Page 53 of Legacy

“As if I can forget. Eli knows I’m using him.” The shock on their faces was almost comical. “He isn’t stupid. He knew since before the wedding.”

“And he still married you?”

“It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“Is that all it is?” Cali cocked her head to the side, studying me. “I saw how he watches you. He’s extremely protective of you, which also means us.”

“I’m not following.”

“It annoys Vik to hell and back, but Eli sent a team to our property as additional protection.”

I blinked. Why would Eli do that?

Of course, I knew why. My sisters meant everything to me, and I would put my life on the line for them. So, if they were safe, I remained safe.

“At first, the night of your wedding, I was nervous about our return to the house, especially since Vik had to remainbehind on the estate,” Laya said. “Our family pushed many buttons that day. Cali and I were easy targets for everyone who wanted answers on why we appeared suddenly.

“When Cali and I readied to leave, one of Elias’s chief lieutenants informed us his team would join the Vitalis forces to escort us home, and they would remain as additional protection from then on.”

Cali shook her head. “Vik was not happy at all, but what could he say to a gesture of protection for Elias’s new wife’s sisters?”

“Eli steamrolled Vik. That’s what he did.” I smirked, and then I sobered. “I upset the big players that night and put you in danger.”

“Even if you remained quiet, many of them would have questions, and with us alive, it now challenges the legitimacy of the territory division.” Laya blew out a deep breath.

“Everything belongs to us. That is a fact.” I sat up straighter.

Plus, with the aid of our relatives in America, we’d discovered piles of paperwork filled with forgeries and deception.

It was too bad for all of them. Papa had planned for the succession of property long before their treachery, and no amount of legal maneuvering would work in their favor.

“You do realize, by marrying Elias and the land moving under you legally, you are officiallythe godmother of the Vitalis Family,” Laya said.

Cali added, “Outside of what he gave us upon our births, everything transferred to you the moment Papa died.”

My sisters’ words sent a shiver down my spine.

“Eli doesn’t know the details. And it doesn’t matter. It’s not about me but about our children. They will have what belongs to them and everything the bastard Ozias possessed.”

“When it becomes public knowledge, the target on you will grow larger. You’ll become like Papa, a figure to envy and attack.” The fear in Cali’s voice had me covering her fingers with my own.

“How is it any different than the lives we’ve lived up until now?” I asked her.

“The three of us survived with the pressure of being Juno Vitalis’s daughters daily,” Laya stated. “Plus, we hold the legacy of the old-world syndicate in our blood. Not just from Papa’s side but more so from Mama.”

How could I have overlooked this? She was not only the daughter of a fifth-generation syndicate boss, but she also carried royal blood from her great-grandmother, who was the daughter of an Italian prince.

“There is no denying our value.” I turned my focus on the girls. “I’m not the one we need to worry about. It’s the two of you. Marrying Eli gives me protection you don’t have.”

“And taking one of us is a way to grab power.” Laya’s words came with a tinge of resignation. “I know I’m up next. Give me the details.”

A pang of guilt hit me. “Laya, you d?—”

“No. You don’t get to make all the sacrifices,” Laya said, cutting me off. “Tell me about them. I know there are three. I overheard Vik discussing something, but that’s all I know.”

I nodded. “Three offers came in from prominent families. Vik vetted them.”

“Are any of them good enough for Laya?” Cali asked.

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