REVENGE OF THE ILLEGITIMATE HEIR

THE SIX

Dimitri sat alone in the prison cafeteria, his eyes scanning the table in front of him. His food was barely edible, but it didn’t matter. His thoughts swirled in confusion and anger. The days had blurred into one another, each one dragging him deeper into the reality of his new life. His father’s death, the betrayal from Ava, and the shocking twist of being thrown into a life sentence…all of it was too much to process. But he had no choice. This was his new world, and he had to survive.

As he poked at his meal, a commotion broke out nearby. A group of prisoners, led by a burly man with a scowl on his face, started making their way toward Dimitri. He could feel the hostility in the air as they circled around him, sneers on their faces. Dimitri’s pulse quickened. He had learned quickly that in this place, weakness was a target. He wasn’t sure why they had singled him out, but he knew he was about to be in trouble.

“Look at this one,” one of the prisoners taunted, shoving Dimitri’s shoulder. “Soft as a pillow. Let’s teach him a lesson.”

Before Dimitri could react, the man swung a punch at his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The others joined in, kicking and shoving him as he crumpled to the ground. Dimitri tried to protect himself, but his arms were too weak, his body too unfamiliar with the roughness of this life. His head spun as the blows kept coming, each one harder than the last.

But then, out of nowhere, a voice boomed across the room.

“That’s enough!”

The prisoners stopped in their tracks, eyes widening as a tall, imposing figure stepped forward. The man was covered in tattoos, each one telling a story of violence and rebellion. His face was handsome but marred by scars…one running across his left eye, another cutting through his cheek. Despite the brutality of his appearance, there was a coolness in his demeanor, a sense of control that made everyone step back.

“I said that’s enough,” the man repeated, his voice low and threatening.

With a sudden surge of power, the man…the one they called Giovanni Morelli, but whom everyone feared as Klaw,advanced. He was a mob boss who had once orchestrated heists across the country, until one went terribly wrong, and he had ended up here. His reputation preceded him, and even the toughest prisoners gave him space.

In an instant, he was on the group of men who had attacked Dimitri, and with a few swift punches, they were on the floor, groaning and whimpering. The entire cafeteria went silent as Klaw stood over them, his cold gaze sweeping over each of them.

“If you ever touch him again, I’ll make sure you regret it,” Klaw warned, his voice low and threatening. “Understand?”

The attackers scrambled to their feet and fled, leaving Dimitri on the floor, gasping for breath. Klaw turned his attention back to Dimitri, his eyes appraising the young man with a knowing look.

“You okay?” he asked, though his tone was more practical than concerned.

Dimitri nodded, still stunned by the sudden turn of events. He didn’t know whether to feel grateful or terrified. But before he could say anything, the other prisoners at the table stood up and introduced themselves.

“I’m Marcelo Santa Monica,” said a man in his late thirties, his sharp features and calculating eyes suggesting intelligence. “I used to work for the Apollo Empire. Your stepmother, Ava, she’s the reason I’m here.”

Dimitri’s stomach twisted at the mention of Ava. “Ava?”

Marcelo’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “Yeah. She framed me after I discovered her little scheme of diverting funds into her offshore account. She was afraid I was going to expose her, so she made sure I was fired and arrested.”

Dimitri’s mind raced. Ava had destroyed so many lives, including his own. He couldn’t believe she’d done the same to Marcelo.

“Maybe I could help you with your tech needs,” Marcelo added, his voice smoother now, as if he was offering Dimitri something valuable.

Next was a woman with striking features, dark eyes full of defiance. Her presence alone made it clear she wasn’t someone to be messed with.

“I’m Zarina Carruso,” she said, her voice soft but firm. “I used to run one of the biggest clubs in the city, Club Noir. You’ve probably heard of it.”

Dimitri nodded. He had heard rumors about the club…whispers of the powerful mafia connections it had. Zarina had been a force to be reckoned with, but her story was far darker than the city’s glamour.

“I killed a man,” Zarina continued, her tone matter-of-fact. “A mafia boss. But it wasn’t murder. He tried to hurt me, and I defended myself. No one cared about the truth, though. They twisted it, and now I’m here.”

She paused, letting the words sink in before adding, “My club still runs. I still control everything. Just because I’m behind bars doesn’t mean I’ve lost my power.”

Dimitri looked at her with respect. She was a survivor, like him.

The next man to speak was in his mid-forties, his face weary and lined with regret. He was dressed in prison garb that didn’t quite fit his frame, his hands fidgeting as he spoke.

“Jack Hargrove,” he introduced himself. “I was a salesman for a company. I embezzled their funds. Not because I wanted to. My daughter was sick, and the company refused to help me. So I took the money to pay for her surgery. They caught me after two years of getting away with it.”

Jack’s voice cracked slightly, the weight of his actions clear in his eyes. “But I’d do it again if it meant saving her. You do what you have to when there’s no other choice.”

Dimitri felt a pang of sympathy for Jack. He understood what it was like to be desperate.

“I’m Emery Baker,” the next man said, his eyes calculating and cold. “I was a data analyst at a powerful firm. After they unjustly fired me, I sold their company data. Took less than five minutes. The company didn’t even see it coming. And just like that, they crumbled.”

Emery’s smile was a twisted one. “Sometimes, people need to learn that they can’t treat others like garbage without consequences.”

Dimitri felt unsettled by the man’s calm demeanor, but he couldn’t deny the satisfaction in Emery’s voice.

The last person to speak was a wiry man with an almost predatory gaze. His hair was unkempt, and his movements were sharp, like a hawk watching its prey.

“I’m Dylan Blackwood,” he said. “Used to track government weaponry warehouses for fun. Never got paid for it. I just liked knowing where they kept their stockpile. But then they caught me.”

Dimitri blinked. He couldn’t fathom why anyone would do something like that, but there was no denying that Dylan’s curiosity had led him down a dangerous path.

Each of these six people had a story, a reason they ended up in this place. Some had committed crimes out of desperation, others out of choice. All of them had their own skills, their own talents, their own way of surviving.

As they finished introducing themselves, they all turned to Dimitri, their expressions expectant. He could feel their eyes on him, their silent offer of friendship hanging in the air.

Dimitri sat in silence, his mind racing. He knew he wasn’t in a position to ask for help, not yet. These were criminals, after all. If they were as great as they seemed, why were they here? But the truth was, they were all skilled. Better than him, perhaps. They were survivors.

He finally spoke, his voice measured. “I appreciate the offer. But I’m not ready to accept help just yet.”

Klaw—Giovanni—gave him a knowing look. “Take your time, kid. We’re not going anywhere.”

Dimitri felt a flicker of something he hadn’t felt in a long time: hope