Enzo’s safe house was tucked away in a secluded, heavily wooded area, far from prying eyes. The sleek, modern interior was a stark contrast to the chaos they had just left behind. The house exuded safety and secrecy, but Jade could feel the tension in the air as soon as they walked in. Milan and Thiago immediately went into action, speaking in low, urgent voices as they began coordinating damage control.
Jade sat on the plush leather couch, clutching a cup of tea Enzo had handed her. She tried to calm her nerves, but the memory of the flames consuming their home still lingered. She could hear Milan in the next room, his voice sharp and authoritative as he made calls. Thiago paced back and forth in the living area, typing furiously on his phone.
“Are you okay?” Enzo asked, sitting beside her. His tone was softer than usual, but his dark eyes remained watchful.
Jade nodded, though her hands trembled slightly as she set the cup down. “I’m fine… I think. I just can’t believe this is happening.”
Enzo’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It’s not over yet. We’re dealing with a snake, and she’s getting bolder.”
“Vivienne?” Jade asked, her voice low.
Enzo nodded. “It has to be her. She’s playing a dangerous game, and she knows exactly where to hit us.”
Jade exhaled shakily, leaning back against the couch. “She won’t stop, will she?”
“Not unless we stop her first,” Enzo said, his voice hardening.
Thiago, overhearing their conversation, looked up from his phone. “She’s not just targeting us. She’s targeting everything we’ve built. We need to move fast before she takes another swing.”
At that moment, Milan walked back into the room, his expression unreadable but his posture tense. “The team’s assessing the damage now. It’s worse than I thought.”
“What do you mean?” Jade asked, sitting up straighter.
“She didn’t just set fire to the house,” Milan explained. “She made sure we’d lose important documents and assets in the process. It was calculated.”
Thiago cursed under his breath, throwing his phone onto the coffee table. “She’s escalating. We need to hit back before she does more damage.”
Before Milan could respond, Enzo’s phone buzzed loudly in his pocket. He frowned, pulling it out and glancing at the screen. The number was unfamiliar, but something about it made his jaw tighten.
“Who is it?” Milan asked, noticing the shift in Enzo’s expression.
“Unknown,” Enzo muttered, standing as he answered the call. “Enzo speaking.”
The room fell silent as he listened. His face darkened, and his grip on the phone tightened. “What did you just say?” he demanded, his tone sharp.
Jade watched anxiously as Enzo paced the room, his voice growing colder with every word. “If you touch that shipment, you’ll regret it,” he growled. “Do you have any idea who you’re messing with?”
Thiago and Milan exchanged tense glances, immediately on high alert.
Enzo’s expression turned murderous as the caller spoke again. “I don’t care who sent you. If you think threatening my operation will get you what you want, you’re dumber than I thought.”
Jade could hear the faint voice on the other end of the call, though the words were indistinct. Whatever the person was saying, it was enough to make Enzo’s eyes narrow into dangerous slits.
“Touch one crate, and I’ll make sure you never work in this business again,” Enzo said before hanging up and tossing the phone onto the table.
“What’s going on?” Milan asked immediately, his tone sharp.
Enzo ran a hand through his hair, his jaw clenched. “Vivienne’s reaching farther than we thought. That was one of our shipping contacts in Europe. Someone intercepted the shipment and left a message saying it’s under their control unless we meet their demands.”
Thiago’s eyebrows shot up. “Demands? What do they want?”
“Money, leverage—who knows? It’s not just about the shipment,” Enzo said, pacing again. “This is about disrupting our operations. If they get away with this, it’ll set a precedent.”
Milan’s expression darkened. “Who’s behind it?”
“They wouldn’t say, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out,” Enzo replied bitterly. “Vivienne’s pulling strings.”
Jade’s voice broke through the tension. “What’s in the shipment? Is it something important?”
“It’s not just about what’s in it,” Milan said, his tone firm. “It’s about the message this sends to our network. If people think we’re vulnerable, they’ll start making moves against us.”
Enzo nodded, his expression hard. “Exactly. We can’t afford to look weak.”
Thiago leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. “So, what’s the plan? We can’t just let this slide.”
Milan’s icy blue eyes glinted with determination. “We don’t negotiate with threats. We’ll find out who intercepted the shipment, deal with them, and send a message of our own.”
Enzo smirked faintly, though there was no humor in it. “Damn right we will. Nobody messes with my business and walks away unscathed.”