The mansion seemed colder than usual that night. The news of the Council's movement had sparked a flame that couldn’t easily be extinguished. The sealed envelope that Maddox had received only confirmed what I had feared: the war for power wasn’t just near—it had already begun. As the hours passed, I felt the pressure mounting, and the weight of the decision I had to make grew heavier. It wasn’t just about my future anymore, but everyone around me. The Dangello brothers, though powerful and calculating, were about to face a threat that could dismantle everything they had built. And I... I was the centerpiece.Days had passed since Maddox had given me the ultimatum: make a decision and join them, or face the full brunt of the Council’s betrayal. As the hours went on, my mind began to find more clarity, though I didn’t like what I was seeing. I was trapped in a game much bigger than me, and the worst part was that I didn’t know if I even wanted to keep playing. What had I lost by being pa
The silence in the mansion was overwhelming. After the revelation of the Council's message, an air of urgency had taken over everything. Maddox, Dax, and Max were more tense than ever, as if the weight of the situation was finally falling upon them. It had been so long living under their shadow, trying to understand their world, that now, facing the reality of what was happening, I felt completely lost. The future was in my hands, but I had no idea how to control it.The message Maddox had received from the Council left no room for doubt: we were about to enter an open war, and my role in all of this was non-negotiable. I had hoped that things would calm down, that I could somehow find a way to escape all of this, but now I understood that there was no turning back. I had made decisions that had led me to this point, and the only way out was to face the challenge with all my strength. But what was I going to do? Would I follow the Dangello brothers' steps, or would I look for a differe
Shadows were quickly falling over the city. From the car window, I watched as the city lights began to flicker, as if the buildings were witnesses to what was about to happen. The air outside the mansion wasn’t much better, but in the city, anonymity had its own weight. Here, away from the walls that had trapped me for so long, I felt more lost than ever. The lights blurred, and with every passing mile, the destination became more uncertain.I had spent so long immersed in this dark world full of secrets that I no longer knew what was truth and what was a lie. Every time I thought I understood something, another layer of mystery would be revealed, deeper and more tangled than the last. The Council, the traitors within the Dangello family, it all blended into an impossible puzzle. And now, my fate seemed tied to theirs, with no way to escape. The decisions I made from here on out would make the difference between survival or being trapped forever.The car stopped on a dark, deserted str
The city lights faded as the car moved down the lonely road, taking us further away from what I knew. The darkness overtook the landscape, and the sound of the tires on the asphalt became the only companion to my thoughts. The air, cooler than the one back at the mansion, seemed to offer a slight sense of freedom, but at the same time, the unease settled in as I thought about what awaited us. We were nearing a secluded place, one that hadn’t even been mentioned in previous conversations. The streets were emptier now, and the urban landscape was giving way to a more desolate area, filled with abandoned buildings and crumbling factories.“This is the place,” Dax said, breaking the silence with his usual certainty. The car stopped in front of an old warehouse, its gray walls covered in graffiti and debris. A perfect place for what was about to happen.Maddox and Dax got out first, scanning the surroundings with caution. I followed behind, my heart pounding. I didn’t know what to expect fr
The warehouse where we were had become even darker now that Lev was there. Her presence was a reminder of what I had already lost, of what I could lose if things kept going the way they were. I couldn’t allow the same fate that had trapped me to drag her in. Lev didn’t belong to this world, and if I didn’t take control of what was coming, the consequences wouldn’t only affect me.I looked at Lev but didn’t say anything. I was more worried about how the Dangello brothers were reacting at this moment. Maddox, Dax, and Max didn’t seem surprised by Lev’s appearance. They, as always, kept their unbreakable façade, but I could feel the tension in their bodies. Something was changing, and they all knew it.“Lev,” I began, looking at my friend with a mix of frustration and fear, “this is bigger than you think. You’re in the middle of a dangerous game.”Lev didn’t answer immediately. Her gaze shifted toward the Dangello brothers, as if she was assessing the situation. Then, she looked back at m
The air in the room was thick, filled with the palpable tension of the passing seconds. The silence was unbearable. Every step I took, every word I spoke, seemed to bring me closer to an uncertain future, to a truth I feared but could no longer ignore. The Council, the Dangello brothers, and I, all caught in the same dangerous game, each playing our part without knowing if the rules were the same for everyone.After my decision, something had changed in the atmosphere. The pressure had multiplied, the uncertainty grew. I looked at Lev, and although her eyes conveyed the same concern I felt, I couldn’t help but wonder if it had been right to involve her. Would I be able to protect her if everything came crashing down? I didn’t know, but I couldn’t turn back now.The man from the Council, who had been a constant shadow in our lives from the beginning, spoke again. His presence was still dominant, and though there was a calm in his movements, there was no doubt that his words were the one
The sound of the city felt distant as the car moved through less-traveled streets. Maddox drove silently, his gaze fixed on the road as if nothing else existed. Dax, sitting beside him, scrolled through his phone with an expression that shifted between concentration and annoyance. I sat in the back seat, staring out the window as the urban landscape transformed into more industrial and desolate areas.Two hours had passed since we left the warehouse, and though no one had spoken since, the weight of what had happened lingered over us. The mysterious man who offered his alliance was just another piece on the board, one I couldn’t trust. Still, his proposal was as risky as it was tempting, and I knew the brothers and I were all thinking the same thing: Would accepting it give us an advantage, or lead us into an irreversible trap?The car stopped in front of an old building, its worn brick façade and broken windows giving it a neglected look. It was a different place from the ones we’d vi
The echo of my footsteps resonated in the large, cold room. Before me, the wooden walls seemed to absorb every word and secret shared in this place. Despite the dim lighting and the tense air, I stood tall, letting my slow breathing stabilize the tremor in my hands. Maddox always said that real players of power don’t sweat, don’t tremble, and never doubt in front of their enemies. Today, I was a player.I had agreed to infiltrate this Council meeting not only to support the Dangello family but also to protect myself. This power circle was a slippery terrain full of changing loyalties and betrayals. Every gaze I received felt like a dagger to the neck, and every word I spoke could seal my fate.Maddox was at the far end of the room, leaning against a column with his arms crossed, but his eyes never left me for a second. His presence, though distant, offered me a fragile sense of security. I knew that if things got out of hand, not only would he intervene, but he would do so with the fer
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus
I tensed my jaw worriedly, as I tried to think of what to say, however, his burning eyes wouldn't let me think clearly. They seemed to be absorbing me, like a hurricane storm taking everything in its path."Max.""Do you really feel like murdering the people you love?" he interrupted me to ask and my breathing stopped for a second."I don't mean to, but...""But? Do you think this is a game?" he looked at me with intensity in his eyes, as if trying to understand what was happening to me. In any case it was very simple, I couldn't just tell him that he didn't love me anymore, it was suspicious and that was also going to hurt my family for my behavior, "Come here," he ordered pointing to his leg and with no intention of contradicting him, I approached him and sat on the leg he had free, while I looked sideways at the gun."How about we make a deal?" I asked softly and he looked at me curiously in silence."Do you think Dax and Maddox would be willing to make a deal with you, you've caus