Chapter 16: The unwanted meeting
The chaos ended.
But for Leo, the real nightmare began.
His phone rang once. He didn't answer immediately.
He already knew who it was.
A single message appeared on the screen:
Meeting room. Now.
Leo's hands went cold.
He didn't take guards.
Didn't take a driver.
Didn't tell anyone.
This wasn't a place where protection mattered.
The meeting room was silent.
Too silent.
Four people sat inside—no raised voices, no visible weapons.
Yet the air felt heavier than gunfire.
In the mafia world, they were not called leaders.
They were called—
The Four Rulers.
Cleo—sharp-eyed, composed, Leo's elder sister.
Michel—Leo's father, whose silence had ended bloodlines.
George Williams—Realiana's father, calm like a judge before execution.
And Enzo—George's brother, smiling faintly, eyes empty.
Leo knocked.
"Enter," a cold voice said.
The moment Leo stepped inside, Cleo spoke.
"Sit."
No emotion.
No warmth.
Leo obeyed.
George broke the silence first.
"The two women," he said. "Their names."
"Valley Lilly," Leo answered.
"…and Silent Duchess."
Cleo's fingers tightened slightly.
"I fought Silent Duchess years ago," she said. "She doesn't waste movements. Or mercy."
Michel finally spoke.
"They interfered in our operation," he said calmly. "And walked away alive."
"Yes," Leo replied quietly.
"I never expected," Cleo continued, "two girls to summon the Four Rulers."
She turned sharply toward Leo.
"Were they at Sahara?"
"Yes. Before us."
Leo swallowed. "They eliminated most of the men and took the files."
Cleo's gaze cut through him.
"I didn't ask how you failed," she said.
"I asked whether you failed."
"…We lost."
The word hung in the air like a verdict.
Leo inhaled and spoke again, desperate.
"I placed a GPS tracker in Valley Lilly's pocket. Advanced tech—location, audio monitoring—"
Cleo looked at him.
Michel didn't raise his voice.
"You interrupted this meeting," he said, "for a child's trick?"
Leo lowered his head.
"Show it," George said quietly.
Leo activated his laptop.
The screen flickered.
No map.
No signal.
Then—
A voice filled the room.
"Hmm… hello, hello. This is Reporter Dot. Dot."
Cleo's eyes narrowed.
"And today's breaking news," the voice continued mockingly,
"the Four Rulers' brilliant little prince thought placing a tracker on Valley Lilly would impress his elders."
Laughter echoed—controlled, mocking.
Valley Lilly.
Silent Duchess.
A hacker.
The Reporter.
"All listening," Silent Duchess said calmly.
"All laughing."
Then her tone changed—low, dangerous.
"Hello, Cleo."
A pause.
"I didn't expect your brother to be this… disappointing."
Cleo smiled faintly.
"Remember," Silent Duchess continued,
"real power doesn't announce itself."
The Reporter spoke again.
"Today's broadcast ends here."
Silence.
Then—
"Boom."
The laptop exploded.
Leo flinched.
Smoke filled the room.
When it cleared, Michel finally spoke. "They weren't spying on us," he said.
"They were teaching us."
George stood.
"And Leo," he added calmly,
"you are not ready for this world."
Cleo didn't look at her brother.
"Not yet," she said coldly.
Leo sat frozen.
For the first time, he understood—
The Four Rulers weren't angry.
They were disappointed.
And that was far more dangerous.