Raven Blackwood’s POV:

In the morning, the sun was slowly rising in the sky. I sipped my coffee, with no sugar, no milk, while enjoying the silence of the moment.

Moments later, my phone rang. I swiped without looking at the screen and put it on the speaker. As I knew, no one would call me so early in the morning except my assistant Eliot. Apart from being my assistant, Eliot was my close friend, along with Rowan Falcone and Axel Stone. Met him in school, and we grew up together. He was the person I most trusted in my life. If I were fire, he was water. He could tolerate me more than anyone in the world, knew my principles, and basically everything. And that’s how we ended up working together.

Soon, his not-so-happy came through the speaker. “Boss... something happened.”

Ugh, something happened? Every time, in their world, something happened. But what happened now, to make him sound so sad? I took a moment and asked. “What now?”

Eliot spoke up after a while, probably thinking about how I would react. “Boss... Victor Thorne’s daughter, Valerie. She fainted yesterday. So…”

Okay. She fainted. But what did it have to do with me? I thought in my mind. I didn’t interrupt him. I let him finish his sentence first, before I would respond. And that’s what you do, be with your enemy, or your friend. You listen before you talk.

Eliot continued. I took another sip of my coffee. “Her father, previously, sent flowers when you were injured, so I think we should do the same.”

So, just because he sent me flowers when I was injured, I should do the same, huh? For God's sake, that was not even the injury in the first place, just a minor scratch. Well, whatever. That was how their world worked. Favor for favor.

I nodded my head, even though he couldn’t see. “Sure. Send some.”

Eliot fell silent for a moment after he heard my response. Too silent, that I had to glance at my phone screen, that the call was still ongoing.

I asked again. “Is there anything else?”

Eliot sounded grave as he answered. “Boss. I think you should go personally, since he came himself.”

I could already imagine the guts he gathered to speak his mind. Although we were friends, he was a little afraid of me; to make requests, he knew I wouldn’t agree. And now, he was doing it again. Give the flowers by myself? What’s next? Grew them, cultivate them, and then send them by myself?

I rolled my eyes and rejected him directly. “No.”

Eliot took a deep breath. I could hear him on the speaker. He tried to reason it with me. “Please think it carefully. He is our important ally, and we can’t take things lightly. Please, just for once. Think of it as a favor, he would return in the future.”

Eliot spoke endlessly, and I felt my ears bleed from how much he talked. “Fine.”

Two hours later:

I stood before the Thorne Residence and glanced at my assistant in annoyance as he handed me the bouquet of red roses. Red Roses. Right, he handed me red roses. Was I going on a date that he brought me red roses? I asked coldly. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Eliot wiped nonexistent sweat on his forehead as he smiled and answered. “Well... Boss... girls like red roses, so...”

Needless to say, he would have racked his brain to pick something like red roses. But what was the need even? Even the marigold would work. At least, they had some medical properties. I sighed; it was not beneficial to have any argument right now.

I walked inside, without turning to look at his relaxed expression.

Inside the house, the two maids led me and Eliot to the living room, where Victor Thorne, my business partner, personally welcomed us. I didn’t waste my time on pleasantries, as I directly handed him the flowers. “This... is for your daughter’s speedy recovery.”

Victor Thorne took the flowers from my hand and gave them to the maid. And gestured us to sit.

I took a seat across Victor Thorne. He asked the maids to bring another coffee for me and Eliot. I took a sip, and Victor spoke up. He spoke about the latest things happening in his territory and the underworld.

I calmly listened to everything when I heard low footsteps coming from outside. I looked up and saw his daughter, Valerie Thorne, coming, probably from the back garden to the house.

Victor Thorne followed my gaze and turned to his daughter. “Val. Come over.”

Valerie Thorne looked at me and paused in her tracks. Her face went pale, and she looked like she had just seen a ghost. She didn’t follow her father’s orders. Instead, she ran back to the way she came from.

Well, I looked at Victor Thorne in question. What was that?

Victor Thorne looked rather embarrassed before me, not at his daughter, but at what had just happened.

I looked at the way she vanished and frowned. But I didn’t pay any attention to her anyway. It didn’t matter to me who reacted how, as long as nothing didn’t impact me.

I continued to discuss some more matters with Victor Thorne before I left with Eliot.

I entered the back seat of our car and glanced up casually. And then I saw, the girl who ran after looking at me was now looking at me cautiously. Our eyes met, and she immediately shut down the window.

My mouth twitched, and I gestured to Eliot to drive.

Half an hour later, we arrived at the mining site. Aside from the underworld, I was involved in the diamond, restaurant, and real estate business. For the sake of control and good quality of diamonds, I had to come here from time to time.

Eliot looked quiet. I didn’t ask why. I stepped out as soon as we reached the site. The security guards greeted me with fear disguised as formality. I liked that. Respect without effort.

Inside the mine, the workers paused when they saw me before continuing. I didn’t stop to acknowledge anyone. Eliot followed behind, tapping on his tablet, listing out numbers and shipment details.

He talked about later meetings and all the ongoing stuff. I listened to it silently as we made our way to the underground cabin.

The manager of mining walked out and led me through the underground connected side. I glanced around all the diamonds that were put on display, getting crafted by craftsmen, getting packed for shipment. I nodded to myself, all satisfied.

Everything was running on time.

I glanced at Eliot. “Schedule?”

“Shipment will leave tonight. The route is all secured Sir. Team B is already stationed at the docks.” Eliot looked at me and replied.

I nodded, and the manager offered me the document for my signature. I glanced at it, read it all at once, real quick, and signed it.

After everything was sorted with mining, I spent the rest of the day dealing with all sorts of meetings.

It was almost midnight when I arrived at the deck with my assistant Eliot. I checked everything for one last time, making sure everything was alright.

Soon, I saw one of the ships arriving on the deck.

The ship slowed as it neared the deck, its lights flickering through the dark and moonless night. I stood at the edge, hands in my pockets, watching the guards standing at its perimeters to secure it.

Eliot checked something on his tablet again. I didn’t ask. I could feel something was off, maybe the silence, maybe the sudden breeze. Or maybe… instinct. Who knows.

‘Vipers are finally here.’ I smirked.

Vipers. This name screamed power, dominance, and authority in the world of the Italian Mafia. And today, we were finally collaborating. Our powers were equal, no doubt. But, as they said, power comes with danger. And I felt a sense of thrill in dealing with danger.