SANTORINI

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SANTORINIPOV.
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I sat alone in my opulent villa, perched high on a hill in Italy. The evening sun was fading, casting long shadows across the room, but I paid it no mind. My attention was fixed on the glass of aged whiskey in my hand, the amber liquid swirling lazily as I considered my next move. I had been playing this game for years-sacrificing loyalty, manipulating those around me, always staying one step ahead of my enemies. But Knight… Knight had made a move he shouldn’t have. He’d stopped the shipment without my approval. That was a mistake. A costly mistake. ‘I mean who the hell does he think he is’, I was saying all these in my head as I groaned internally.
The door to the study creaked open, and Vincenzo entered, his presence heavy with the weight of urgency. But I didn’t react. I didn’t need to. I took another slow sip from my glass, the sharp burn of whiskey grounding me, making it easier to maintain my calm as I rolled my eyes all over him.
“Boss,” Vincenzo said, his voice steady but tinged with concern. “We’ve got a problem. Knight intercepted the shipment. He stopped it without your approval. This could cost us.”
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I narrowed my eyes, my gaze sharpening like a predator sensing prey. There was no panic, no rush to action-just cold calculation. I set the glass down with precision and steepled my hands in front of me. “Knight… always trying to show how strong he is. Did he think I wouldn’t notice? Did he think I wouldn’t retaliate?” I chuckled darkly, the sound a low, mocking tone. “Such arrogance.”
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Vincenzo shifted, uncomfortable but unwilling to back down. “It’s not just the shipment. It’s about control, Boss. He’s trying to prove that he doesn’t need you. He thinks he’s stronger than you-that he’s his own man.”
I couldn’t help but smile, a dangerous, satisfied curl of my lips. “He thinks he’s stronger? Let him think that. It will be his downfall.” I leaned back in my chair, the weight of my words sinking in. My mind was already at work, setting the pieces into place. “He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s walked straight into my trap.”
Before Vincenzo could respond, the door opened again, this time revealing Paolo. My sharp-eyed assistant walked in without hesitation, his presence was always a sign that something important had changed. His gaze met mine with a knowing look, and I sensed he had news to deliver.
“Boss,” Paolo said, his voice smooth, calculated. “I’ve spoken with Lori.”
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Lori? What did she have to say?”
Paolo’s smile was sly and confident. “She’s ready. She will comply. She misses you, Santorini. I’be spoken with her at length. She regrets pushing you away, and now she wants to make things right. She’s desperate for your attention. She’ll do whatever it takes to get back into your good graces.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, a dark, bitter sound that filled the room. “A stray cat, desperate for affection. She thinks she’s more important than she is, doesn’t she? She’s just like the rest of them. Always crawling back when they’ve lost everything.” I took a slow drag from the cigar resting in the ashtray, the smoke curling around me like a dark omen. “Let her think I’ll take her back. I’ll use her until she’s no longer useful. She’s just another pawn in this game.”
Paolo nodded, his understanding palpable. “She’s agreed to do whatever we ask. She’ll help us bring Knight down. We just need to keep her believing that you care for her.”
I waved a hand dismissively, my gaze never leaving Paolo’s. “She can believe whatever she wants. She’ll play her part, but in the end, she’s nothing more than a tool. Knight’s weakness. And when the time comes, we’ll use her to destroy him.”
Just then, two women entered the room, dressed provocatively, their bodies exposed, clearly seeking my attention. I didn’t even glance at them. My mind was elsewhere-on the game, on Knight, on how I would dismantle him piece by piece. The women, undeterred, began to dance around me, one slipping behind me to press her body against mine while the other moved in front, her movements slow and seductive.
But none of it mattered. Not to me. I remained unmoved, still focused on the bigger picture. I waved them away with a simple gesture. “Enough. Leave.”
Without a word, the women gathered their things and left, the room once again silent, save for the faint scent of perfume and cigar smoke that lingered in the air. I turned my full attention back to Paolo, never losing my composure.
“Now,” I said, my voice cold, “you were saying?”
Paolo smiled, sensing the shift in mood, the moment when things were about to fall into place. “Lori’s ready. She’s agreed to contact Knight and tell him she’s on our side. She’ll make him think she’s supporting him, all the while feeding us information.”
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I felt a dark satisfaction spread through me. “Good. She’ll keep him distracted while we set the stage for his downfall. He won’t know what hit him.” I leaned forward, my gaze intense. “And Knight? He will fall for it. He’s too blinded by his own arrogance to see the trap. He’ll believe she’s loyal to him. He’ll believe she still wants him.”
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I couldn’t help but laugh again, the sound low and mocking. “Let him. Let him think she’s his. Let him think he’s in control. The longer he believes that, the harder he’ll fall when I strike.”
I shifted in my chair, my eyes narrowing as I considered the final steps. “As for Lori… she’ll realize soon enough that she’s just another piece on the board. And when Knight’s no longer useful to her, we’ll discard her. Just like we’ve done with everyone else who’s ever thought they could play me.”
Paolo smiled, the ruthlessness of my words sinking in. “We’ll make sure Knight feels the sting of betrayal. He’ll never see it coming.”
I turned my gaze toward the window, where the rolling hills of Italy stretched beneath the twilight sky. My mind raced, each move calculated, every decision deliberate. The pieces were all in place now.
“Knight’s pride will be his undoing,” I muttered to myself, the satisfaction settling in. “We will play him like a puppet, pull his strings until there’s nothing left. And Lori? She’s just a distraction, a tool to weaken him. Once he’s exposed for what he really is, he’ll be nothing more than a stepping stone. A lesson to anyone who thinks they can take what’s mine.”
I turned back to Paolo, my eyes hard and focused. “Make sure everything is in place. Lori’s on the phone with Knight now, feeding him exactly what we want him to hear. And when he’s ready to fall, we’ll be waiting.”
Paolo nodded. “Understood, Boss. It’s only a matter of time now.”
I leaned back in my chair, a wicked smile curling at the edges of my lips. “Yes, it is. Let Knight think he’s in control for a little while longer. The longer he believes he’s untouchable, the harder he will fall when I strike.”
Everything was set in motion. Knight wouldn’t know what hit him. And I-Santorini-would emerge victorious, my empire intact, my power unchallenged.
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THE NEXT CHAPTER MAY CONTAIN SOME HARSH WORDS AND EROTIC CONTENT SO IT MUST BE STRICTLY 18+.