Silent Scars

CHAPTER 51

Leonardo sat in his office, rubbing his temple as the weight of the day pressed down on him. The attacks on their warehouses were becoming relentless, a calculated effort to dismantle their control. He had barely caught a moment to breathe when the door burst open, Marcus striding in with urgency.

"They hit another one."

Marcus said without preamble, tossing a file onto the desk.

"That's three this week. We're losing ground."

Leonardo exhaled sharply, his patience thinning. He slammed his palms against the desk, making the papers jump.

"We already increased security. What the hell is happening?"

"They're targeting the smaller ones. "

Marcus replied, his voice tight with frustration.

"Picking them off one by one. If this keeps up, we'll lose our majority control. Our wings in Russia are almost wiped out. I think we have to go there ourselves."

Leonardo clenched his jaw.

"How can we leave when everything here is falling apart?"

He leaned back, staring at the ceiling as tension coiled around his chest. Marcus sighed, knowing he had no easy answer.

Leonardo picked up his phone and made several calls, his voice sharp, issuing orders to reinforce security, increase surveillance, and track down whoever was behind the attacks.

His frustration deepened when he called his contact in L A regarding Ariana's stepfather.

"The details have been completely wiped out."

The voice on the other end reported.

Leonardo's grip on the phone tightened before he threw it onto the desk with a loud slam. His stomach twisted with unease.

He leaned back, staring at the ceiling as tension coiled around his chest. His mind raced, calculating their next move.

The Hastings had always held power, but now, it felt like someone was strategically dismantling everything they had built. It was too precise, too personal. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was more than just business, it was a message.

I think he's really back.

The weight of everything pressed down on him, suffocating. He hadn't even realized how much time had passed until he glanced at the clock.

Late again.

He sighed and stood up.

The car ride home was tense. Marcus sat beside him, feeling the unspoken tension crackling in the air. He could see it in the way Leonardo's fingers tapped restlessly against his knee, in the way his jaw remained clenched. Neither of them spoke, and the silence only made the tension heavier.

When they arrived home, Marcus felt a chill. It was silent, too silent, as if the house were abandoned.

They stepped inside, and the atmosphere was thick with something unsettling.

Luca was sitting on the sofa, waiting for them. His usually warm eyes were cold, unreadable. Kendric was there too, his head lowered, his usual energy gone.

Leonardo walked straight to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. Marcus, however, felt something was wrong.

Before he could voice his concern, Luca stood up. His voice, when he spoke, was glacial.

"Is there something you're hiding from us about Aria?"

Leonardo froze mid-sip. Slowly, he set the glass down and met Luca's eyes. They were sharp, piercing. The kind of cold that meant something was about to explode.