Vicious Cycle 2

13

Four days passed since Ben was sentenced, and Miranda already missed him like crazy.

"Here you go, ma'am.

"Thanks, Kyle, and if you speak to my husband before I do, please don't mention this."

"You got my word," he promised before walking away.

Miranda closed her bedroom door, and she walked to the bathroom. She did what she had to do and waited the time alloted.

She held the test in her hands, waiting for the timer to go off.

When the test displayed a positive sign, tears welled up in her eyes.

Miranda stared down at the pregnancy test, and she smiled lightly. It's been a hell of a year so far. Now, her husband was in prison, and she was carrying their child. At least he would be home right at her four month mark or five. She didn't really know how far along she was. She could have gotten pregnant that night in the shower after getting home from the police station or a week or two ago.

Her cycle had been light and spotty, but she figured that was from the amount of stress she was under.

She was hoping for a boy to complete their family.

"So?" Kyle smiled when she came down to Ben's office the very next day.

"I am pregnant," she informed.

"Congratulations, Boss," he smiled, pulling her into a hug.

"Thanks, Kyle. I'm going to tell Ben today in person when I go visit him."

"He's going to be ecstatic,"

"That and upset he's in prison." Miranda pouted.

"I know you blame yourself, but your husband would do any and everything for you. It was always going to come down to that, and you couldn't have stopped him if you wanted to."

"Thanks," Miranda whispered.

"Okay, can you round everyone up so we can meet at the compound."

"Will do, I'll drive you over. They should be waiting on us when we get there."

"Okay, great,"

Miranda straightened her suit after taking Kyle's hand to get out of the car. Her heels clicked against the pavement, and she held her black Chanel bag in her hand.

Inside the compound, Miranda found all of Ben's men sitting at the table. She noticed that everyone sat up straight when she walked in, and it made her want to smile at the respect shown. She liked this. She always liked being in charge.

She took a seat at the head of the table and looked around at everyone, who looked curious and waiting on her to speak. Miranda took a deep breath.

"Hello, gentlemen," she spoke with authority and listened to all the greetings flowing her way.

"Thank you all for being here," Miranda began, her voice steady. "I understand the circumstances have changed, and as Benjamin's wife, I am committed to ensuring the continuity of our operations while Ben is away. Our priority remains, maintaining the safety of our people and the integrity of these businesses."

As she delved into discussions about ongoing shipments, procedures, and financial matters, she demonstrated a deep understanding of the intricacies of the operations, surprising some of the older men with her knowledge and strategic thinking.

The meeting continued for an hour as they discussed plans for the upcoming months, allocation of resources, and strategies to minimize risks.

"Gentlemen, I want to make something very clear. While Ben is serving this sentence, it's crucial that we maintain the stability and reputation of this Mafia. I understand that some might see this as an opportunity to test our resolve, to think that we're weakened by his absence."