Page 67 of Influence

I reached for my phone.

First on my mental list was Avra, then Vik.

I had a solid strategy for our next steps, but needed to discuss it with the team first. We were united, and betrayal wasn’t an option.

I suspected that Vik, who managed operations on the front lines and oversaw one of our main territories, might already be aware of the assassination plot against us. His role kept him closely connected with current intelligence. Reflecting on our progress, I was amazed at how far we had come.

With Avra and Elias overthrowing his father, we had seamlessly united three territories, and my marriage to Niko had added three more to our empire.

Cali’s upcoming marriage would further bolster our power. With six regions under the Vitalis name, each was prepared to defend our interests without hesitation.

Even if our rivals protested, it was merely their fear of losing the power they desperately clung to.

We weren’t about to back down. We would reclaim what was rightfully ours, and our determination wouldn’t waver until we achieved victory.

I pressed the phone to my ear and dialed Avra’s number, my heart dancing between excitement and fear. Her voice was clear and confident, with a musical quality that made each word seem perfectly timed.

“Laya, hello,” she answered in her usual cheerful way, but I sensed an edge to her greeting that worried me.

And unfortunately, I would be adding to whatever was bothering her.

“I need to tell you something.”

“Same to you. But I planned to wait until later this evening for our chat.”

“Well then, let me begin.”

Over the next five minutes, I recounted the overheard conversation in detail.

The details spilled out, barely keeping pace with the torrent of emotions inside me. Avra sighed, a slow breath that seemed to carry the weight of shared secrets.

“Yes, I heard about it this morning from Elias,” she replied.

In that moment, my heart skipped a beat, a mixture of shock and betrayal.

Elias had told Avra, and to my disbelief, my husband had chosen to withhold this crucial information from me.

Anger and jealousy surged through me, leaving me entangled in a blur of emotions I couldn’t untangle.

“This is what I planned to discuss in our call,” Avra continued.

“I’m shocked Elias went to you,” I managed to say with the churning emotions raging inside me.

“Why?” she asked, genuine curiosity woven in her question. “We promised not to keep secrets from each other.”

Her reminder struck me like a blow, and another sharp pang of envy stung me. Here was a relationship based on total honesty.

While Niko and I felt adrift, our connection had dwindled to fleeting physical sparks and unspoken arrangements. He managed his company with an iron fist, leaving little room for me to share the intricacies of his world.

Perhaps he kept me in the dark, believing I couldn’t handle his secrets. That thought was infuriating, a raw mix of betrayal and confusion.

Still, amid all the turmoil, I found comfort in Avra’s steadiness, recalling how she had once entered a marriage for revenge, only to discover that a true, unwavering love was meant just for her.

“I believe we should go to that meeting ourselves, Avra,” I stated, a sense of determination filling my entire body.

I knew it was the right decision to the core of my soul.

“I think that’s a wise choice,” she responded with conviction. “What about Cali?”

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