Leo Gambino A Thousand Foes

020 The Ambush

Valery's accusations hit Felicity like a bitchslap. Her face twisted like a serpent when she was called out on her evil actions.

The young woman gritted her teeth and spat, "How dare you claim I used that loser? Leonard is worthless! Taking his bone marrow was doing him a favor!

"If it had stayed inside his pathetic body, it would have been as useless as the rest of him. But inside me, it became worth millions!"  

She jabbed a finger at Leonard, her eyes blazing. "By that logic, he actually owes me! He should be thanking me every single day for accepting his worthless bone marrow!"  

Valery stared at the wild woman in stunned disbelief. The twisted logic in her words left her speechless for a heartbeat. It was time to put an end to the drama.

"Guards," she ordered coldly, her voice like steel. "Get this lunatic out of here immediately. Just listening to her is rotting my brain cells."  

"Yes, boss!" The guards surged forward, seizing Felicity by both arms and dragging her away towards the exit.  

"You pig!" Felicity screamed at Leonard, thrashing wildly, her eyes burning with pure hatred. "I don't know what spell you cast on Miss Frost, but this isn't over!"

"For humiliating me like this, I'll make you pay! I'll kill you!"  

One of the guards, fearing Valery's wrath, clamped a rough hand over her mouth to silence the screams.  

By the door, Victor watched the entire scene with a face carved from ice. His gaze locked onto Leonard with murderous hatred.

"This isn't over, punk," he swore under his breath. "You'll pay for every second of this. But I will deal with you later."  

He turned on his heel, following the guards as they hauled Felicity away. Once outside the hall, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number saved simply as STARK.  

The call connected after two rings.  

"Have you changed your mind about collaborating with us, Victor?" a gruff, dangerous voice asked.  

"Yes. I'm in." Victor's tone was flat and venomous. "I've lost the battle today. The Harrington company is next in line for the Eclipse Consortium partnership. If I can secretly own it, the profits will still flow straight to the Langfords."

"I'm sending you Sophia's usual route home. She has a few bodyguards—handle them quietly. Do whatever you want with her, but none of it should trace back to me."  

"Got it," the man replied with a dry, chilling chuckle before disconnecting.  

***

Standing at the podium, Leonard let out a quiet, heavy sigh. He had once believed Felicity was kind and loving. How blind he had been. The woman beneath the mask was far uglier than he could have imagined.  

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the conference hall.  

Valery sensed the storm raging inside Leonard and chose not to intrude. She ended the gala, issued a few crisp instructions to Simon, and hurried after her master.  

By the time she reached the waiting car, Leonard had already slid into the passenger seat and closed his eyes. She got in silently, started the engine, and pulled away.  

The ride back to the villa was suffocating. Silence filled the luxury vehicle. Leonard kept his eyes shut, his face a perfect mask of calm, while city lights streaked past the windows like blurred memories.  

He didn't speak until they reached the foot of the hill on which the Gambino villa was perched.  

"Drop me here," he said quietly. "I want to walk home today."

"Yes, sir." Valery eased the car to a smooth stop. After a brief hesitation, she asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you tonight, sir?"  

"No," Leonard said, stepping out into the cool night air.  

"Goodnight, sir. See you tomorrow," Valery said softly.

She wished Leonard would speak to her more. The beauty would do anything for her master if only he wished for it.

However, the Gambino heir gave her a single nod of dismissal, not in the mood for conversation.  

Valery didn't push. She pressed the accelerator and the car glided away into the darkness.  

Leonard watched the taillights vanish around the curve before walking up the hill path. After five minutes of walking, he suddenly heard distant voices drifting on the night breeze.

They were coming from an off-beat path from the main road. Two vehicles were parked there, and a few people were gathered.

He almost ignored them and walked on. However, after last night's cultivation, Leonard's senses had enhanced drastically. Not only could he see clearly in the darkness, but he could also hear distant sounds and voices.

The words coming from the off-beat path froze him in place.  

"Listen, woman. Your life is worth more than your crumbling family business. It's finished anyway. There's a saying—where there's life, there's hope. Your family can always start over. You don't have to die tonight."

Another voice threatened her. "Just sign over the power of attorney—we have the documents ready. Then we'll leave you in peace."  

"Never!" a female voice rang out sharp and defiant. Leonard instantly recognized it as Sophia Harrington's.

"My grandfather poured his heart, soul, and entire life into building the Harrington Group. I will never betray his trust, his sacrifice, or his memory!"  

A low, mocking chuckle followed. "You bitch! We tried to be polite. But if you refuse to cooperate, we'll just have to do this the hard way."  

Leonard turned towards the scene and narrowed his enhanced eyes. By the shadowed roadside near the hill, five men in black tactical gear had surrounded Sophia Harrington.

A few men lay motionless around them, most likely Sophia's guards, who put up a pointless fight against trained thugs. They had ambushed her near the foothills after she left the gala.

Leonard saw a bold capital "S" emblem marked on their shirts. Their presence reeked of death. One look at them would reveal they were men who had ended countless lives without remorse.  

The thug leader, named Bruno, sneered, his eyes crawling over Sophia's young, attractive body.

"Brothers, torturing her seems too easy now. Look at her. She is one of the most beautiful women in Nexus City and the heiress to the Harrington empire. It'd be a crime to kill her without enjoying that body first. Not every day do we get a prize like this."  

The others licked their lips, their gazes raking over her elegant black dress that clung to every curve, the long, smooth legs left bare by the high slit, and the daring V-neckline that revealed just enough cleavage to ignite their hunger.  

"Why didn't we think of this sooner?" one muttered, breathing heavier and almost salivating.  

"I'll go first," Bruno declared, his eyes dark with lust. "I'm running this mission after all."

Sophia stumbled backward, terror appearing across her face. "No! You can't do this! If you lay a hand on me, my family will hunt every last one of you down!"  

The leader laughed darkly. "And how is your family going to know?"

"Look around, sweetie. We are in the middle of nowhere. There are no cameras out here. Besides, after enjoying your body, we won't leave you alive to testify."  

Sophia shuddered, goosebumps racing across her skin. If they raped and killed her tonight, no one would ever know.

Was this truly how it would end for her? Violated by these monsters, discarded like garbage, with no justice or revenge?  

Sophia was a virgin and had never been touched before. Would these filthy animals be her first? The thought made bile rise in her throat.  

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes. No. She refused to let this happen. Her heart hammering, she spun and bolted into the darkness.  

The thugs were ready. They caught her in seconds, slamming her to the cold ground with force.  

"Hold her down!" Bruno barked.  

"No! Please don't do this!" Sophia sobbed, thrashing wildly as four men pinned her. Two held her down by the legs, while two others grabbed her arms.  

Bruno ignored her pleas. He unfastened his belt and ripped open the front of her gown with a savage yank. "So beautiful," he murmured, looking at her flawless skin, his voice thick with twisted hunger.  

Sophia's eyes widened in horror as he positioned himself between her thighs, hard and ready. "No!" she screamed, struggling with every ounce of strength.  

Hot tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please… Don't do this! Someone! Anyone! Help!"  

"Let's see what makes an heiress so special," Bruno sneered, about to grab her between the legs. 

A cold, detached voice sliced through the night like a blade.  

"Let her go."