I didn't sleep.
Not because I was afraid but because my mind wouldn't slow. Power had a rhythm, I was learning. It moved in patterns, like tides. And if you learned to listen closely enough, you could predict when it would crash.
By dawn, I knew what my first move had to be.
"Call the board," I told Marcus.
He blinked. "Ma'am?"
"The De Santis Group board," I repeated. "Emergency session. Two hours."
Luca's gaze lifted from his phone. "That's not subtle."
"It's visible," I replied. "There's a difference."
He studied me for a long moment. Then he nodded. "Proceed."
The boardroom filled quickly. Men and women dressed in tailored restraint, eyes sharp with curiosity. Some had supported me quietly. Others barely concealed their doubt.
I stood at the head of the table.
"Thank you for coming on short notice," I said calmly. "This meeting is about stability."
That word mattered.
"A member of my household was taken yesterday," I continued. "I will not discuss details. But I will say this any attempt to test the De Santis family through intimidation will be answered."
Murmurs followed.
I raised a hand.
"We will not panic. We will not retreat. But we will adjust."
I nodded to Marcus, who activated the screen.
Account charts appeared.
Gasps followed.
"Effective immediately," I said, "three subsidiaries will be restructured. Oversight will be centralized. Any external financial interference will trigger automatic freezes."
One man leaned forward. "That will cost us short-term liquidity."
"Yes," I agreed. "And it will cost our enemies access."
Silence.
"This is my directive," I finished. "Those who stand with us will benefit long-term. Those who don't may exit now."
No one moved.
The message was clear.
After the meeting, Luca caught my arm.
"That was a declaration," he said quietly.
"It was a shield," I corrected. "And a warning."
The retaliation came faster than expected.
By evening, a smear article appeared online.
MAFIA BRIDE OVERREACHES: POWER PLAY COSTS JOBS
I stared at the headline without flinching.
"They're framing you as reckless," Marcus said.
"Good," I replied. "That means they're reacting."
But the real blow landed an hour later.
A call.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Elena," a familiar voice said smoothly. "I wondered how long it would take."
My stomach tightened.
"Isabella," I said.
She laughed softly. "You're learning quickly. That board meeting very bold."
"Where is she?" I demanded.
"Oh," she said lightly. "Safe. For now."
My grip tightened on the phone. "This ends now."
"Does it?" Isabella replied. "You made your move. I'm simply… responding."
"I'm not afraid of you."
"I know," she said. "That's why this is interesting."
A pause.
"Your husband understands rules," Isabella continued. "But you? You break them."
"I redefine them," I replied.
She laughed again. "Careful. People like us don't survive without consequences."
The line went dead.
I stood there, phone still pressed to my ear, heart steady.
"They contacted you," Luca said.
"Yes."
"And?"
"They're adjusting," I said. "Which means they didn't expect me to step forward."
Luca exhaled slowly. "You've forced their hand."
"Good," I said. "Now we see who reaches first."
That night, someone tried to access our offshore accounts.
They failed.
An hour later, a warehouse linked to Isabella's allies was raided quietly. Legally. With warrants.
By morning, three names disappeared from the financial network.
Marcus looked up from his screen. "They're bleeding."
I nodded. "Then they'll do something desperate."
Luca's phone buzzed.
A message.
One day. One mistake. Choose wisely.
He met my eyes.
"They're escalating again," he said.
I didn't look away.
"Let them," I replied. "I won't hide."
Outside, sirens wailed in the distance too far to matter, close enough to remind.
This wasn't a negotiation anymore.
It was a war of patience.
And for the first time, I wasn't waiting to be attacked.
I was choosing where the next blow would land.