The Family Code

Chapter 5: The first test

Morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my penthouse apartment and cast long shadows over polished floors, leaving long shadows across them and on my polished floors below. As I stood at my window gazing upon the city below, all seemed peaceful after yesterday night's chaos had settled into early hours of this day; events from yesterday still haunted my thoughts: the tension in the warehouse; strange looks from men; Darius' cool, calm demeanor. Now was finally the day I would officially meet those tied into this world!

Darius had mentioned a meeting looming large, and although I tried to put it out of mind, its thought kept entering. More I reflected upon it, the more I came to appreciate how little knowledge I actually possessed regarding this new world I'd entered--only the superficial details like business dealings, meetings and people were known; that wasn't sufficient and never would be.

As I ran my hand through my hair and collected my thoughts, it dawned on me: even as much as I desired to flee this situation altogether, there was no turning back now; Darius made that clear--this life had begun for me already and there would be no going back from here on out. So the real test would come from showing I deserved being part of it all.

As soon as the elevator doors opened behind me, I turned around to see Darius enter the room - his presence commanding even before he spoke a single word. Already donned in black suit with perfectly coiffed hairstyled into its usual place and sporting that familiar mask of controlled intensity on his face he appeared every bit the part: unyielding power that demanded submission to its will and authority without reservation or weakness from those under its authority.

"You must have been up early," he observed with an undercurrent that indicated it would be different today.

At first I didn't respond immediately. Today was finally the day for me to meet his partners--the men responsible for not just controlling the streets but also contributing towards Darius' empire--but from my research so far it seemed they didn't trust easily.

"I'm ready," I finally announced with more conviction than felt necessary.

Darius looked me over briefly as though to ascertain my sincerity of words spoken, seemingly trying to assess if this world had something important for him in it that needed further exploring. At that very moment, his gaze caught mine; I could feel his weighting of me with each gazed glance that fell upon my figure weighing me down with each scrutinous glance from him weighing my every move; for an instantaneous instant I wondered whether or not diving deeper would be wise decision.

"Make sure that you show up," he insisted, as this meeting is of crucial importance: not just making deals but proving you belong here as well.

"I understand," was my reply, as my fingers ran across the silk fabric of my dress that rested against my skin, feeling cool against my fingertips. My choice had been something professional yet discreet--something to show that I meant business but wouldn't attract too much attention; last thing I wanted was for people to think otherwise of me in this world.

Darius moved closer, his gaze never leaving mine. I watched as his expression softened slightly but knew this wouldn't mean anything; everything in Darius' world had to serve a purpose and be calculated for.

"Don't worry," he assured, his voice changing to sound less authoritative but still conveying assurance. With that, he reached out and put his hand gently on my shoulder--only touching slightly but leaving an indelible mark of authority behind. He spoke softly yet authoritatively: "Just remember they won't make this easy for you, but if you can handle them you will make it." "Jane, just keep reminding yourself, if they make things difficult you won't fail; so if they do fail, so will they let her in!" he advised, knowing full well the consequences would follow later that day he told.

As I nodded, trying to suppress a wave of nervous energy that rose within me, my chest tightened with each nod of agreement. Not knowing exactly what "in" meant or meant anymore - once one entered their world there was no turning back!

Arriving late morning at Darius' private building was impressive: sleek and contemporary in design with security cameras everywhere and men in suits moving purposefully about. When Darius entered, people seemed to shift when he entered through doors; conversations would temporarily stop when entering rooms with Darius present. His presence seemed to command it all and people became less animated as soon as he entered them.

The conference room sat atop of the building, featuring walls made entirely from tinted glass to provide panoramic views of the city below. At one end was an array of six men dressed in dark suits who seemed inaccessible despite Darius having provided me with their names the previous night; suddenly standing before them hit home the truth that these individuals existed.

These were men whose influence extended far beyond my comprehension, yet here I was, witnessing their meeting as Darius trusted me enough to invite me in. I reminded myself that Darius trusted me enough to include me.

"Please meet Simone," Darius announced with authority, adding her as part of their team. He found his words convincing enough for most.

They all looked at me with differing degrees of suspicion, their eyes flickering across me before returning back onto Darius. I knew they were evaluating me--looking for weaknesses or flaws--so it was important that I remain strong.

As I swallowed back my swelling throat, offering an awkward nod, keeping my expression and body language neutral yet confident, I took a breath to clear. Not sure whether this move would work out or not; all I knew for certain is it had been all I had left to give.

One of the men, an elderly figure with graying hair and a square jawline, leaned forward. His gaze held nothing back but held something below the surface - perhaps curiosity? "Darius, how come you bring another female into this world and expect us to accept her?

His voice was gentle yet arrogant and I could feel heat rising up from within me; nonetheless, I refused to back down or waver in any way.

"I trust her," Darius answered simply and confidently, his voice unwavering in tone.

I breathed a small sigh of relief as the man smiled slightly but did not press further on Darius' word, knowing full well it held weight here but knowing full well this would not be straightforward or simple.

As we went along in our meeting, the topic changed to business: deals, shipments and the shifting balance of power. On the surface level it all appeared normal enough; but I could feel an underlying tension beneath every word being exchanged - testing me each step of the way as each question or glance became part of a larger puzzle that wasn't exactly easy for me to crack.

At every meeting I did my best to stay focused, contributing when necessary and closely watching how they interacted. Darius never once looked directly at me but rather paid more attention to those around him; occasionally nodding, but staying distant, almost like he wanted me to find my own footing alone.

Conversation concluded, and men exchanged handshakes as the meeting concluded. I wasn't sure whether I passed or failed their tests; as the meeting came to a close, a sense of discomfort crept over me from their gazes, unspoken judgments, and unsaid criticism; all became too much for me to bear.

Darius came over as everyone filed out, his face unreadable. I expected something, anyhow. Instead he placed his hand lightly on my lower back before leading me out of the conference room - his touch unexpectedly gentle.

"You did well," he commented once we reached the hallway, his tone low but with an air of approval in his tone. "Better than expected."

"I thought for sure I was about to blow it," I admitted, hoping my joke came across more awkward than intended.

Darius cast me an appraising glance. "You did well; you held up well."

Nodding politely, but in my heart of hearts knowing full well it wasn't over yet; meeting was only just starting off; now would come the hard parts!

Later that Day

I returned alone from the meeting for the first time since. My mind raced with every detail from what had taken place and every word spoken during our exchange; confidence started ebbing from what had once seemed secure stance; men at meeting were watching closely, always ready for something big to happen, their tension palpable; I could feel their uncertainty around me--their doubt and uncertainty--they hadn't decided yet whether they accepted me yet and vice versa for myself;

As I settled into my couch and allowed exhaustion to settle over me, thoughts kept drifting back to Darius. His silent yet commanding presence had been ever present during our meeting--reminding me I still fell under his umbrella; though part of me wanted more independence; part of me wanted to prove I wasn't just an extension of him.

But I doubted my ability to manage on my own in this world.

No longer was I sure, however.