Semua Bab Blood and Dynasty: Bab 11 - Bab 20

The evening after Giancarlo’s fall, the villa hummed with quiet celebration—our closest allies gathered for a private toast, quiet murmurs of respect filling the halls. But Leonardo and I? We had already won our war.I stepped onto the balcony, the cool Roman air brushing against my skin as I lifted my glass. Behind me, I sensed his presence before he even spoke.“Enjoying your victory?” Leonardo asked, his voice smooth, casual, but weighted with unspoken things.I exhaled, watching the city spread before us. “I prefer looking ahead.”He chuckled, stepping beside me, his gaze tracing the skyline before shifting toward me instead. “And what do you see when you look ahead, Xena?”I turned slightly, meeting his stare, watching the way he studied me now—not just as an ally, not just as his equal, but as something more. “Something new.”Leonardo set his glass down, his fingers grazing the stone railing near mine, close but not yet touching. “And does that make you uneasy?”I tilted my head

Building an empire wasn’t just about control—it was about permanence. And our estate would be just that. Not a home, not just another seat of power, but a statement.Everything about it had to be deliberate, from the walls that held history to the gates that kept enemies out.Leonardo and I weren’t just designing a residence.We were designing a legacy.Finding the right location wasn’t just about beauty—it was about security.We chose a stretch of land just beyond the outskirts of Rome, a secluded but strategic piece of property surrounded by dense forestry and elevated enough to overlook the city from a distance. It was close enough to remain a force within the capital yet distant enough to prevent infiltration.Standing on the land where our estate would rise, I traced the outline of the marked foundations with my fingertips. “It has presence.”Leonardo stood beside me, surveying the land with a practiced eye. “It has dominance.”I smirked, tilting my head slightly. “So do we.”His

Power could be claimed, but permanence had to be built.And that was exactly what Leonardo and I were doing.This estate wouldn’t just be a home—it would be the foundation of everything we had built, a fortress designed for longevity, influence, and security. A place that could withstand time, threats, and challenges.It wasn’t just about dominance anymore.It was about legacy.Standing on the land that would become our estate, I traced my fingers over the stone markers placed for the foundation. The air was crisp, filled with the scent of earth disturbed by progress, the hum of workers setting our vision into motion.Beside me, Leonardo watched the process unfold, exhaling slowly. He was steady, always measured, but there was something different in the way he looked at this—something deeper than just control.“This is it,” he murmured, voice low, weighted with certainty.I smirked, tilting my head slightly. “No turning back now.”His fingers brushed my lower back—brief, barely there,

The estate was complete. The empire was secure.But permanence required more than walls, more than territory, more than whispered dominance in elite circles.It required continuation.And now?Leonardo and I weren’t just preparing to rule.We were preparing to create something eternal.The study was dim, candlelight casting slow-moving shadows across the shelves lined with leather-bound books. I sat opposite Leonardo, fingers skimming over the edges of the estate blueprint—the corridors we had designed, the walls meant to contain history, the space intended for a future beyond us.Leonardo poured two glasses, sliding one toward me before leaning back, the weight of something unspoken settling between us.“You’ve been thinking about this more, haven’t you?” he murmured, watching me, waiting for confirmation.I exhaled, tracing the rim of my glass. “We built this to last.”Leonardo’s fingers tapped against the wood of the desk, slow, deliberate. “But have you thought about what raising

Elena had made her move, and she had done so with blood.The retaliation wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t calculated the way she thought it was. No—it was desperate, reckless, and meant to force our hand before we could solidify our growing dynasty.But she had made a mistake.Because we weren’t just rulers protecting an empire anymore.We were parents ensuring that no one threatened our child before they even took their first breath.And that meant there would be no mercy.It came without warning.One of our key businesses—a luxury establishment that had ties to our financial web—was turned into a battleground.Eleven dead.Four of them ours.The reports came in quickly—names, final movements, the way bodies had been found. But it wasn’t the faceless casualties that sealed Elena’s fate.It was who she had killed.Matteo Romano, my father’s former advisor, the man who had stood beside me during my rise to power.Luciano DeMarcus, Leonardo’s distant cousin, a minor player in the family—but sti