Just then, Rudolf, Leo's uncle, who had been silently observing the exchange from across the room, let out a quiet chuckle. “You know, Alicia has a point, Leo,” he said, a glint of amusement in his eyes. “You’re either hiding her from the world, or hiding the world from her. Which one is it?”
Leo turned to face his uncle, his smile tightening slightly. “Maybe it’s a bit of both. Some things are best left unsaid, Uncle Rudolf. Not everything needs to be on display for everyone to see.”
Rudolf smirked, clearly entertained by the response. “Ah, I see. Well, you always did enjoy keeping people guessing, Leo. But just know, the more you try to keep someone hidden, the more they stand out. Don’t be surprised if the rumors start swirling.”
Alicia’s eyes sparkled with intrigue. “Well, if you insist on keeping her in the shadows, I hope Mia’s okay with it. She doesn’t strike me as the type who’d enjoy being kept out of the limelight, considering her family’s reputation.”
Leo shook his head slightly, choosing his words carefully. “Mia and I have an understanding. She’s more than capable of choosing her own path, with or without the spotlight.”
Alicia leaned back, a hint of skepticism still lingering in her eyes. “Understanding or not, the world won’t wait for her to decide. If she’s truly important to you, Leo, she’s going to become a part of this world whether you like it or not. You’d better be ready for that.”
Leo met her gaze steadily. “I am, Mom. And when the time comes, Mia will handle herself just fine. She’s stronger than people give her credit for.”
Alicia sighed, her gaze softening just a little. “I hope so, Leo. For your sake.”
*
Late that night, Leo sat in his study, a shadowed room lined with shelves of leather-bound books and thick, drawn drapes. He was lost in thought, absently tracing the pattern on his whiskey glass when the heavy oak door creaked open.
Rudolf stepped in, his entrance silent but weighted. He closed the door carefully behind him, eyes gleaming with a familiar, calculating gleam.
“Quite the empire you’ve built,” Rudolf said, his voice low as his gaze swept across the room. His eyes landed on the large map on the wall, a map marked with locations known only to them. “Not just the public side, but… the Black Salvator. The shadow business.”
Leo’s expression hardened, a dark flicker in his eyes. He set down his glass. “Uncle, I thought we agreed not to discuss this. Especially when Mother is here.”
Rudolf smirked, unfazed. “Come now, Leo. Only you, your late father, and I know the full extent of what you’ve taken over. Besides,” he leaned in slightly, voice lowering, “don’t tell me you’re ashamed of it. Salvator blood runs as strong in you as it did in him. And you’re doing an admirable job… though some might call it reckless.”
Leo’s gaze narrowed, but he said nothing. The accusation hung in the air, unchallenged. Rudolf studied him, as though probing for a reaction.
“Don’t forget,” Rudolf continued, eyes glinting. “Your father was once as ambitious as you, but one misstep led him to… well, led your mother to widowhood. Your insistence on leading that mission—that decision cost him his life.”
Leo’s fists clenched against the desk, his voice barely above a whisper. “I know, Uncle. I live with that every day.”
“Do you?” Rudolf challenged, unrelenting. “Or are you masking that guilt by running this empire as if nothing has changed? Leo, your father’s death wasn’t just an unfortunate accident. It was a consequence of choices you made, choices that put him in the line of fire.”
Leo’s jaw tightened as the familiar weight of guilt settled over him. “I’ve learned from that, Uncle. I take every precaution to protect this family.”
“Have you?” Rudolf arched a brow, his tone needling. “Or are you still the same impulsive young man, playing hero while shouldering an empire?”
A tense silence fell between them, thick and unyielding. Leo’s voice, when it finally came, was quiet but edged with steel. “I will protect this family, no matter the cost. I won’t make the same mistakes again.”
Rudolf studied him, something unreadable in his gaze. After a moment, he nodded, though a shadow of doubt lingered. “See that you don’t, Leo. For your mother’s sake.”
With a slight, mocking smile, Rudolf turned to leave. Just before walking out, he looked back, his voice a quiet sneer. “You sacrificed your own father for your gain, for your budding little empire. Now you’ve inherited the main one, and you run it so… well. I’m sure he’s very proud of you in the afterlife.”
Leo’s fists tightened, his voice cold. “You say that as if I wanted it, Uncle. As if I wanted my father gone.”
Rudolf shrugged, smiling with a touch of mockery. “Ah, don’t be so sentimental, Leo. You know as well as I do, weakness is a curse. Your father knew that. I only wonder if you’ve learned from his mistakes—or if you’re doomed to repeat them.”
Leo exhaled slowly, fighting to calm himself. “I’ll never let this family be threatened again.”
“Oh, really?” Rudolf smirked, eyebrow arching. “Things are calm now because your enemies aren’t strong enough. But when they come—and they will—are you ready to lose even more?”
Leo went silent, Rudolf’s words digging deep. But he met his uncle’s gaze, his own steady and resolute. “I know the risks, Uncle. I will put this family above all.”
Rudolf’s grin widened, skepticism lingering. “I hope you’re truly ready, Leo. Because when the time comes, there will be only two choices: survive… or fall harder than you ever imagined.”
With that, Rudolf turned and left, leaving Leo alone in the shadows, the weight of past regrets pressing heavily on his shoulders.
Moments after the door clicked shut, Leo’s phone buzzed on the desk, breaking the silence. He glanced at the screen—a message from Mina.
> "Leo, why haven’t you come back yet? You said you wouldn’t be gone long… Are you okay?"
For a moment, he stared at her message, his heart softening just slightly. After a long pause, he typed a response.
> "I won’t be coming back, Mina. It’s better this way."
A few seconds later, her reply came through.