I stood alone in my office long after midnight, her voice still echoes in my mind. Power should be protected and defended, she has so much ambition and that is a corrosion inside my walls. She was becoming unpredictable by the day and difficult to control.
Matteo stood near the door, waiting. The drink I poured myself earlier I did not touch it. "Have you confirmed it?" I asked.
"Yes. She has loyal men. Not many. But trained."
Trained, the word tightened my chest. Sk she has prepared for resistance. I turned slowly. "She will not stop."
Silence settled between us. There are moments in leadership where hesitation destroys authority and this was one of them.
"She leaves tonight," I said calmly.
Matteo's eyes flickered, understanding what I meant he asked "publicly?"
I looked at him "No, handle it quietly in a mysterious way ".
I walked toward the window, my eyes now darker, a mixed feeling of pity struck my heart but I give no room for emotions.
"Take her beyond the estate boundaries, ensure she doesn't return alivd"
Matteo nodded slightly "Yes, Don." when he left, I remained still. I did not want to feel any regret or doubt. She had forced my hand and I do not allow anyone grow beyond my reach. I warned her countless times but she would not listened.
At dawn she was escorted under the presence of a security inspection to the estate forest wide and silent. I watched from my camera, I didn't want to be there in person and had instructed them to do it cleverly, so before she would realize it would be too late.
Matteo's men dragged her to the clearing near the old oak tree and forced her to kneel so they could tie her wrist behind her back. Her hair moved gracefully in the wind, she did not struggle.
"Orders?" one of the men asked.
"Direct from the Don," Matteo replied quietly but it seemed she heard it. She lifted her chin slowly
"He couldn't even do it himself?" she asked quietly.
Matteo did not say anything, the men raised their guns slowly facing it towards her. One of them hesitated "she's just a woman, isn't firing squad too much"
"She's a threat, that should be eliminated" Matteo corrected. He was one of my most loyal men.
Eliana's gaze was steady, she didn't plea, she didn't cry. She just stared directly at them, her eyes burning into mine, like she knew I was watching. It made me feel uncertain for a moment but what has to be done would be done, feelings are nothing but weakness and I would not overlook her building to compete with me because I felt for her.
"Last words?" one guard muttered.
She exhaled slowly, "yes." A faint, amused look crossed her face. "You're late."
The guard frowned. "Late for what....."
The first arrow struck before he finished, it pierced his throat cleanly and he collapsed instantly. Another arrow flew faster as chaos erupted, my men scattered shooting at different angles but they couldn't see where the arrows where coming from. I became distracted and zoomed the surveillance to the direction of the arrows.
Matteo drew his weapon, screaming "Positions!" but it was too late. Figures dropped from the trees. Black-clads, moving with terrifying coordination. Knights in shadows, eliminating quickly with blaswa abs and arrows. They were skilled.
Within seconds, three of Matteo's men were down. One tried to fire blindly into the trees, an arrow pierced his chest and he fell backward. Matteo fired twice but ends up missing, a masked figure landed behind him, pointing blade to his throat. "Drop it."
Matteo froze, the blade pressed slightly and he drop his gun on the floor. Another masked figure moved to Eliana, cutting the ropes binding wrist. She stepped forward calmly rubbing her wrist, as if she had merely been touched.
One of the masked men bowed before her, Matteo stared at her, realization dawning on him "This was planned," he breathed.
Eliana turned to him slowly "you think I built nothing, you underestimated me" her voice was calm and deadly.
The masked knight holding Matteo tightened his grip.
"Orders?"
Eliana studied Matteo carefully.
"Let him live."
Matteo's eyes widened slightly.
"Tell him," she continued quietly, "he just started a war."
The blade left Matteo's throat, he stumbled backward.
The masked knights moved quickly, forming a protective circle around her.
Before leaving, Eliana turned once more.
"And Matteo?"
He looked at her. "Next time he sends men," she said evenly, "send better ones."
Then they vanished into the trees.
By the time Matteo returned to the estate, the sun was rising. Blood still stained his collar, he entered my office without knocking.
I already knew everything that had happened.
"You're alive," I observed.
"Yes, she was retrieved by highly trained masked fighters. Don"
"I saw" I spoke shortly, my voice cold and calculating.
"She knew," Matteo continued carefully, "She expected it."
She called herself boss."
That word struck deeper than I allowed to show. Boss, my foot.
I really underestimated her, so she had not merely built influence. She had built loyalty, armed loyalty outside my awareness. How could I had not seen it coming earlier when she was being different from the other mistresses.
had tried to eliminate a threat, instead I had created an enemy.
I straightened slowly, commanding Mateo to double the security in the estate, track forest routes and old tunnels.
"She will not attack recklessly." I told him
"No."
"She will destabilize." understanding dawned in his eyes.
She had not begged for survival because she had expected rescue. That meant she planned properly and I had not seen her fully. I exhaled slowly, a smile touched my lips. Interesting, very interesting. She has know idea who she's playing game with.
Mateo left quietly and I was alone in my office "You wanted your own throne," I murmured quietly. "Now you have declared war and I, Don virelli never loses a war".