, he leaned forward. “I’ve received some troubling news from Leon Boscos’s people.”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

As the head of an allied syndicate family, Boscos kept his eyes and ears open for threats. If he reached out, things were about to take a turn for the worse.

“There’s a plan in motion against the Vitalis family,” Pavlos said.

“A plan?” I echoed, letting it hang in the air like a dark warning. “You mean a hit.”

Pavlos nodded, a crease forming between his brows.

My stomach twisted as a cold dread wrapped around me. I had expected treachery, but not so soon—and not so close to our wedding.

“All three sisters, even Avra’s husband, Elias, are marked for assassination. The justification is revenge for the recent murders,” Pavlos continued.

“Why am I not surprised?” I murmured, sinking farther into the chair with a deep, despairing sigh.

Avra and Elias had exacted their revenge on the three men who caused her father’s death. They acted swiftly after the sisters returned, making it clear who was responsible. I believed that retaliation was inevitable, a brutal cycle that affected everyone.

But now, this mess was mine to manage. By marrying into the Vitalis family, I had intertwined my fate with theirs, just as Laya’s had become entangled with the Galanis family. Their battles were now part of my life, and in turn, my struggles were their struggles too.

The news didn’t come as a complete surprise, but it added to an already long and deadly list of rivals. Our enemies were ruthless, and the families of those targeted, connected to the brutal acts committed by Avra and Elias, were equally unforgiving. They would stop at nothing to seek revenge.

In that instant, as the sun’s last rays vanished beyond the horizon and shadows began to gather, I felt the profound weight of our intertwined destinies, a journey shaped by love, power, and the steep cost of vulnerability.

“Do you know any more details?” I asked, maintaining my composure despite the underlying tension.

“Nothing solid yet, but I’ve heard rumors that the other family heads are calling for a meeting. It seems our plan has leaked beyond our circle and into other syndicates. None of them appears pleased about the Vitalis sisters returning.”

“Of course, they aren’t,” I murmured, my thoughts racing. “Claiming territory that never rightfully belonged to them and then having the true owners return complicates matters for these families. The presence of the Vitalis sisters undermines the legitimacy of fifteen years of control.”

“Exactly,” Pavlos agreed, nodding gravely. “The disruption is spreading. Plenty of men are out there simmering with anger, ready to act at any moment.”

“Looks like it’s time for me to take charge. I will contact Elias and set things in motion to protect our women.”

“Is there anything you need me to do?” Pavlos asked, his eyes scanning the darkening terrace as if expecting the shadows to speak.

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