Morning did not bring peace.It brought eyes.Aria felt them the moment she stepped into the open air. The city was waking slowly, but attention had already sharpened, subtle and alert. It moved like a current, invisible but present, sliding over rooftops, through windows, across streets.They were watching.Not just the enemies.Everyone.Cars slowed near the estate gates. Pedestrians paused longer than necessary. Phones lifted and lowered again. Conversations shifted tone when guards passed.Luca noticed it too. His posture changed, shoulders squared, senses extending outward like a shield.“They know,” he said quietly.“They feel it,” Aria corrected.They stood at the front balcony of the estate, overlooking the city Luca had ruled from the shadows for years. It had always bent to his presence. Today, it reacted to hers.Mara approached from behind, tablet in hand, her expression sharp but controlled. “Social feeds are lighting up. Nothing explicit. Just speculation. People asking
Last Updated : 2026-01-23 Read more