BLOODY TIES

R DY

met her was more than she could bear: her sister, Elena, lay lifeless and shattered, a fragile flower crushed under

et imbued with a commanding authority. He was Mr. Valor, the patriarch of the Valor family and

This brutality... it's too much!" Sofia broke down, collapsing into a nearby chair, her hands trembling like leave

like weapons now left him speechless. His beautiful seventeen-year-old daughter had been taken from

, her voice shaky yet fierce, demanding ans

this mess. That's why I sent you far away. As for what happened to Elena, it was a consequence of our contract with the Alejandros. She shouldn't have

bout all those training sessions I've endured? Why me? Why cannot I be part of this? What happened between our families? What have you been

Valor retorted, standing up, the last remnants

's the only way I can take my revenge for Elena!" Sofia's breath came in q

t of his daughter following in Elena's tragic footstep

dare," he pl

s must pay for what th

hat happened to Elena to repeat itself, you must stay a

rful mafia syndicate. Why are we afraid? The great leader of the Valor Dynasty is scar

n. Digging them up will do us no good. Just look at what happened to Elena! I

they kill

eir path," Valo

ow

are not attending the funeral!

ell! I'm tired of living up to your expectations," she fir

ur safety," he insisted, his voic

ldn't comprehend the

oming for the funeral

ow it works?" Her sarcasm cut t

d, you must always attend their weddings or funerals. I will not let t

fe from her pocket, pressing it against her palm until blood began to drip. "I swear on this blood, dripp

masking a smirk of both pride and fear. It was the defiance he hoped to cultivate in her, yet he was terrified it would lead to de

IA'

ad seems utterly unmoved by it. I wish I had left with her a long time ago-twelve years ago when I was sent away to Chicago. My dad, the leader of the Valor

f the mafia alongside Diego, his trustee's son. I hadn't seen home since that day, not until this moment when Elena's death shattered my isolated existence. I still couldn

s voice broke throu

heart clenching at the very thought of

u here," he replied, urgency creeping in

n in my chest tightened, a chill

re, and that too wit

questioned, turning back to

andro," he answered, a frown

the door to my sister's empty room. It

o retired, and now he's the new leader

a sick feeling spiraling within me as my gaze roamed

erything went down," Diego replied, his

mured, glancing back at Diego, who stood a few

something?" Diego inquired,

ercy, yet he's shaken by this." Taking a deep breath, I picked up the only book

new leader?" Diego venture

dusty pages. Memories flooded back-the pictures of

s," Diego said, crossi

, revealing a picture of me and Elena from that fateful day when I was taken away. Beneath it, in her elegant handwr

onging. I was about to close the book when I spotted tiny writings at the back. Bringing the book closer, I squ

d, tilting his hea

y, shaking my head dismissi

insisted, a tinge of w

ked, sudden

a serious look settl

is he dif

Diego murmured, almost reverently,

ropped open in sho

Strikers," he stated flatly, as though re

racing down my spine, the implica

go affirme

with this new knowledge. "I knew the st

d, shaking his head as if encapsulating the

ion igniting a flame within me. I was no longer will

urged, a mix of panicked urgency

niable pull of fate draw me towards this new leader. The curi

do you want to see him?" Dieg

't see me. Even if they do, they don't know who I am," I replied firmly, resolution loc

respect in his eyes. Perhaps he understood that in our world, knowledge was pow

the lead. "But we need to be careful. If the Alejandros find o