The Mafia & The Billionaire

Serene

“Did you find out anything about them?” I asked. The following day, we arrived at our mansion in Portico early in the morning.

“Boss, we captured one of them. Do you want to do the interrogation?” Hamilton replied, making me smile wickedly. Although he’s good in that department, I’m glad he let me talk to whoever he captured.

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“But I had to tell you that Grandpa talked to him already.” He added, scratching the back of his head. “He saw us last night, and he didn’t stop asking, you know him.”

“Well, I hope he left some spot for me,” I said, making him crease his forehead. He knew I don’t do torture, but, “My husband is in the SUV; what if something happened to him?” I added, and I saw him trying to stop himself from smiling. “Clench your teeth, or I will give you a straight punch on your face if I ever see your teeth peeking between your lips.”

He shut his mouth and said no more. He knew I’d do it. As a mafia leader, maybe some will think that all we do is kill and do illegal things. But that’s where they are wrong. We don’t do bad things for fun; we do them for justice. Although we only justify the bad things we do, we know those at the bottom of society benefit from them.

What others don’t know about us as well is that we are also humans, and we have our happiness. We also celebrate important occasions or even a simple escape from enemy territories. And what Hamilton was trying to insinuate earlier is that he’s teasing me with my husband. They never hear or see me care about anyone else openly. But I care for them, especially when they are on a mission; I can’t put myself to rest if I don’t receive any news about them.

And Alex. I was worried about him as we exchanged gunfire with those bastards, but I was thankful that he was okay and had accepted me and the kind of life I was living. That incident made me realize that he is the best husband I could ever have, and I’m sure my grandparents are thinking the same thing after they talked to him yesterday.

“Let’s go, boss,” Hamilton said, leading me to the cell. It was in a vacant lot inside our property. Grandma decided to build a cell we could use only for this purpose. Our prisoner has to answer to us; that’s why he’s here. But if he has to answer to the government of Portico, we surrender him to the police. We don’t put justice in our hands unless necessary.

My eyes bore into the man sitting bound before me, the sterile white walls of the cell starkly illuminated by the overhead light. The room was pristine, almost clinical, in stark contrast to the blood and dirt marring the man’s bruised face. My grip tightened on the hilt of my dagger as I paced slowly, each step echoing off the tile floor.

“Who sent you?” I asked coldly, cutting through the silence like a knife. I paused before the man, crouching down to meet his eye level. His face was swollen, a testament to the beating he had received from my grandfather.

He swallowed hard, looking away, his silence more defiant than fearful. My patience was thin, and my eyes flashed with anger.

“I won’t ask again,” I warned, my voice dangerously soft. “Why did you attack us?”

The man coughed, wincing at the pain in his ribs. “We… we don’t know who sent us,” he finally muttered, his voice barely audible. “Instructions came through a phone call. That’s all I know.”

My jaw clenched. I glanced over my shoulder at Hamilton, who stood just outside the cell with his arms crossed, his face a mask of concern and frustration. Enzo and Princess hovered nearby, their expressions tense. We all had a stake in this; we needed answers.

“You’re lying,” I hissed, turning back to the man. I pressed the dagger’s tip under his chin, forcing him to meet my gaze. “You expect me to believe you risked your life for a faceless voice on the phone?”

“It’s the truth,” the man insisted, his voice cracking. “We were paid well. I received instructions on where to locate you and your group. Nothing else.”

My mind raced. It was too convenient and too clean. Whoever was behind this knew how to cover their tracks. I sheathed my dagger with a frustrated sigh and stood up, pacing again.

“Then tell me this,” I said, my voice calmer but no less intense. “What were your instructions? What were you supposed to do with us?”

The man hesitated, his eyes darting between me and the others. “Capture you. Take you to a location near Portico. Alive. That’s all we were told.”

A chill ran down my spine. Whoever wanted us captured had plans for us, which wasn’t for ransom. There was something deeper, more sinister, at play.

I nodded slowly, then turned to Hamilton. “We’ll have to be more careful. Whoever is behind this is still out there, watching us.”

Hamilton stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, Boss. We always do.”

Princess and Enzo exchanged a glance, their silent agreement strengthening their resolve. We had been through too much to stop now.

I looked back at the man, my eyes hardening once more. “You and your men are lucky to be alive. But you won’t be so fortunate if you come after us again. Understand?”

The man nodded quickly, relief flooding his features. I motioned for Hamilton to take him back to his cell. We already had what we needed.

As the man stumbled out of the interrogation room, I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions inside me. The road to Portico became much more dangerous, and I had no idea who was behind it.

Leaving the cell behind, I made my way back to the mansion, my mind heavy with the implications of the ambush. Enzo and Princess walked beside me, their presence a steadying force. We stepped through the grand doors and into my family’s estate’s warm, familiar interior. The ornate decor and soft lighting starkly contrasted the sterile, cold cell I had just left.

As I entered the drawing room, I found Alex with my grandparents, their faces lighting up. My grandfather’s wise eyes narrowed slightly, sensing my tension. At the same time, my grandmother’s concerned gaze softened as she saw the worry etched on my face. Well, that’s how she is. She is tough and sweet at the same time.

“Serene, dear,” my grandmother began, reaching out to me. “What did you find out?”

I took a deep breath, glancing at Alex before looking back at my grandparents. “The man didn’t know who sent him. A phone call instructed them to capture us alive and transport us to a location near Portico.”

My grandfather’s expression hardened. “Whoever is behind this won’t stop until they get what they want. I asked him last night, and he didn’t answer. I was glad you managed to take some information from him.”

“Exactly,” I said, my voice firm. “That’s why I think it’s best if you both come with us to Ling City. You can live in Mom’s mansion. Lorenzo and his family left already. It’s safer there, away from whoever is targeting us, and Patt and Enzo will be living with you.”

My grandmother’s eyes widened in surprise. “Leave the mansion? But this has been our home for so long.”

“I know,” I said gently, taking her hand. “But your safety is more important than any place. We can rebuild the mansion, but I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you both.” I sighed before I continued. “You know Hamilton will be able to take care of things here. I can go and visit here by air whenever necessary.”

My grandfather sighed, his gaze distant. “We’ve seen many threats in our time, Serene. But if you truly believe this is best, we’ll consider it.”

Alex stepped forward, nodding in agreement. “Serene’s right. Ling City is more secure. We can safeguard you more effectively and closely monitor the situation there.”

My grandmother looked at my grandfather, her eyes pleading. “Perhaps it is time for a change, dear. This change is necessary for our safety and Serene’s peace of mind.”

My grandfather nodded slowly. “Very well. We’ll go to Ling City. But we’ll need to prepare quickly. I don’t want to leave anything to chance.”

Relief washed over me. “Thank you. We’ll leave as soon as possible. The sooner we get there, the safer you’ll be.”

Enzo and Princess, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward. “We’ll start making the arrangements. We’ll need a secure convoy and all the necessary precautions.”

I nodded gratefully. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

As we began to plan the move, a sense of urgency drove me. Whoever was behind the ambush was still out there, and I couldn’t afford to lose anyone else. My grandparents had always been my rock; now, it was my turn to protect them.

As I lay in bed that night, my thoughts drifted to the road ahead. Ling City held memories of my childhood, but now it would be a sanctuary for my family. I was determined to keep them safe, no matter what it took. And I knew we stood a fighting chance with Alex, Princess, and Enzo by my side.