Chapter 68

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Meanwhile in Italy.

Third POV.

Elena clutched her phone tightly in her hand. She was angry. Its been a long time since she have felt this way.

Francesco entered the kitchen, typing on his phone. He entered the kitchen and seeing the look on his wife's face, he wanted to run back to their room.

"Tell me, dear husband, what are you hiding from me?" Elena asked. Phone clutched in one hand and her knife, with which she was working, in the other.

And for the first time in years, Francesco saw the assassin he once fell in love with.

"What are you talking about, honey?" He asked, moving forward, trying to calm her down.

She stalked towards him dangerously, so he was pinned against the counter.

"Tell me, Francesco. Why am I getting a phone call from my daughter saying, you promised Russo, that you will marry your eldest son to his daughter?" She asked, the fire in her eyes, blazing angrily.

"And this "deal" happened years ago, when they were kids?" She clenched her jaw.

Francesco stood there, shocked. She was gonna know someday. He was gonna tell her, when Lorenzo was ready for marriage.

"Fucking say something, Mr. Costello." She gritted, grabbing the collar of his shirt, harshly. "You used your position as the Capo to decide your son's future? You sold your own son? Or should I say, buy someone's daughter?"

"What would you have done, if your Dad decided who you loved? And what would you have done, if you still fell in love with this assassin?"

Elena kept accusing him.

"I said, fucking say something, Francesco. Or I am leaving to live with my kids and fucking destroy whatever arrangements you made with Russo." Elena spat in his face, pulling him down with the collar of his shirt.

"I'm-I'm sorry, honey. I'm really sorry. It just happened in the rush of the moment. Remember, we were attacked when Lorenzo was seven. Russo almost lost his life that day, saving us. He was afraid. He wanted to serve us, but he was worried for his daughter. He was worried if he died someday, his daughter will be an orphan."

"His wife died during childbirth. All of his family, turned their back to him, after he joined us. There was no one for taking care of his child. He was worried, no one will marry her or she would marry the wrong person. Every father is. But he's a little too conservative and all he was worried for, was her marriage. He asked for one thing, in return of his loyalty." He said, all in one breath.

"I had to pay him for his loyalty to the family. He asked me to marry her into the Costello Family, secure her life as the Queen."

Elena was shocked, to say the least. Her hands still clutched his shirt, as she looked up at him with her big teary eyes.

"For god's sake, Francesco. You could've accepted her as your daughter. You could've accepted to be her father, if Russo died. Alice is a sweet girl. You could've just taken her responsibility." Elena said, punching his chest, continuously, as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"I told you, it was a promise made in the heat of the moment. You were injured, Elena. The kids were in danger. I was too overwhelmed to think straight." He said, wiping her tears away.

"But my son loves someone else." She said, almost yelling and punching him again. Like a little kid throwing a tantrum.

"He fell in love with someone else and I won't be able to see him losing her." She sounded broken, her voice cracked.

She was.

How could a mother see her child getting his heart broken?

How could Lorenzo leave Eliza and watch her spend her life with someone who is not him?

Elena clung onto her husband and sobbed into his chest. Francesco wrapped his arms around his wife, still leaning against the counter he was pinned against.

"Fix it, Francesco. My son will not be married to that girl, just because you made a deal. I don't care what you do. Get my child out of this mess." She said, pulling away.

Francesco looked helpless.

"Alice is a sweet girl. Russo raised her into a very respectful and polite human. But I won't play the role of her mother-in-law. I won't, ever, accept her as my eldest daughter-in-law." Elena said, in a business-like tone, going into her mafia queen role. Elena walked out, leaving Francesco there.

Francesco felt bad too. He was stuck between playing the role of the ex-capo and stick to the deal, or a father and get back from his words.

But he had made his choice.

Of course, he was gonna be a good father and try to convince Russo.

At this point, he didn't even care about his reputation.

He was about to call Russo, when his phone rang.

Lorenzo.

"I need to talk to you about something, Dad. I've set up a meeting with Mr. Russo. We'll meet him on saturday."

That's all he said and Francesco knew his son was trying to sort it out. So, he just listened to whatever his son said and agreed.

Lorenzo's POV.

"Angel?" I called out again.

No response.

I was standing at the foot of the stairs, calling out to her. I tried calling her, but she wouldn't pick up. She wouldn't let me come inside her room.

It's been ten minutes and I'm running out of time.

"AMELIA COSTELLO. COME DOWN HERE, RIGHT NOW." I yelled. Hope this works.

"YOU ARE NOT IN THE POSITION TO ORDER ME. STOP YELLING, FOR FUCK'S SAKE." She yelled back.

I knew that would get a response out of her.

"I'm leaving for Italy. Come down, please." I yelled as I heard a door slam shut and angry footsteps approaching me. Amelia stomped down the stairs, glaring at me and Alice.

She stepped down the last step of the stair and turned briskly.
"I came down. Go." She said, trying to make her way back upstairs.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Don't be angry." I mumbled, almost pleading her.

I know I should've explained the situation to Eliza. But I was trying to fix it. I was trying to do something so that Dad doesn't back away from his words but also the deal gets cancelled.

But I couldn't do anything.

If I told her, she would start avoiding me. I couldn't get myself to ruin whatever progress we made and let this issue become a barrier.

"I know it's your personal issue. But I'm still angry at you. You should've explained it to her. She's hurt, because you didn't tell her. Besides, you're hurting yourself." Amelia mumbled, pouting.

"I'm going for two days. I'll miss you." I kissed her forehead.

She didn't even react. She just stood there, her arms crossed and a pout on her face.

"I don't care. Just fix it." She mumbled, moving forward to hug me.

"I know you need a hug." She hugged me tightly, reminding me of Mom's hugs. "I just don't want you to marry Alice. I can't bear to see you so heartbroken."

She pulled away.
"Ok. Bye. Love you." I said, leading Alice out.

"Love you too." She whispered, definitely not wanting me to hear.

Stubborn little baby.

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"What happened, Capo?" Russo asked, as I walked in to our living room. Alice sat beside her father, silently.

I don't know how Russo raised her. She's not the independent type lady. She's made into a perfect trophy wife. To just sit quietly and obey whatever is told to you.

And that is definitely something that bothers me.

Women should be headstrong and independent enough to express their opinion and speak up for themselves.

"We arranged this small meeting, to talk about the deal, Mr. Russo." I began, motioning Alice to come stand with me before our fathers. She looked at her father, who nodded, then walked towards me.

I don't think I like him that much. She asks for his permission for basically everything.

"Are you going to announce when you're gonna get married?" He asked, looking at us with a twinkle in his eyes.

Dad sat silent the whole time.

"No. Mr. Russo. I don't want my father to break his promise and he isn't going to. But we do not love each other. We won't be happy together. We just want you to cancel the deal. It will be a thing between us, no word will get out." I said, in a business tone.

"Besides, we were too young to comprehend what we were getting signed into."

"But its still breaking a promise. Francesco said, Alice will be the mafia queen." He said, frowning.

"Yes. But I won't marry her." I stated plainly.

He stood up abruptly.

"You can't do that." He said, almost exasperated. I could see the fear buried deep in his eyes.

"Everyone in this room is well aware of what I'm capable to do, Mr. Russo." I said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Capo. I'm not questioning your power. But I trained my daughter to be your queen. She's worked so hard. She has everything." He said.

Alice stood silent beside me and looked down.

"Well Mr. Russo. She's too obedient and oppressed, I'd say. I'm strictly against woman being so dependant on a man. To be the mafia queen you need to know, how to protect yourself. Clearly, you didn't train her to be my queen." I said, matter-of-factly.

"About the promise, he'll still be the Mafia Queen." I started again, as he looked at me in confusion.

"I'll step down the position. Roman will be the Capo." I stated as everyone's head snapped towards me.

"WHAT?" Dad's voice was heard. It shook the walls, it was so loud. "You are not doing that, Lorenzo."

"I will do it, Dad. But I won't break my love's heart and marry Alice. I won't be able to see three hearts break." I said, looking him in the eyes.

Not including mine.

"You don't have to step down, son. Fuck the reputation. I don't care if they don't see me as a man of my words. I will go with whatever decision you two make. But I won't see you giving up what you've worked so hard for." Dad said, in a panicked voice.

"I can't risk your reputation, Dad." I said, simply.

"I don't care, Lorenzo. But you're not giving up your position." Dad said, sternly. "And did you even ask Roman about it?"

I shook my head.
"No."

He smacked my head, lightly.
"What're you thinking these days?" He gritted, glaring at me slightly.

He turned to Russo, who was looking down and thinking hard.

Before Dad could speak, he said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to get this far. I'm sorry, Alice. I'm sorry, if I forced you. But Francesco can't back away from his words. I can't let the ex-capo ruin his reputation, because of me. The reputation he built after working hard for his whole life."

"This will be a conversation between us. The four of us made the deal and the four of us will cancel it. She doesn't have to marry by force." He continued.

"I back away from my words and forbid my daughter to marry The Capo." He said, making my eyes widen, slightly.

This is a really big thing in the Italian Mafia.

"What?" Dad asked, shocked.

Russo nodded.
"Yes. I don't want my daughter to be the mafia queen now."

He's taking it upon himself.

No wonder he's loyal.

"Its appreciated, Mr. Russo. We may as well sign this contract, to never speak of this again." I said, putting the file on the table.

It will save his reputation.

They don't respect men who don't follow through what they said.

Alice was so happy and excited, but she was hiding it.

"Don't hide emotions, Alice." I said. She smiled widely at me and hugged me, much to my shock.

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me. You are family. Or should I say, my sister in law." I said, whispering the last part, making her face turn red.

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