I was just slouching on the couch, eating popcorn and watching TV. I was feeling bored and sleepy but I don't want to sleep.

"Where's my favourite girl?" Eliza sang entering the living room.

"Here." I groaned.

"What happened?" She asked, chuckling a little.

"I'm getting bored and missing Dad. And Mom." I mumbled, my eyes closing.

"Maybe brownies can help?" She asked, as my eyes lit up.

"You brought brownies?" I asked.

"Nuh uh. Homemade brownies. I'm going to make them. You stay here and try not to sleep." She said.

"Yes Boss." I said, saluting.

Some time later, Lorenzo strode into the living room. His eyebrows furrowed when he entered the room. He looked like he was looking for someone.

"What?" I asked, before smirking. "Does the living room smell like Eliza?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows.

"You-" Lorenzo was cut off, by the doorbell ringing.

Saved me from a long lecture.

A man came in.
"Miss Russo is here to meet you, Sir." The man said, bowing respectfully to the now-tensed Capo. I got up from my place.

Why is Lorenzo so tensed and uncomfortable? Why haven't I heard of this Miss Russo ever before?

Lorenzo stood frozen, on the spot, like a deer caught in headlights.

"Hello, Mr. Costello." I heard a very sweet angelic voice say. I moved forward.

A girl stood there, about Roman's age, wearing a white dress that made her look like an angel. She looked so beautiful and pure.

I smiled at her as she smiled sweetly.

Roman came striding down, humming a song but stopped when his eyes fell on the girl.

"Hey." He said, coming forwards towards her. He was a little awkward.

"Hello, Roman." She said, smiling, then looking down, not being able to hold eye contact.

Ooooo. She's blushing.

New ship, I guess.

"Why don't you have a seat?" Lorenzo asked, politely.

"Thanks Mr. Costello." She said, before sitting down as I cleaned the couch where I was sitting.

Roman kept looking at the girl with a smile on his face. The girl avoided eye contact with him.

"I was actually here to talk about the deal." She said. Lorenzo looked at us for a second, then nodded his head.

"Let's go to my office to discuss." He said, getting up and straightening his coat.

That's when I noticed the guard, standing in the doorway of the living room. He was her bodyguard.

Is she a princess?

"What deal?" Roman asked, confused. "I thought, Alice was not involved in the business?"

There was silence for a while. Alice looked at Roman then at Lorenzo, before bowing her head, a sad look crossed her face.

"I thought about it a lot and I think Roman deserves to know." She said, softly. "I know, its too late and we decided to keep it a secret. I'm sorry, Mr. Costello, but that's what I am here for, today."

How can someone be so sweet? Her voice is so soft.

Lorenzo opened his mouth, probably to stop her, judging by the look on his face, but she spoke before he could do so.

"Our parents, decided that I was to marry the Capo and be the mafia queen."

She dropped the bomb.

She said all of that, with a shaky voice and with pained expression not looking at Roman.

The fuck?

What about Eliza? And Roman?

But Lorenzo likes Eliza, who likes him back. And judging by how they act, Roman and Alice like each other.

But Lorenzo is to marry Alice?

Why would he give hints to Eliza then?

This is so messed up.

Roman looked like he just got hit by a car.

The forceful clinking of china on the hard table snapped us all out of shock.

I looked at the source to see Eliza, standing there in shock. She closed her mouth, gulped and clenched her jaw. Her eyes filled with tears when they landed at Lorenzo.

Without a word, she just shook her head and walked out of the room.

Immediately, I ran behind her, not before shooting a glare towards the girl, that stood there, teary-eyed.

"Eliza." I yelled, as I catched up to her.

She didn't turn around to face me, just kept walking. I catched up to her and turned her around. Tears were running down her cheeks. I hugged her, as she buried her head in my shoulder and sobbed.

"Hey. Don't cry. We're gonna get rid of that girl." I gritted.

"He could've told me, you know. I wouldn't have catched feelings. I spent years waiting for him to finally get the hints. To ask me to be his girlfriend. While he was just playing with me, giving me hints. He knew, he was supposed to marry someone else." She stuttered out.

"That can't be true. You know Lorenzo. He's not like that. You are overwhelmed Eliza. Don't think like that." I said, rubbing her back.

"What else is it?" She sobbed. "Alice just comes out of nowhere to tell us that she is supposed to marry Lorenzo and they knew about it for who knows how long? What else was he doing, knowing he was to marry her, but giving me hints and leading me on."

"If it is true, I will kick him so hard, it will fucking destroy his kid maker. Brother or not." I said, making Eliza shake her head.

"That's so cruel. I'll be satisfied with clawing his guts out." She said. I chuckled.

"But that Bitch needs to be put in her place. Fucking Princess." I said, pulling away and speed walking towards the living room again.

"Amelia. No. Stop. It's not her fault." Eliza said, running behind me.

"What?" I asked, turning around.

"I've known her for a long time. She used to visit a lot. She's actually very sweet. Maybe she is being forced too?" She said, with pleading eyes. "I'm just hurt, Lorenzo kept leading me on, without telling me about this arrangement."

"Fine." I grumbled.

"I'm going home. Don't say anything okay?" She said, hugging me.

Like I would do that. I'm going to yell all the curses at him if he doesn't clean up the mess.

Lorenzo's POV.

"Don't worry. She'll be the mafia queen. You don't have to worry about your daughter's future." Dad had said to Russo.

I was seven at the time and could do nothing, other than watch Dad and Russo talk about how she was gonna be the mafia queen.

Little me was just jealous. How could she be the mafia queen. Because I wanted to be the king. I wanted the throne.

As I grew up, I started seeing the true meaning behind that. It was just a thing, between the four of us. No one else knew.

I never got along with Alice. We were still not on first name basis yet. But her and Roman were great friends and had a thing for each other, since they were little.

I never bothered, even talking to her while she played with Roman. I was too busy with studies, training and work, to pay attention. I was the oldest after all and to take my Dad's place as the capo.

I stared outside the window. The sky was pink. The sun was setting.

I tried so hard not to fall in love with anyone, knowing I was to keep Dad's promise.

I had no friends. I didn't have time for them. But once I took over the business, I found a friend, I didn't know I desperately needed, in Eliza.

She was my only friend.

That friendship turned into love, without any of us noticing.

But a man doesn't back away from his words. No one in the mafia world respects a person who backs away from promises, Capo or not. If Dad backs away now, Russo will most likely ruin his reputation, if he decided to be offended by it and tell everyone about the matter.

Besides, Dad won't be too happy, if his promise is broken.

Dad promised Alice would be the Mafia queen.

She will be. That's for sure.

I'll step down the position. Roman will be the Capo.

I'll give up. Sacrifice everything. The money. The power. This life as the Capo. The mafia.

But I will not marry someone, who is not Eliza.

The sun had almost set. I swirled my drink in the glass.

Alice is a sweet girl. Pampered like the princess she is. Obedient and smart.

"I want to ask for a favour." She had said, her form shaking. She was scared.

"You don't need to be scared of me, Miss Russo." I said, gently, to calm her down.

"But you will not like what I have to say." She said, in a small voice.

Don't say you are actually happy with the deal.

"I know you can't let your father, back away from his words. But I can't marry you. We were kids back then. We didn't know what we were signed into. I like someone else. We won't be happy together." She said, looking me in the eyes.

I smiled, unknowingly.

"I can't let my father back away from his words, yes." I began as I saw disappointment flashing through her face.

"But I'm not happy with the deal either. We will tell our parents ourselves, together. I'll set up a meeting with both of our parents." I said. She sighed in relief and looked happy and hopeful.

"I know, I should've done this earlier. I'm sorry for that." I said.

I was too occupied to do anything. With Mom's health declining and finding Amelia, I didn't have time to do anything about this matter.

I didn't want Eliza and Roman to know about it, before its settled.

"I will take your leave now, sir." She said, getting up.

Such a respectful lady, unlike that little lioness in the skin of a cat. But that's what I love about her.

"Lorenzo." I said, correcting her and sticking my hand forward, for a formal shake, like sealing the deal. She smiled and nodded, shaking my hand.

She walked back towards the door, but stopped and turned around again.

"Uhh.. Do you mind if I go see Roman?" She asked, hesitantly. "I mean, if we get married, it would be inappropriate. We're still bound to each other."

I smiled.
"You don't need to ask for my permission. You're not my wife, so I don't get to interfere with your personal affairs."

Even my real wife, won't have to ask for permission. Because she won't have any love interest except me and she can have male friends. If we don't trust each other, we won't be married.

She smiled and closed the door softly.

That's what happened during my discussion with Alice.

The sun was set and it was dark now.

The door to my office opened and Roman walked in.

He had a tear stained face and puffy eyes. His clothes were a little dirty, which told me he was in the garden. He does that when he is too sad.

"You could have told me, you know. I would've backed away from her." He muttered, in a betrayed tone. He didn't look at me.

"Even Mom and Dad didn't bother telling me." He said.

"Mom doesn't know. It was just our fathers and us." I said, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"I didn't want to tell you Roman. I wanted to just sort it out, without telling you. If I told you, you would've backed away from her, as you said, and maybe lose the love of your life."

Alice always tried to push Roman away, but she couldn't go against her heart. She couldn't hide her feelings.

She couldn't gather up the courage to break Roman's heart. I was surprised when she finally decided to tell him today.

But it was too late.

They already loved each other.

"What's different now? I've lost her, even though you all hid it." He shrugged.

I couldn't stand seeing Roman so broken.

"You've not lost her, Roman." I assured.

"You didn't meet her, did you? After she left my office." I asked. He shook his head.

"I'm not going to marry her, and she wanted to ask me for a favour and help her get out of this arrangement."

"But what about the deal?"

"I have a plan." I smiled. Roman looked hopeful and smiled a little.

"Go have rest now." I said, getting up and hugging him. He sniffed a little and hugged me tight for a long time.

"I can't see you broken, Lorenzo." He muttered, shocking me. "I know, you're hurting too."

"Don't worry." I said, as he cried into my shoulder. "I'll fix it."

----------

Do you think Lorenzo should have told Eliza and Roman?