chapter 59

× WARNING ×

Content below intended for mature readers.

Read at your own risk. ×

◆ MILES ◆

Kill or be killed.

Law of their world. Inevitable. The very minute he decided to work for the family business, Miles knew it was how his life was going to be. He just knew.

It sounded dramatic to the point of ridicule. But it was the reality for a Falco, being part of an influential clan trying to make it big in the trade. No; his logic was not flawed, and it was not a matter of choice. Being his father's only heir, it was his fate to get tangled into this hateful colossal mess.

His father didn't seem the least bit bothered by it, though. Stefano put on his coat and kept talking to the bastard on the other line, his wireless black headset stuck in his ear.

Was he leaving? Just like that?

It hadn't even been four hours since his father arrived. So he just wasted the long trip to get to the estate, spent another hour torturing Niccolo for betraying his trust -- yet again -- and now he was ready to leave? Leave his entire family behind?

Did he simply not care? Even for a moment?

At this point, Miles shouldn't be surprised at all. His Pappa Stefano always loved making money and strengthening his influence more than he cared for his wife or his only child.

Except now, Miles couldn't stand the sight of his shell-shocked mother, who, apparently until today, had no clue how barbaric her husband's new business partner was.

"Drink up, Mamma." Miles handed the cold glass of water to his mother.

Her tears ruined her makeup. It left pale gray stains on her cheeks, her unsteady breathing audible. Eleana sat in the one-seater. Her posture stayed stiff.

The shock had been replaced by...utter disappointment? Acute anxiety? Regrets?

"Grazie," she muttered. Her sniffling went on but her expression remained blank as she drank some water.

Stefano went on talking to Leandro over the phone.

The forced enthusiasm in his tone...

Miles scowled. He knew it was still the psychotic bastard on the other end; Stefano always sounded extra optimistic and pleasant whenever he spoke to that Tomassini scum. Certifiably sucking up.

"Sì. Ne parleremo dopo." Stefano hung up and finally turned to regard his wife. "Ci sentiamo più tardi."

"Aspetta un minuto." Eleana got up from the chair before Stefano could rush towards the door. "Tutto qui?" Eleana hastily wiped tears off her cheeks. For the next quiet seconds, she just stared at her husband.

Stefano replied with a short sigh, as if saying he had no time for another chat.

"Va tutto bene?" Her voice faltered.

"Sì." Stefano massaged the bridge of his nose. "Mi spiace dovermene andare così presto."

"Lo sa, ha quasi ucciso suo fratello."

"Ha dei problemi a controllare la rabbia." Stefano shrugged and propped a hand on his hip. He said it like it was completely normal for someone to almost beat his own brother to death because of some text messages.

"You're impossible." Eleana sighed out loud. She sat back in the chair. Silence prolonged the tension in the room before she shook her head weakly.

Disappointed beyond words, it seemed. Miles felt his chest constrict. He hated seeing his mother being treated like trash. Besides the longtime infidelity, his father mistreated his mother in other ways. Nothing new. Still, he pretty much shook in ire seeing his mother this hurt and out of sorts.

"Va bene. Maxim, sai cosa fare." His Pappa Stefano stared at him now while he fixed his collar.

Just like that, his father was going to bolt and purposefully get himself into more trouble. All for some ridiculous turf war?

"Maximiliano."

"Sì, Pappa. Il denaro è pìu importante della morale."

At that, Stefano pulled a face and stayed put. Outside the study room, the guards waited, but now the boss seemed he had a minute for some family drama. Very un-Stefano Falco.

"Power, money, control. That's all you know." Eleana scoffed and crossed her arms. Her gaze centered on the expensive furry rug,  eyes swollen from all the crying. "You don't even talk to your own son. Much less make time for us."

"Dolcezza, per favore. Possiamo discuterne quando torno a casa?" Stefano sighed and regarded his wife.

"Home? You're never home." She forced a laugh.

"Fine." Stefano scoffed. "Wallow in misery."

"Don't talk to her like that." Miles took a step forward, unable to get a grip. He knew better than to stir up another argument. But he couldn't care less at this point. The selfishness and criminality needed to end.

"Or what?" Stefano squinted, lips compressing into a thin line.

"I know you don't give a shit about what I think, but that criminal you call your business partner will get all of us killed or imprisoned one way or another."

"Attento a cosa dici, mio bambino." Stefano faked a grin this time, the smile not reaching his cold, vacuous eyes.

"You don't even care about what he did. To his own family. Mamma saw it all, too. In case you think you can lie to her face again."

"Maxim," Eleana muttered with a faint shake of her head, still reclined in the one-seater. "You're wasting your breath."

"No, Mamma. This shitshow has got to stop. Done acting like everything's all normal." He looked to his father who stood by the locked door. "You wanna tell her what you just did to Niccolo in the basement?"

"Quello che gli è..." Eleana turned to look at Stefano now, her eyes slightly widening with concern.

"I'm done here. See you this weekend."

"You almost killed him again. Now tell her why. Say it to her face." Miles kept his voice steady. At this point, he was ready to use his gun just to hear his father come clean. Once and for all. Enough with the pretense.



"What did you do?" Eleana stood up from her seat. Her steps were timid, hesitant, but she got close to Stefano before he could reach for the doorknob. "What happened?" Her dainty manicured hands compressed into clenched fists. "You liar!"

Stefano remained mum while she shoved him repeatedly.

Miles watched. He waited. Would his father tell her the truth? Unlikely. But with how upset his mother was right now, his father's almost non-existent conscience might spring up.

"You promised!" Eleana started sobbing again, and she kept hitting Stefano's chest with her fists until his back hit the door. "You selfish liar!"

"I was only teaching him a lesson." Stefano kept up a poker face, like he couldn't care less about her outburst. Again, nothing new.

"You're just as heartless as that criminal!" Eleana curbed the urge to shriek and shoved him again. "You think I don't know? You think I know nothing about y-your transactions with them? You want to get killed?"

"Stop it."

"You're willing to die for money? Are you that selfish?"

"Interpol and the cops are sniffing around, Pappa." Miles resisted the urge to grab his gun. Perhaps the news would put the fear of God into his father's stubborn head? Hopefully. "Probably tailing you every day. Planted some rats."

"Tell me news I don't already know, bambino." Stefano shook his head and merely watched his wife bawl her eyes out in front of him.

Wow. He definitely didn't give a rat's ass. "She's scared, Pappa. So stop working with that bastard. You're gonna get all of us killed."

"I understand why you're overreacting. But I'm in control." Stefano sighed. He stepped closer and kissed Eleana's forehead, but she turned her face away.

"That family's gonna get you killed or leave you to rot in prison."

"I know what I'm doing. I'm only using him and his connections. We need their resources."

"Don't touch me." Eleana trudged away from the door to sit by the desk.

"It's all gonna fall apart if you don't stop this now, Pappa." Maybe his Pappa Stefano thought he could keep tricking Leandro to eventually one up the bastard someday. "You think it won't wear off?" Miles scoffed. "By all means keep hypnotizing that psychotic criminal into signing paperwork but don't expect it'll last. Just look at Niccolo. And he's mentally stable, at that."

Stefano frowned but proceeded to turn the knob. "Thanks for the concern. I have to go. Take care of your Mamma."

Miles glared at the shiny wooden door. Stefano just left them in the room. Of course. Why did he even expect he could reason with his father? Stefano never valued his opinion.

Of course his father would keep working with Leandro even if it could cost his own family's safety. Of course he would just leave the estate even as his own wife looked like she was suffering from a nervous breakdown.

Quality family time, like always.

Fuck my life.

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