Tristan knocked on his mother's office door and turned the handle when he heard his mother respond. He walked in silently and closed the door behind him and waited standing at the door.

Sancia was on the phone busy with one of her usual rants about why a warehouse wasn't making enough profit and giving instructions about who was to blame to her personnel on the phone.

Time went on as Sancia carried on talking on the phone. At some point, Tristan looked at his watch. At this pace they could even end up missing dinner never mind making it to at least half the meeting with the studio owners his father was meeting with. It had been almost 20 minutes and his mother was still making phone calls. He knew she did it deliberately. If she had any disagreement with his father she became the most extreme boss. He had lost count of how many phone calls she had made. Her employees feared her for good reasons. If she was in the mood, many ended up six feet under or banished but that day she cut their salaries until they delivered results. It always worked. Cutting salary was a threat. If they didn't deliver they were dead.

Tristan got bored of waiting and walked around his mothers office looking around at her artifacts and books. She loved literature and Greek mythology and she used metaphors and literature references in her phone conversations alot to send hidden messages to whoever was at the other end. If he wasn't so annoyed at having to cancel on his father he would have been entertained by her words. But of course there was no getting out of having to spend a whole afternoon and by the looks of it an evening with his mother. He couldn't even use the excuse of studying to get out of having to be there. He knew all his books inside out because of all the tutors his mother had recruited to give him regular private tuition. He could do all his exams with his eyes closed because of the number tutoring hours he was scheduled.

Tristan didn't mind that much spending time with his mother but he didn't like being caught in the middle of his mothers competition with his father. She knew his father really wanted Tristan in his meeting that day and she had on purpose scheduled this meeting with the McNamaras.

Tristan was standing in front of his mothers grand library and picked a magazine. He started reading as he was standing and then he finally heard his mother " All finished. We can go now. Let me gather my belongings."

Tristan didn't respond and carried on looking at his magazine. His mother didn't like being ignored at all " I didn't think you would come. What made you show up. You missed the previous meeting I scheduled that was at the same time as your father's. what made you show up this time?"

Tristan sighed. He had missed the previous meeting and gladly had paid dearly for it. He had been booked triple the number of hours of private tuition for the previous month with the excuse that he needed it even though he didn't. But he would have missed this meeting again if he didn't owe his mother. If he broke his word about owing her, she was going to ground him most likely too as his crime would have been heavier. He knew his mother's rules well enough. That way he would have missed the party at their house next week. His mother would have gladly locked him up for going back on his word making him miss the chance to have that promised dance with Vienna. He didn't want to miss any chance with Vienna at all. She had promised him a dance and he counted the days. He smiled at the thought of her.

Sancia spoke firmly as she was packing her bag "I just asked you a question Tristan. Does this mean you are learning your lesson? You owe me also son..,"

Tristan sighed and put the magazine back on the shelf. She wanted him to admit defeat. She got satisfaction out of it. He turned around and stated " I owe you. Of course. I almost forgot. What would you want from me mother? Let me think.... You will ask me to go to the Giovanni 4th July party instead of going where father goes or maybe is it next Christmas you want to book me to go to the Giovanni's residence with you rather than spending Christmas with grandpa O'Neil?"

Sancia nodded " I am glad we have an understanding son. Follow me darling"

Tristan followed his mother without protest. His mother was a complex character. On the outer surface she was a caring mother. She came across as a liberal mother who didn't even discipline her children but she did discipline them indeed quite strictly in the most cunning ways with excuses his father couldn't even reject sometimes. He was wary of his mother very much. His father had taught him enough to be able to read between the lines and solve her riddle like language but it baffled him why no one else could be her match. She was a woman so she was underestimated again and again but that was a deadly mistake. Her assets had tripled in size and she had built an empire in underground crime that no one could imagine. Since she was a woman, she wasn't suspected by the FBI to be running any illegal businesses but she was and she had covered them up with legitimate reasons because her law degree had allowed her to operate in such manner. She was quite intelligent and not many people knew her deadliness. Not even her own children. Trent and Clarisa didn't know their mother like Tristan did or rather he was the one she had allowed to see that business side of her since he was the first born heir she was trying to have him on her side rather than on his father's. According to his father, only he knew what his mother was capable of and of course Francesco Rosario who was the best judge of character and a mastermind in many fields. There wasn't anyone he didn't know in the illegal world. He knew his enemies well and knew what they were capable of.

Sancia reached the car park and a long line of black cars with guards were already waiting. As he got in the car and Sancia signaled for the car to move, Tristan asked " You told me this is a simple meeting you are having with Alton's mother. It doesn't look like this. We are not going to your head office. Are we? Otherwise we won't need this much security."

Sancia stated " It is a meeting, son. I did not say how big or small. The scale of it was not determined. You should be more observant."

Tristan asked " So where are we going?"

Sancia stated " You will see. Also don't question me. I don't like it when you do."

Tristan shrugged " It's a legitimate question. Can't I know what exactly is going on?"

Sancia stated " Of course you can. But you will see. Now tell me how was your day in school? Francesco Rosario told me to give you a message to stay away from her. Can you tell me what's going on? Have you asked her out?"

Tristan spoke " No I haven't asked her out. She is not ready."

Sancia spoke " Nonsense. She must say yes to you in a heart beat. She is not to disrespect you. Giovannis don't get rejections. She is a Rosario. She is at your level. I would be outraged if she refuses you anything. Tell me what's happening with her? Has she refused you anything? I need to know..."

Tristan sighed " Mother. Vienna and I are doing fine. I assure you, I am capable of protecting her and fighting for her.... But I really don't like to talk about Vienna with anyone else. Mother you must respect my privacy. I insist..."

Sancia hesitated in responding. She knew her son enough. She couldn't push him too far or she was going to lose his loyalty completely. He could be controlled only to a certain extent. It sounded like Vienna meant so much to him. In many ways he reminded her of her husband. Emanuelle O'Neil was well known for being protective of his woman and when they were in high school she remembered how protective he was of her. She smiled at her son "I will respect your privacy, son. Just know I am here for you if you need to talk. A Rosario woman is hard to win."

Tristan bit his tongue not to say anything back and looked outside the window feeling outraged by his mother's words. He really didn't like how his mother viewed Vienna as someone that could be won like a trophy. This was outrageous. To her she was a trophy if she ever became associated with him and that really bothered him. But he knew his mother was fond of Vienna as she was a good girl in her eyes and the perfect potential girlfriend for him because of her father's status. He knew if she wasn't fond of her, she would have thrown girl after girl in his way and would have tried to sabotage his chances with Vienna with every ounce of her power.

Tristan surely would have had a fight on his hands if his girl was the subject of his mother's hate just like some other students were. She had a black list and she was planning to make life hell for them. She had been in the job of principal for two days and already Tristan had seen how some students had been given grief and targeted by his mother one by one. They had even seen nothing yet. She was going to push them to their breaking point.

Tristan really didn't know how his father could be getting along with his mother. It was a wonder. They were so in love and their marriage was strong. But it was baffling to many how it was possible. His father was a more liberal father who was the exact opposite of his mother in many ways . He tried to make life easy for his sons by inserting alot of entertainment and fun in between all the grueling training he gave Tristan and Trent. He was a truly loving and caring father who wanted his children to be strong but also happy. But his mother was not so keen on them being necessarily happy. She just wanted success, power and results. Any fun part of their lives was all his father's doing. There was only one explanation. His parents were simply in love regardless of their differences.

Tristan was surprised to see the car stopped at a hotel owned by the McNamara family. As he looked around and saw the whole car park of the hotel covered by cars and armed men, he realised this was one of those conferences between his mother and her own circle of allies. He sighed. He was going to be there until late evening and he was. The end of the conference was near midnight.

When Tristan arrived home he went straight to his father's study to speak to him. As he knocked on the door, he said "Come in."

Tristan entered and closed the door " I apologise father for not coming with you and having to cancel."

Emanuelle O'Neil was playing billiard in his office. It was his hobby when he took breaks during his long hours of work in his study looking at his paperwork and reports. Tristan seemed to have arrived during his break time.

Emmanuelle looked at his son and spoke " Hello sport, come and pick up a billiard stick. You will catch up with Trent about what you missed."

Tristan walked to his father and took a billiard stick. He never could achieve his father's skills in billiard. His father was going to beat him easily of course. But he had to try either way to get some points.

As Tristan was aiming at a ball, his father stated "Your future father in law called."

Tristan messed up his shot as his hand moved. He straightened up facing his father "Who?"

Emanuelle laughed "Who? Come on son. You are almost part of the Rosario family. Congratulations for surviving your first encounter with him. He told me he saw you in school today. I am proud of you son. You are back home in one piece so that's a good sign." He then bent forward and hit a ball which was a perfect shot as usual.

Tristan spoke "What else did he say?"

Emanuelle spoke "He wants to come here and talk to you. I told him no of course. You are not ready to face him and there is no need for any meeting yet. It's not like you are taking her to the end of year prom. Is it son? Unless you have something to tell me." He then chuckled and hit the next ball.

Tristan stated "Actually I am. She said yes."

Emanuelle smiled as he hit the next ball and then straightened up facing Tristan"I know. I was just messing with you.... He told me... Apparently, Viggo told him she is going with you to the end of year prom. He is a good brother to her. He thinks her father shouldn't let her go. I could hear Viggo's voice as I was talking to Francesco. Be wary of him. He can't turn his father against you. Francesco is never influenced by anyone except for when his wife interferes sometimes but that kid could turn your girl against you......"

Tristan was definitely going to have a word with Viggo. He was interfering in his business too much and he had to teach him his place. Tristan nodded "Thank you father for the warning..."

Emanuelle shook his head as he laughed "You should have heard the threats Francesco was throwing my way. If you were not delivered to his door step within the next hour he was going to come over and attack this house." He laughed harder and shook his head "I told him you are at an undisclosed location with your mother. So here you go, your day out with your mother saved you since I had enough time to talk to Francesco..... I convinced him to interrogate you some time later because you are busy with your studies and lets face it, she hasn't agreed to go out with you. It's just the prom. So I postponed your meeting with him to weeks later giving me enough time to prepare you for it. You are welcome son." He then hit the next ball.