Andrew called a meeting with the top leaders of the Chappatti Cartel. There were seventeen of them in total, Klaus included, and they all gathered in the large conference room inside the Chappatti mansion. The table was long and made of dark wood, and the men sat around it, some looking curious, others looking bored. Andrew stood at the head of the table, his hands resting on the back of a chair. "I called you here because I have a plan," he said. "Lesner is dead. His cartel is scattered, leaderless, and weak. I want to take over his operations, bring his men under our control, and expand our empire." A murmur went through the room. Some of the men shifted in their seats. Andrew continued. "I've already spoken to my wife, Emilia, about this. She agreed to lead that branch of the operation. She knows the business, she knows the city, and I trust her." One of the leaders, an older man with gray hair and a thick beard, raised his hand. "Boss, with respect, why do we need to expa

Andrew and Emilia arrived home late that night. The mansion was quiet, the only sound was their footsteps on the marble floor. Neither of them spoke during the drive back, and the silence followed them inside.Emilia walked into the bedroom and started taking off her clothes. The blood on her dress had dried, turning a dark brown. She tossed it into a hamper and headed toward the bathroom.Andrew sat on the edge of the bed, watching her. He didn't move."Emilia," he called.She stopped and turned around. "What?""Come here for a second. I want to talk about what happened today."Emilia crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe. "What about it?"Andrew paused, choosing his words carefully. "I was surprised, that's all. I didn't expect you to... you know, stab that man in the neck. The way you did it, so fast. It shocked me."Emilia's eyes narrowed. "Surprised? What were you surprised about?""I didn't expect that from you," Andrew said. "I've never seen you do anything like tha

The Chappatti library wasn't something Andrew had ever heard about, not until Klaus mentioned it in passing one evening. Klaus had said it was hidden in the north of Boston, not too far from the mansion, but far enough that no one would stumble upon it by accident. Andrew had been curious ever since.He drove out early the next morning, alone, no guards, no convoy. Just him and the road.The village appeared slowly, rising out of the green hills like a place forgotten by time. There were no tall buildings, no busy streets, no signs of the modern city. Just fields of crops stretching in every direction, and people working the land—men, women, even children, all of them moving between rows of vegetables and grain. The air smelled of soil and fresh leaves.Andrew drove slowly, not wanting to disturb the peace. Villagers looked up as his car passed, some waving, others just watching with curious eyes. He waved back, smiled, and kept going.At the center of the village, standing alone amon