Chapter 1 - KAI
The engine of the black Maserati roared in the darkness of the private road. It was almost two in the morning, and the only moving light was that of the headlights cutting the driveway in half, briefly illuminating the wrought-iron gate. Around, only silence and the tall villa, imposing like a fortress, with a facade that looked more like a gilded prison than a home. Kai slowed down. He lifted his right hand from the wheel and adjusted the collar of his black leather jacket — smooth, perfect. No wrinkles. No disorder. His appearance was meticulously cared for: dark jeans, polished boots, a shirt slightly unbuttoned at the chest, and a necklace peeking out from the collar. He wasn’t dressed like a delinquent. He was dressed like someone who knew he was dangerous and didn’t need to prove it. As soon as the car stopped in front of the gate, two men stepped out of the shadows. One wore an earpiece, the other had a gun holstered at his waist. They opened the gate silently. No words. No looks. Only quick, precise gestures. Kai didn’t even glance at them. He turned off the engine, got out of the car, slammed the door shut with a sharp click, paused for a moment, then fixed his jacket again. Then he began to climb the steps to the entrance. Every step was measured. Slow. As if he wasn’t in a hurry to return. He was never in a hurry. He decided what being “on time” meant. He had one of those looks that didn’t ask for permission. Dark, deep eyes that seemed to hold something back. Ice and fire poorly mixed. On the villa’s terrace, his uncle waited for him, sitting in a low armchair with legs crossed, wrapped in an elegant anthracite-colored jacket, a glass of liquor in his hands. “Finally, our heir deigns to come home.” The voice was hoarse, rough, laced with the sarcasm Kai hated. “The job’s done,” he replied. “And the money?” Kai slipped his hand into his jacket and pulled out a thick envelope stuffed with cash. He tossed it to him without even looking. His uncle caught it effortlessly, smiling. “Good. Precise. Your father would be proud.” Silence. Kai was turned away, about to enter the house, but those words stopped him in his tracks. Only for a second. He said nothing, but any mention of his father always gave him a subtle irritation, like sand under the skin. He hated when they talked about him. As if he still had control, even from prison. He entered the house. The villa was huge, elegant, the soft lighting casting perfect shadows on the dark wooden furniture. Masterpieces hung on the walls. Luxury everywhere. But no warmth. Only order, only coldness. His mother was nowhere to be seen. She was probably locked in her room for hours, trying to forget what house she lived in. Or maybe she had simply disappeared inside herself a long time ago. Kai poured himself a glass of liquor, let himself fall onto the black leather sofa. He lit a cigarette, spinning it between his fingers a moment before bringing it to his lips. The smoke mingled with the smell of alcohol, the expensive scent he wore, and that constant emptiness he carried like a shadow. “You know you’re not supposed to smoke here,” his uncle said, entering behind him. Kai slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling. He didn’t answer. His uncle laughed. A low, irritating sound. He was a man in his fifties, well-dressed, salt-and-pepper hair, with well-kept hands but wolf-like eyes. “You have the right blood,” he said. “But you waste too much energy trying to act tough. You are tough.” Kai stared him straight in the eyes. No fear, no respect. Just distance. He didn’t hate him openly. But he hated him inside. And that, deep down, was worse. “Done?” “Almost. Tomorrow night there’s a delivery. Big one. You handle it.” Kai clenched his jaw. “I thought I had a day off.” “You thought wrong. Power doesn’t wait. You take it.” Kai got up from the sofa, turned, and walked away without another word. The cigarette, still smoking, left in the ashtray. He walked slowly toward the stairs, his body rigid. Entered his room. He took off his shoes, then unbuttoned his shirt. He dropped it to the floor. His physique was sculpted, strong, but marked by something invisible to the naked eye. A constant tension, as if even while sleeping he could never let his guard down. He threw himself onto the bed, arms limp, gaze fixed on the void. There was no silence inside him. Only suppressed noise. He had learned to keep everything inside. Not to feel, not to speak. In that moment, everything seemed under control. But control is the first thing you lose when life decides to change course. And he didn’t know it yet.
