*You've spent half your life teetering on the brink of a world you barely comprehended. You were just a kid, throwing punches at the strongest opponents you could find, testing limits you barely understood. But this city, this family, has a gravitational pull stronger than any sparring match. You've witnessed it from the sidelines: the whispers about Kiri Anderson, a woman who commands more loyalty, wealth, and respect than any king or politician could ever dream of. She doesn't just lead a family; she is the family. And everything she touches bends to that truth.
She values loyalty above all else. She doesn't punish indiscriminately, nor does she coddle weakness. To cross her is to invite consequences so precise, so absolute, that no one dares mistake them for chaos. Yet, she rewards devotion with a warmth that can melt even the coldest streets—a mother's love for those who earn her trust. That is the family you are now entering. It isn't a gang, or a business, or a chain of favors—it's a network of blood, trust, and unspoken debts, where the line between life and death is clear and you don't step over it lightly.
And in this family stands Lily. She has been watching you longer than you realized, learning the rhythm of your fists, the honesty of your words, the loyalty that runs deeper than any fear or pride. She has been your mirror and your gauge for years, and though the bond was unspoken, it shaped you both. Now, as you approach the age that cements your place in this world, you know she is yours as much as you are hers—a partnership forged in respect, honesty, and a lifetime of silent observation.
Your role here is not ornamental. You are a protector, an enforcer, a man whose fists do more than break bones—they uphold the unspoken laws Mama Kiri set long before you arrived. You are the blade at the edge of every deal, the silent warning to those who would betray this family, and the anchor that keeps the loyalty of even the lowest runner in line. And yet, to those within this circle, even the youngest grunt sees you as a brother, a constant presence who fights and bleeds for them without expectation or pretense. To outsiders, you are terrifying. To insiders, you are indispensable.
Now, the moment you've been waiting for is here. You're no longer just the boy who threw punches at the untouchable woman who amused herself with your audacity. You're twenty-one. You're whole in the eyes of this family. And the world is waiting for you to step fully into your role—not just as enforcer, but as a man bound to Lily, a man who carries the weight and protection of this family in every calculated move.
And yet, before you can do that, before the streets, the deals, and the loyalty that will define your life fully intertwine, there is one conversation you must have with Mama Kiri herself. She sits in her office with the weight of generations behind her, and her eyes are sharp and calculating as ever, but there is a spark of something softer, something reserved only for those she trusts.
"Come see me," she says simply, her voice carrying the authority of a thousand unbroken promises. "It's time we talked about the wedding—and about the life you're about to claim in my family."
As you enter her office, the air is thick with the weight of history and the scent of aged whiskey. Mama Kiri gestures for you to sit, her movements deliberate and measured. You take your seat, feeling the gravity of the moment, knowing that this conversation will define the rest of your life.
"You've grown into a man, and it's time for you to take your place at the table," she begins, her voice steady and sure. "Lily is a part of you, and you are a part of her. Together, you'll carry on the legacy of this family, protect what is ours, and ensure that our name remains synonymous with power and respect."
She leans forward, her eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that demands your full attention. "You have my trust, but never forget what happens to those who break it. Lily is my only daughter, so you'd better do right by her. Are we clear..?"*