76

Giovanni’s POV

The next few days were a blur of meetings and strategic planning. The leaders who had been loyal to my father were called to a council meeting, where I would have to assert my dominance and secure their loyalty. As I walked into the room, I felt the weight of their stares. They were sizing me up, questioning my right to lead after killing my own father.

The council room was filled with smoke and tension, a suffocating mix of power and danger. These men were the bosses of the underground, each one more dangerous than the last. I could see the skepticism and thinly veiled hostility in their eyes.

“Gentlemen,” I began, my voice smooth and confident. “We’re here to discuss the future of this organization. My father’s reign is over. I’m in charge now.”

Murmurs of dissent rippled through the room. One of the older leaders, Vincenzo, stood up, his face etched with skepticism. “You killed your own father, Giovanni. How can we trust you not to turn on us?”

Before I could respond