Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
APHRODITE
ONE WEEK LATER…
I woke up in a cold sweat, my heart pounding, realizing today was the day I would bury my brother. I had tried to convince myself that I could go on without him, but the loneliness I now carried with me was heavier than I ever imagined.
Gaia avoided the manor at all costs. Father maintained his mafia responsibilities. I wondered if he would show any emotions about his son’s death, but there was nothing behind his haunted eyes. Meanwhile, I felt like a ghost—completely unseen.
Other than going to the funeral home, father had forbidden me from leaving the house. He also eliminated all electronics to prevent hacking or interference within the manor. Ouranos used the manor for his meetings, but not anymore—it had become a prison. Anyone who harmed a member of the Aetos family would face consequences. Guards surrounded the property as if we were preparing for a lingering war.
I felt like a prisoner, waiting for my day of reckoning.
To make matters worse, I had barely heard anything about Paris or her condition. One of my father’s guards let it slip that she’s been in a coma since the attack. I couldn’t shake the feeling that what happened to her was my fault, and I wished more than anything that she could be with me today.
The maid’s insistent knocks on my door jolted me out of my thoughts. “Morning Aphrodite, I’ve ironed your dress for the funeral.” She entered the room as she placed the dress inside my closet, then nodded before closing the door behind her. I gently brushed away the tears and stifled my cries.
I got out of bed and headed toward the balcony. The sun lingered behind the clouds, rays of golden light breaking through as if the heavens were making their plea. My brother was somewhere up there, watching over me. I had to stay strong for him as I said my goodbyes.
As I dressed, my consciousness lapsed briefly, leaving me feeling disconnected from reality. A profound sense of numbness filled me as I made my way down the staircase. I could hear the echoes of laughter my brother and I had through these halls; running around, chasing each other as we played. He’d read me stories in the library, and we’d tried to find constellations through his telescope.
I closed my eyes and could hear his voice. “Where’s my strong sister?”
Titan hated funerals. He always tried to avoid attending them, but since he was next in line to take over the family business, Ouranos would force him to make himself present.
“Hurry!” Father shouted.
Gaia had to be carried out to the car. As much as I despised her, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity for her loss. Titan had been her world and losing him had shattered her completely. This week, Father brought in a doctor to prescribe her antidepressants. She screamed so violently that they had to sedate her. Now, she’s barely functioning, relying on a cocktail of pills just to get through the day. She couldn’t even walk without Father’s firm grip on her arm, her once unyielding spirit now reduced to a hollow shell .
I stepped outside, November’s bitter cold weather sent shivers through my body. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to my brother. I struggled to articulate my thoughts. How does one manage to live without loved ones? I desperately wanted to vanish.
Sitting in the limousine, father checked his phone. Gaia’s body seemed weak, as if she had no soul left inside. I watched through the window as the dull light of dawn lingered, foreshadowing the long day ahead.
“Even after your son’s death, you’re still obsessed with business,” Gaia spat, her voice dripping with venom.
I couldn’t help but agree with her. Titan had been the future of the Aetos mafia—the heir to everything my father had built. But me? I was just the bastard. My father never saw me as anything more than a pawn, certainly not as a potential leader. It wasn’t just tradition that held him back; it was his inability to fathom a woman at the helm of his empire. The idea of me taking over was laughable to him.
And yet, deep down, I envied Titan. He had the freedom to live as he pleased, indulging every whim without consequence. Meanwhile, I—along with the other women trapped in the mafia’s grip—lived a life of confinement.
We were nothing more than objects—controlled, manipulated, and stripped of our autonomy. We were trapped in gilded cages, our every move dictated by the men who wielded power over us. The freedom Titan had enjoyed was something I could only dream of, while I remained bound by chains I could never break.
A designated mausoleum for the Aetos family prominently showcased the deceased members along the wall. Titan was placed alongside my grandfather. The casket had a sheen over the black stained wood where, in the middle, the Aetos family crest was embellished in gold. The men carefully placed him into the crypt, a resting place that seem almost too fitting for the prince of Aetos. It was as if the cold stone embraced the darkness that surrounded him his whole life.
While the rest of the mourners patiently waited outside the ornate golden gates that enclosed the building, we found ourselves as the sole occupants inside. A cool breeze wafted through the room, and the pungent smell of decay created an unsettling ambiance around us.
Gaia was pressed against the cold, hard wall, her hands shaking as they covered her face, eyes darting around the room.
A single tear trailed down my cheek, knowing my brother would be forever sealed inside these walls. I would never hear his voice again, never feel his comforting embrace during my darkest moments, and he would never be able to save me from the torment that consumed my life.
A marble plaque with a short inscription about Titan sealed the wall of our ancestral resting place. Seeing his name engraved gave me a sickening sense of finality. Father took a deep breath and walked out of the mausoleum. Gaia stumbled behind him. The pallbearers proceeded while I stared at my brother’s grave.
I walked up to the plaque, touched my fingers to my lips and placed a kiss on the cold metal where his picture was hung.
“Titan, I will find the person responsible for this.” My voice cracked, and I gasped for breath. I took a step back.
“I love you.” I whispered; my voice barely audible as a tear traced down my cheek.
Outside the family crypt, Ouranos tenderly embraced the people who expressed their condolences. He played the part of a sad father, but he wasn’t fooling me. As I scanned the crowd, I noticed someone standing way off in the distance, behind the willow trees and marked graves.
“Excuse me for a minute,” I patted one of the mourner’s arms as I sidestepped the guests. The crowds surrounded the gates of the tomb as I slipped through the sea of people lurking about. There were ten rows of headstones that separated the mausoleum from the man who stood by the tree. My heels sank into the fresh, wet grass, frustratingly slowing me down as I struggled to reach him.
His back was turned as I approached him, but I called out, “Hey! Stop!” I hurried in his direction. The man was walking toward a motorcycle, not acknowledging me. “Stop!” He pivoted to face me.
My eyes widened in disbelief. It was the man from the party, the one Titan was talking to. His gaze shifted, and suddenly his brown eyes were on me, holding me captive. I felt a jolt, like an electric current running through my veins. The sadness that had weighed me down moments before seemed to evaporate under the heat of his stare. I swallowed hard, feeling an inexplicable pull toward him, as if the very air around us had changed.
I felt my chest tighten with desire. His leather jacket hugged his body like fitted armor, and he had a hood pulled low over his head.
“Aphrodite.” His voice was a symphonic temptation as he growled my name. It made my body weaken in ways I’d never felt before.
“You—” I tried to compose myself. “I recognize you. You were with my brother at the library.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He bit back as his jaw twitched.
I straightened. “Why are you here?”
“This was a mistake.” He turned away and headed toward his bike. I rushed toward him and tugged at his arm, feeling his muscles flex as my fingers grasped hold of him. I was not giving him a chance to run. I needed to know what his connection was to my brother. He whipped his head around in my direction, and our faces were inches apart.
“Titan was a friend.” His furrowed brows and expressive eyes held onto my gaze for a minute before his full lips parted. I noticed he had a little scar on the side of his upper cheek. “My name is Ares.” He said, as he licked his bottom lip, his eyes igniting with a burning intensity.
I dropped my hand, and he turned away from me once more. I watched him get on his motorcycle, the engine growling to life beneath him. He pulled on his helmet, then tugged his face mask over his lips, the last piece of the puzzle clicking into place.
It hit me then, like a punch to the gut.
“Olympus Syndicate.”
The name carried a weight of fear and power. Ares was infamous for his ruthless brutality, an enforcer against anyone who decided to go against his gang. Whispers of his reputation had reached even my ears—he was the embodiment of a warrior spirit, the kind that made his enemies tremble.
He glanced back at me one last time, his expression hidden behind his dark Ray-Bans. Then, without another word, he roared away, leaving nothing but the sound of the engine echoing in the air and the unsettling realization of who he truly was.
I ran my hand through my hair, trying to make sense of what I had just seen.
What was Titan doing with Ares?
Our families have been fighting for decades, a bitter feud with no end in sight. There was no room for peace, no chance for reconciliation—only death and destruction on both sides.
The thought of my brother being associated with him hit me like a cold, hard slap. It was unthinkable. It felt as if the ground beneath me had suddenly shifted, leaving me reeling and questioning everything I thought I knew.
Gaia was hosting a celebration of life after the funeral. Back at Aetos manor, the staff helped her freshen up, and then led her down the stairs. She wore a black gown which draped dramatically behind her as she swayed, unsteady on her feet. Her face was covered with a birdcage veil fastened atop her head. The drugs must have kicked in because she seemed desperate for a party.
Walking through the halls of the manor, there were whispers all around me. The only thought that was on everyone’s mind was who the successor of the family would be now that Titan was dead. I knew in my heart and soul my father would never give that title to me.
The party was being held in the glass atrium of the manor, which overlooked the surrounding forest. It felt like a cage, enclosed by black metal arches. A massive black crystal chandelier dripped down, with black velvet drapes cascading from the ceiling, creating a gothic, enchanting atmosphere. The full moon dancing amongst the clouds above us cast shadows throughout as conversations filled the room. I stood there, frozen, and alone.
Tables and chairs filled the room for guests to be seated.
I looked around, unsure where to go. The only person I had left that I considered family was not here. Paris remained in a coma. Her injuries had left her unresponsive, and without her, I felt completely adrift. I constantly asked the manor staff for updates, desperate to know any details about her condition, but all I could do was wait.
I was consumed by a relentless need to escape. Each passing moment stretched into an eternity, pulling me deeper into suffocating despair. I headed to the grand staircase, each step heavier than the last. I needed the sanctuary of my room, a place where I could temporarily escape the overwhelming tension. As I climbed the stairs, the low murmur of men’s voices floated from my father’s office, making me pause for a moment.
I headed toward the doorway. I needed to know what was going on in there. I would not be kept in the dark about my brother’s death. I crept toward the door and pressed my ear against it, trying to hear the conversation.
“You truly think they would have done this?” My father’s muffled voice sounded angry .
“It’s hard to say for certain,” replied another voice, steady and calculating. “Considering their long-standing grudge against us, it’s a possibility we can’t ignore. But what if we turned this into our advantage? Consider this: an alliance could be a way to keep them closer, monitor their movements, and perhaps even infiltrate their ranks. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
There was a pause, a tense silence as the suggestion hung in the air. “An alliance with Olympus Syndicate could be a strategic move,” the voice continued, unflinching. “They could be more beneficial to us than we realize.”
My father’s anger flared like a raging fire. “Are you out of your mind?” he roared, his voice booming and echoing. “You know the devastation they’ve caused this family! To even think of aligning ourselves with them would be an affront to everything we stand for. That would be beneath us, Atlas.”
My father’s best friend, I thought.
The room fell silent again, the weight of his words settling heavily as the intensity of his anger hung thick in the air.
“I hate Zeus as much as you do. But, if we ally with Olympus, it opens the floodgates to Mysthria, which you’ve always wanted control over. We could use the alliance to gather intelligence and weaken them from within.”
“I don’t want to give a single cent to Zeus. What do we have besides money that would be beneficial to them?”
“You have Aphrodite.”
My vision warped as the sound of my name sent pure terror coursing through my body. The sudden realization hit me; I was going to be used as a bargaining tool for my father’s relentless pursuit of domination. The air ripped from my lungs, and I leaned my head against the door, clutching my chest, feeling his control wrap around me like anchor, dropping into the deepest part of the ocean.
I couldn’t let this happen. The thought of being sold off, used and abused by the Olympios family, ignited a fierce resolve within me. I had to fight against becoming a pawn in my father’s ruthless schemes. I would not be their victim.
“You’re right. I will talk with Zeus.”
The finality in my father’s voice sent a chill down my spine. I would rather be in the crypt with my brother.
My brother. His voice echoed in my head, the memory rushing back to me. The night of his murder when he’d said, “Check the floorboard.” I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten. I turned and raced to his room in search of what he had left for me.
We used to hide letters and secret messages underneath his floorboard. I swung the door open and was instantly hit with the sorrow of his absence. Taking a steady breath, I moved through the room, my eyes scanning for the familiar loose board. When I finally located it, I pried it up with trembling hands, my heart pounding as I prepared to uncover whatever remained of his hidden words.
Inside was a black duffle bag. Confused, I pulled it out and unzipped it. Inside was ten thousand dollars, a gun, and a letter from Titan.
You’ll know what to do. Remember what I taught you. Protect yourself, sister. Demons are all around us.