Bound by Love and Blood

Chapter Seven

Vivian

We made our way out of the office, I couldn't help but feel the weight of what we were about to do. Our families had been at each other's throats for years. The idea of working together would be met with resistance, if not outright hostility.

We walked down the corridor in silence. Dominic's presence was commanding, but I refused to be intimidated. This was my house, my territory, and I wasn't about to let him forget it.

When we reached the living room, my family was already gathered. They looked up as we entered, their expressions ranging from curiosity to outright suspicion.

Ryan, Samantha, Christopher, and my uncle Robert all turned to us. "What's going on?" Ryan asked, eyeing Dominic warily.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the inevitable backlash. "We have a situation," I began, keeping my tone neutral. "Dominic and I have decided to work together to find out who's behind the attacks on both our families."

Christopher's eyes narrowed. "What is he doing in our house?"

I raised a hand to silence him. "This isn't up for debate. We have a common enemy, and if we don't join forces, we're both going to end up in more trouble than we can handle."

Samantha looked between Dominic and me, clearly sceptical. "And how do we know we can trust him?"

Dominic stepped forward, his expression serious. "You don't have to trust me. But you should trust Vivian. She knows this is the best course of action."

Robert, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "If Vivian believes this is necessary, then I support her decision. But mark my words, Moretti, if you betray us, there will be consequences."

Dominic nodded, meeting Robert's gaze with a steely determination. "Understood."

Ryan crossed his arms, still looking dubious. "So what's the plan?"

I glanced at Dominic before answering. "First, we need to gather all the information we have on the attacks. We need to identify who's behind them and why they're targeting both our families."

"And then?" Samantha asked.

"Then," Dominic said, his voice cold and resolute, "we take them down. Together."

The room fell silent, the weight of our alliance settling over us. This was a gamble, a dangerous one. But if it meant protecting our families and getting to the truth, it was a risk worth taking.

"Alright," I said, breaking the silence. "Let's get to work. We have a lot to do and not much time to do it."

As we began to strategize, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The road ahead was fraught with danger. But, We were going to get through this, one way or another.

Dominic and I exchanged a brief nod before he left, his presence still lingering like a shadow in the room. My family dispersed, murmuring amongst themselves. I took a moment to collect myself, then made my way upstairs to Jade's room.

Jade was sitting on her bed, surrounded by books and sketchpads. She looked up as I entered, a mixture of surprise and concern on her face. "Vivian, what's going on? I heard there was a meeting."

I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, feeling the weight of the day's events pressing down on me. "Yeah, there was. We have a situation, and it's pretty serious."

Jade put her sketchpad aside, her hazel eyes focusing intently on me. "Is it about the attack?"

I nodded, walking over to sit beside her on the bed. "Yes, and more. We've discovered that someone is targeting both our family and the Moretti's. Dominic and I have decided to join forces to find out who's behind it."