Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
At the same time, they forgot that this was the same young man that they tried to nail to the cross. They didn’t know the side of Lukas that spells, “Grudgeful”
And trust Lukas, the master of deception, there was not a trace of emotion on his face to suggest he was aggrieved and smiled widely at the eligible candidates before him as if all sins were forgiven.
“You should remember to choose the best,” Uncle Robert guided him like the wise sage he was, “It’s the strongest and fittest that matters in our world,”
How comical.
But Lukas knew he was low-key recommending and reminding him that his son, Arthur, was the only choice he had.
As if.
He was Lukas Luciano, a born leader, no one takes away his choice for him. Hence when Lukas pointed at his choice of an underboss, it seemed as if the moon crashed into the earth because a loud, “What?!” Full of disbelief echoed across the hall.
Lukas’s choice was no other than Adele, who didn’t even realize what was going on until all eyes – full of hatred and contempt – rested on her and she looked up to Lukas’s finger directed at her.
“Me?” She pointed at her chest, dumbfounded.
“That is outrageous!” Robert was the first to speak out in outrage, shooting up to his feet in mere seconds. No one else measured up to his son.
“What is outrageous about it?” Lukas asked him.
“She is a girl!” Benjamin was the second to express his outrage, standing to his feet as well that one would almost think he was almost supporting Robert.
Well, that wouldn’t be surprising since the both of them were brothers and quite close to each other. However, there would be a crack in that relationship if his useless – as he claimed – daughter was to become the underboss while Robert’s capable son, Arthur gained nothing.
Lukas knew the game he was playing.
“She’s a girl? So what?” Lukas arched a brow at him, “She’s your daughter, shouldn’t you be happy?” His words made Benjamin uncomfortable since the man couldn’t exactly rejoice in the presence of his fuming brother, Robert.
“I don’t accept this!” Arthur was the next to oppose his choice.
“Give me a reason, don’t just reject my choice because you’re a sore loser,” Lukas sighed, tired of their displeasure.
Arthur had never felt humiliated in his entire life than this moment. He can’t take this unmerited defeat lying this, so he protested, “You can’t just choose an underboss on a whim. An underboss is your second in command and must be capable enough to carry out the family activities and so far, I’m the best candidate!”
“Says who?!” Lukas suddenly boomed, standing to his feet with fiery intensity in his gaze.
“W-what?” Arthur was surprised by that confession.
“You’re so conceited and carried away by your pride that you don’t realize when you fell behind. This lady here!” Lukas pointed at Adele who sat with a serene expression even though she was the center of attention. A normal person would have been squirming from the intensity. But not Adele.
“She has produced twice your effort and nobody knows nor acknowledges that, why? Because she’s a woman? If you think it’s a lie, then you can go through the assessment report and investigate it,”
This time Arthur didn’t say a word, struck with heavy disbelief and Lukas stood a little taller, “So tell me now, Arthur, who’s the capable one here?”
Put A Target On Her
With Lukas’s concise yet uncanny high persuasive ability, he was able to turn the tide in his favor and successfully claimed Adele as his underboss.
For such a high position, there was no congratulatory message given to Adele, if anything, the atmosphere was bleak as if someone died yet Adele didn’t care. That was one of the reasons Lukas liked her, the girl had backbone – he needed no scaredy-cat. Clara was enough problems already.
With anger capable of tearing through the heavens, his dear uncle Robert left, more like strode out of the hall. No sooner had he left, his sons followed suit almost, and just like that, the meeting was dismissed.
Lukas was the one to offer congratulation to her with his hand stretched which she enveloped firmly, “I hope to have a good working relationship with you,” He meant every word he said.
“I should thank you for giving me the opportunity to work to my fullest potential,” Adele said to him, her heart full of gratitude.
“It’s nothing, you deserve the honors and not some cocky bastard,” Lukas didn’t bother to hide his dislike for her cousin. If they were going to start working closely together, it’s time she learned his likes and dislikes.
“I know but I still want to thank you,” Adele added at the last minute, “Sir,” showing her respect and as well hinting she knew her place in the organization, “You don’t know what you did for me”
“You don’t worry about that,” He pulled his hand away, “Report to my office when you’re free for a small congratulatory party and you can resume your work officially,” Lukas told her before he turned to leave, only for his gaze to connect with his father’s.
Lukas was weary of him and he simply put his hand into the pocket of his pants with a sigh as his father walked up to him and stopped at his front.
…..
“No matter how much you deny it, my blood runs fluidly through your veins. You are just like me, Lukas,” The man pronounced proudly.
“Old age must really be getting to your head that you have nothing else to do but to play a game of chess with the family members,” Lukas retorted, unamused by his comment. He was nothing like him.
Daniel was not offended by his son’s comment – at least he didn’t look the part – however, he asked, “So now you stole your opponent’s Rook, what do you plan to do with it? As much as you can use her to sweep the entire board, this particular Rook could evolve into the Queen in the future and bite the hand that feeds it,”
“You don’t have to worry about that, after all, I would soon marry the woman you made available for me and produce the King who can never be taken off the board,”
And while both father and son were speaking in chess language, Adele made it out of the elevator and just stepped into the hotel lobby when someone pulled her into a corner without warning.
“W-what….?”
It was her brother. Correction, half-brother.
“Gabriel?” Adele was surprised by the gesture. Looking around she wondered if they were being followed which explains why he pulled her into a secluded corner. Or he just needed privacy.
Having recovered from the surprise, Adele calmed her emotions, asking with her arms folded across her chest,
“What is it?”
She and this particular brother of hers, no, all of them didn’t have the best relationship.
Adele could already guess why he sought her out but she didn’t rush to a conclusion; she gave him the benefit of the doubt.
“When did you and Lukas begin to see?” He asked her.
Just as Adele thought, her brother thought she and Lukas had a previous relationship which was why he made her underboss. Everyone knew Lukas’s side of the family and theirs don’t get along well and for good reasons. The feud between both sides of the family would probably never end until the Luciano crime family was annihilated forever.
“Never,” Came her reply and she was about to leave when he pulled her back again.
“You should reject that position,”