Chapter 18 - The Seven CirclesI stepped out onto the balcony of my study, the spring breeze catching my collar as I watched Jack and Rosie laughing down on the lawn. They looked so innocent, so entirely unaware of the dark currents swirling around our family name.
"Explain the Circles to me, Vance," I ordered, pacing the length of the hardwood floor inside.
"They aren't like street syndicates or traditional mafia families," Vance explained rapidly over the encrypted line. "They’re an elite international shadow cabal. They deal in high-value assets, political extortion, and... genetic lineage. Years ago, before you built your empire in Chicago, your father crossed paths with them in Europe. He took something from them—something priceless."
The pieces began snapping together in my mind with terrifying speed. Isabella’s mysterious death. Camille’s carefully orchestrated infiltration. Arthur Velez’s betrayal. None of it was random. None of it was just about money or local turf.
It was a vendetta spanning decades.
"They didn't just want my empire," I whispered, the realization hitting me like a physical blow. "They wanted my bloodline wiped out because of what my father did."
"And they aren't done yet, boss," Vance warned. "The metadata on the Zurich transfer shows a localized ping. They aren't in Europe anymore. They're here. In Chicago."
I walked over to the false panel behind my desk, punched the biometric code into the digital lock, and pulled out my father’s old engraved Browning Hi-Power alongside an extra magazine of hollow-point rounds. I checked the slide with a sharp, practiced click.
"Bring Naomi to the panic room," I instructed calmly. "Lock down the estate. Nobody enters, nobody leaves."
May you like
"Boss, what are you going to do?"
"I'm going to go for a walk," I said, my eyes hardening into obsidian glass. "Let's see who's been watching my house."
Related Stories
