The Mafia Heiress's Comeback: She's More Than You Think novel Chapter 355

Chapter 355 Gangsters

While Baimsa and Voutsas had each drained Maren’s time and energy in the past, this latest move–seizing control of four cities at once–marked a dramatic shift in her rise to power. Of course, Voutsas remained a loose thread. On paper, the Marshall family still held nominal control.

Driven by urgency, Maren pushed to consolidate her strength early. The faster she gathered power, the sooner she could strike without hesitation.

Still, one thing nagged at her. Since Isla’s return, the Sovereign Underworld had gone oddly quiet. Was Frank lying low or waiting to strike?

Tension lingered in the silence, and Maren couldn’t shake it. She assigned Criala’s day–to–day operations to Simon and left Isla’s protection to Stormclaw, not willing to take any chances.

“Do you need my help?” Sawyer offered.

“This is small–scale stuff. You’ve done more than your share already. If I start depending on you for everything. I’ll rack up a debt I can’t repay,” Maren said, waving him off with a faint grin.

“Alright.” Sawyer got where Maren was coming from. He wanted to be around her more, to grow closer, but he knew better than to push and risk making her uneasy.

Instead, he chose to keep his distance, just close enough to step in if she ever needed him.

Living just one door over, he was never far from Maren.

By noon, they had already shared lunch, and with time to spare before Simon’s arrival, Maren chose to explore

Plalo and get a better sense of her surroundings.

She’d read online that Plalo bordered Ylison–one of the four cities outside the Williams family’s control.

Constant conflict had worn the place down, leaving law enforcement weak and the city overwhelmed by poverty and problems.

“Taking down the Williams family is hard enough, but keeping a place like this under control? That’s a different

beast altogether.”

Only a few blocks into her walk, she’d already witnessed three separate altercations break out. In this part of the city, enforcement seemed more symbolic than functional. Minor violence rarely warranted intervention unless the damage was severe or too public to ignore.

Judging by the steady flow of people from Ylison, it was clear the Williams family had little interest in keeping this city in check.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”

By the time Maren reached the third street, she was met with raised voices and chaos ahead.

“Cut the crap and pay up! Or we’ll wreck your whole stall!”

15.50

ch

“And why exactly should we give you anything?”

You must be fresh around here. Let me spell it out if you want to run a

business on this treat, you pay the Wolf Park to exceptions”

Nese a model en

stand, right burly men formed a threatening circle. A woman and her daughter stood in

free of the cart, dearly outmatched and shaking with fear.

They were no match for guys that size too weak to fight back

“The underworld here in Palo is way more ruthless than in Slatinia”

from a distance, Maren caught sight of the scene unfolding While street–level extortion happened in every city, what struck hey was the cold indifference of those nearby. No one even slowed their step. Clearly, this kind of barassment was to routine here, it barely registered.

Maren didn’t waste time on small fights or gang trouble–those things didn’t interest her. But this city was soon to be here, and seeing helpless women being pushed around on her future ground made her step in.

“You guys. Maren stepped forward, but her voice faltered when she noticed who was caught in the middle of the group

She blinked in disbelief. “Agate? That was Winona’s friend–there was no mistaking it now.

Wasn’t she originally from Grisriver, back in Slatinia?

“Maren!” Agate’s eyes brimmed with tears. She had men surrounding her on all sides, but the sight of someone familiar made her gasp.