The early morning fog clung stubbornly to the sprawling Russo estate, wrapping the tall iron gates and manicured hedges in a soft gray veil. Adrian Russo stood near the entrance, his small frame tense beneath a crisp white shirt. At just ten years old, he already carried the invisible weight of his family's name—one built on power, secrets, and long-standing grudges.
A sleek black car rolled slowly up the gravel driveway, its engine humming quietly as the driver navigated past the guards. Adrian's eyes sharpened as the door swung open and a girl stepped out, her dark hair whipping in the breeze. Isabella Romano was the name whispered with suspicion and disdain throughout the town. She wasn't just another kid—she was his family's fiercest rival.
Isabella's gaze locked onto Adrian instantly, unflinching. Her lips curled into a half-smile tinged with challenge. Without a hint of hesitation, she marched past the guards and stood directly before him.
"You think you own this town, don't you, Russo?" Her voice was low but carried a sharp edge that cut through the morning air like a blade.
Adrian's jaw clenched. "And you think you can just walk in here and challenge me?"
They were children, but in their eyes burned the flames of a war that had lasted far longer than either of them had been alive. Their families' feud was an unspoken war waged behind closed doors, a silent battlefield where alliances were fragile and betrayal lurked in every shadow.
"You're nothing but a spoiled brat," Isabella said, stepping closer. "Your family's just a bunch of criminals hiding behind money and guns."
Adrian took a step forward, his voice low but fierce. "At least we don't hide behind lies."
A tense silence fell between them, broken only by the distant call of a crow. Neither blinked, neither backed down. It was the beginning of something neither could yet understand, a rivalry that would shape their lives in ways they couldn't imagine.
As Isabella turned on her heel and disappeared toward the edge of the estate, Adrian's mind raced. This wasn't just a fight between kids. This was a war between legacies. And somewhere deep inside, beneath all the anger and resentment, a spark had been lit, one that neither of them could extinguish.