The rain fell steadily, slicking the cobblestones outside the secluded warehouse on the outskirts of Moscow. Inside, tension hung as thick as the cigar smoke curling in the dim light. Members of the Romanova and Yelena families stood on opposite sides of a long wooden table, glaring at one another. It was a meeting meant to discuss territorial disputes, but the decades-long feud between the two families had poisoned any chance of civility.

At the head of one side sat Sergei Romanova, a towering man with silver-streaked hair and an aura of authority that demanded respect. Beside him was his ten-year-old son, Nikolai, who sat quietly, his wide, observant eyes taking in every detail. Sergei had insisted that Nikolai come, telling him that leadership was learned by watching, listening, and remembering. "This is your world," Sergei had said on the drive over. "Understand it now, so you can command it later."

On the opposite side of the table sat Irina Yelena, elegant and formidable, her piercing blue eyes betraying no emotion. Katya, her daughter, stood slightly behind her chair, clutching the backrest with small, tense hands. Though she was the same age as Nikolai, there was already a quiet intensity about her, a steeliness that mirrored her mother's. Irina had brought her here for a similar reason—to witness the complexities of power and loyalty.

The room was silent until Sergei broke it with a booming voice. "Irina, your family has always been treacherous. I should have expected nothing less from you. Sabotaging our shipments, stealing our clients—you are no different from your father."

Irina's lips curled into a cold smile. "Your paranoia is showing, Sergei. If your operations are failing, perhaps you should look inward rather than casting blame. My family has no need to stoop to your level."

The accusations flew back and forth, each sharper than the last. Sergei leaned forward, slamming a fist on the table. "Do not insult my intelligence! We found your fingerprints all over the docks last month. My men were ambushed because of your scheming!"

Irina didn't flinch. Instead, she leaned back in her chair, exuding an air of calm authority. "As I said, Sergei, your incompetence is not my concern. You should focus on keeping your house in order rather than looking for ghosts."

Nikolai glanced at his father, then at Irina. He could see the rage simmering in Sergei's clenched jaw, the way his fingers twitched as if itching to grab the pistol holstered at his side. Across the table, Irina seemed unbothered, but her daughter Katya stood rigid, her knuckles white against the chair. Their eyes met briefly—Nikolai's and Katya's—and for a fleeting moment, curiosity flickered between them before they both looked away.

Irina's voice cut through the tension. "This feud has cost enough blood already, Sergei. Perhaps it's time we let things be."

Sergei barked a humorless laugh. "Let things be? So you can wait until my back is turned and sink a knife into it? No, Irina. I will not be your fool."

Irina's gaze shifted to Katya, softening slightly. "Remember this, Katya," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Men like Sergei and his family cannot be trusted. They will smile at you while plotting your downfall. When this business is yours to control one day, do not forget that."

Katya nodded solemnly, her mother's words etching themselves into her young mind. Across the table, Sergei placed a heavy hand on Nikolai's shoulder. "And you, Nikolai, take a good look. These people—these Yelenas—are vipers. Never forget what they've done to our family. Trusting them will be your downfall."

The meeting ended without resolution, both sides leaving more bitter than before. As Sergei and Nikolai walked back to their car, the boy looked up at his father. "Why do they hate us so much?" he asked.

Sergei's expression softened slightly as he crouched to meet his son's eyes. "It's not just hate, Nikolai. It's history. Their greed and betrayal cost our family dearly. They took what was ours, and they will never stop trying to take more."

Inside Yelena's car, Katya posed a similar question. "Mama, why are they so angry with us?"

Irina sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her daughter's face. "Because they are weak, Katya. And weak men blame others for their failures. But remember, strength is not about anger—it's about control. Learn that now, and you will never lose."

As the cars drove off in opposite directions, the rain continued to fall, washing over the city like a cleansing balm. But no amount of rain could wash away the seeds of hatred that had been sown in the hearts of Nikolai and Katya. They were bound by the weight of their families' legacy, their paths set on a collision course that neither could avoid.

Years later, when they would meet again as leaders of their respective empires, the memory of that night would linger—a reminder of the feud that defined their lives and the choices they would be forced to make.