Chapter 331 – Bloodlines and Betrayals

The weight of her words settled into the room like a thick fog.

Ochieng's fingers twitched slightly, his jaw tightening. His father? Alive? It was impossible. It had to be.

He had seen the funeral, had watched the casket being lowered into the ground. He had buried that part of himself along with it.

And yet…

The woman in red—Ariella—wasn't one to speak nonsense. She was a ghost in the underworld, a woman with ties to secrets that shouldn't exist. If she was here, telling him this, then the world he had built was on the verge of collapse.

Ochieng finally spoke, his voice controlled but ice-cold. "If you're lying, I'll make sure you regret stepping into this room."

Ariella smiled, unbothered. "If I were lying, you wouldn't be this rattled."

His hand moved to pour himself a drink, but he stopped mid-motion. Alcohol wouldn't dull this kind of storm. Instead, he exhaled slowly, forcing his emotions into a cage.

"You're going to tell me everything," he ordered.

Ariella took a seat on the velvet couch, crossing her legs with deliberate slowness. "Your father never died. His 'death' was orchestrated to remove him from power. But he didn't stay buried. He's been watching. Waiting."

Ochieng's mind raced.

If this was true, if his father had been alive all these years… then why stay hidden? Why return now?

"What does he want?"

Ariella leaned in, her red lips curving into something unreadable. "What do all men like him want?"

Ochieng's voice was steel. "Power."

Ariella nodded. "And he's coming to take it back."

---

Ochieng barely slept that night.

His penthouse, usually his sanctuary, felt suffocating. He stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the city lights flicker below.

His mind replayed every memory of his father—Bernardo. A man of discipline. A man of unbreakable will.

A man who had raised him to be ruthless.

But also a man who had vanished.

If he was truly alive…

Ochieng turned as Linet entered the room.

She was barefoot, wearing nothing but one of his shirts, her hair slightly tousled. Despite her beauty, there was a sharpness in her eyes.

"You haven't slept," she murmured.

Ochieng said nothing.

Linet sighed, stepping closer. "What happened?"

For a long moment, he was silent.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"My father is alive."

Linet froze. "What?"

Ochieng turned back to the window. "Ariella came last night. She said he's coming back."

Linet's breath hitched. Bernardo had been a legend, a ghost of the past who had shaped the underworld. If he was truly alive, then everything—everything—was about to change.

"You believe her?" Linet whispered.

Ochieng's jaw clenched. "I don't have a choice."

Linet crossed her arms. "So what now?"

Ochieng finally turned to her, his expression unreadable.

"Now?" His voice was dangerously calm. "Now we prepare for war."

---

At that same moment, across the city, another man sat in the shadows.

Bernardo.

He had aged, but power still radiated from him like an unshakable force. His sharp eyes reflected the glow of the cigarette he held between his fingers.

"Does he know yet?" a voice asked.

Bernardo exhaled smoke, a small smile forming. "By now? He does."

A man stepped closer—dressed in an immaculate suit, eyes filled with restrained malice. "He won't give up his empire easily."

Bernardo chuckled. "Of course not. He's my son."

The other man hesitated. "Do you really think he'll accept you back?"

Bernardo took another slow drag of his cigarette.

"I don't need him to accept me," he said quietly. "I need him to fall."

---

The following night, Ochieng gathered his people.

Linet, Jeff, Wendy, Tielen—all of them stood in his private lounge, waiting for his words.

"This isn't just business anymore," Ochieng said, his voice even. "This is personal."

He let the weight of those words settle.

"My father is alive."

Murmurs. Stiffened postures. Shock.

Jeff was the first to break the silence. "Boss, are you sure?"

Ochieng nodded. "Ariella wouldn't come to me unless she was certain."

Tielen exhaled sharply. "This changes everything."

Wendy leaned forward. "What's his move?"

Ochieng's gaze darkened. "He wants to take back what he lost."

Silence.

Linet finally spoke, her tone sharp. "Then we don't let him."

Ochieng's smirk was slow, dangerous. "Exactly."

He looked at each of them. "From this moment on, we operate differently. No more waiting. No more reacting. We strike first."

His gaze landed on Jeff. "I want every asset we own locked down. No leaks. No vulnerabilities."

Jeff nodded. "Consider it done."

"Tielen, increase security on all fronts. No one moves against us without consequences."

Tielen cracked his knuckles. "They'll regret even thinking about it."

"Linet, Wendy—use your connections. Find out who is backing my father. I want names."

The women exchanged a glance before nodding.

Ochieng took a deep breath, his fingers tapping against the glass table.

"We end this before it begins."

The war for power had just begun.

And he wouldn't lose.

---

Somewhere in the depths of the city, Ariella walked into a dimly lit room.

Bernardo was waiting.

"He's preparing," she murmured.

Bernardo smiled, taking a slow sip of his whiskey.

"Good," he said.

Ariella frowned slightly. "You sound pleased."

Bernardo set his glass down.

"My son has always been strong." He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "Now, let's see if he's strong enough to survive me."

Ochieng sat in his study, the weight of his past pressing down on him. The revelation of his father's survival had shaken something deep inside him—something he wasn't ready to confront. He had spent years building his own empire, carving out a name feared across the underworld. And now, the man who had taught him everything was coming to take it all back.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Come in," he said, his voice steady.

Linet stepped inside, wearing a tight black dress that hugged her curves, her eyes sharp and unreadable. "We have a problem."

Ochieng leaned back, watching her. "Just one?"

She placed a phone on the table and pressed play. The screen lit up with grainy security footage. A man in a long coat, surrounded by guards, was entering an upscale restaurant.

Ochieng's eyes narrowed. Bernardo.

Linet's voice was low. "He's not hiding anymore."

Ochieng exhaled slowly. "Then it's time we welcome him properly."

---

Ochieng arrived at the restaurant, his steps measured, his presence demanding attention. His men flanked him, each one armed and prepared for the worst. The entire place had been cleared except for one table in the center, where Bernardo sat, sipping wine as if nothing in the world could touch him.

The resemblance was striking. The same sharp jawline, the same calculating eyes. A man carved from stone.

"Ochieng," Bernardo greeted without looking up. "You're late."

Ochieng took a seat across from him, his expression unreadable. "Didn't know I had an appointment."

Bernardo finally looked at him, a slow smile playing on his lips. "You always did have a sharp tongue. I wonder if you have the strength to match it."

Ochieng's hands curled into fists beneath the table. "Why are you here?"

Bernardo set his glass down. "To take back what's mine."

Ochieng scoffed. "You lost the right to this empire the day you disappeared."

Bernardo chuckled, but there was no warmth in it. "Did I? Or did I simply step aside to see what my son was capable of?"

Ochieng felt his blood turn to ice. This was a test?

"You're lying," he said coldly.

Bernardo leaned forward. "Am I? Tell me, son, have you ever wondered why you never faced true opposition? Why the biggest threats always fell before they could truly challenge you?"

Ochieng's mind raced. His rise had been filled with battles, but in hindsight… something had always felt too convenient. Too smooth.

"You pulled the strings," Ochieng muttered.

Bernardo nodded. "And now? The test is over."

Silence stretched between them.

"Walk away," Ochieng said finally. "You don't need this anymore."

Bernardo's smile faded. "That's where you're wrong. Power is in our blood. It's who we are. And if you won't give it to me…" His eyes darkened. "Then I'll take it."

---

Ochieng left the restaurant, his fists clenched.

Linet was waiting by the car. "How did it go?"

Ochieng opened the door, sliding inside. "Call everyone. We're going to war."

Linet didn't hesitate. She pulled out her phone, her voice cold and sharp.

The city wouldn't sleep tonight.

---

Ariella stood on the rooftop, watching the streets below. She had played both sides for too long, and now, the consequences were coming.

A voice spoke behind her. "You made your choice yet?"

She turned, meeting the piercing gaze of Jeff.

Ariella exhaled. "Not yet."

Jeff stepped closer. "You better hurry. Because when this war ends, one of them won't be standing."

Ariella nodded. She knew.

And she had to decide which king would fall.