The Mafia's Heir

Chapter 49

I smiled as I walked through the city without a care in the world. Don Russo was dead and now no one could tell me what to do. Ren called me and asked if I could come over. It's about time I actually went to see my son. The one I didn't know existed until a week ago. Was it a week? I can't quite remember.

Many people greeted me like they'd known me for years. One man dared to walk up to me and shook my hand. He said he remembered seeing me here with Ren. How could he remember my face? It's not that pleasant. He offered to show me around the city if I was interested and promised to show me everything awesome. His words, not mine. I was left with two contacts and confused as to why he approached me.

I continued walking, humming a tune that I couldn't quite remember where I'd heard it. For some reason, I kept thinking about how annoying it was to not know what I was humming. I was so engrossed in this silent argument with myself that I didn't notice I was heading straight into a pillar. If not for the woman that yelled out my name, I'm more than sure I would have crashed into it and possibly knocked myself out.

"Youngmin!"

The voice was too sweet. Like sugar on a cookie. Why am I making such an analogy? Whatever the cause, I wanted to meet this person. How'd they know my name? Who were they to be so confident that calling my name wouldn't get us killed? I stopped walking with my face inches from the pillar. Hahahaha. Imagine if I'd hit it.

I turned around with a huge smile on my face, and, unknowingly, my smile seemed to grow bigger. While the women approached me, I thought of how I'd greet them. Bowing? Is that too conspicuous? Maybe. I know Amina well enough to know that, like her brother, she doesn't like it when she's shown greater stature. But, come on, I'll never get this opportunity again. I bowed at ninety degrees and waited for Amina to say something or hit me. Neither came.

"...Youngmin, you're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" she asked after I bowed for more than thirty seconds. I finally glanced up. "I'm going to murder you."

"Those words shouldn't come from a princess's mouth, now should they?" I smirked. "How have you been, Your Highness?"

"Fine. Thanks for asking. Where are you headed?"

"To see my cousin. I don't know when I'll have to head back to Korea, so I'm going to see her now."

"Won't Cynthia be angry with you?"

I frowned. Why is she asking about Cynthia? It's not like I have to take orders from her or anything. Yeah, I may pop in and tell her where I'm going, but it's not like I'm actually listening to a word she tells me to do. I'll go see my family. I'll continue to plan her demise. Being the perfect soon-to-be ex-husband is the perfect disguise. Who'd know it was me who made sure she never got the crown?

"...No," I said. "Cynthia isn't my mother. I'm a grown man. I'll do what I want when I want. If she doesn't like it...then who is she to remember I exist?"

"I just wanted to know, Youngmin. I love that you're taking personal time seriously." Amina smiled and dared to put a manicured hand on my arm. "Walk with us. There's a lot to talk about."

"Like what?"

Queen Aisha seemed to roll her eyes in annoyance. I let both women hook their arms through mine and we walked up and down the plaza. I listened to Amina talk about her brother and his relationship with Rena. It's odd hearing her name like that. All I could do was nod and agree that Afan was being stupid chasing after women who're in relationships. I know that's something a man should try to avoid. I failed badly so I can't talk.

Queen Aisha stopped suddenly and looked at the store to her right. I saw what she was looking at and instantly wanted to die. I had enough dealing with Cynthia and her stupid lingerie shopping. No way was I about to step into another stop like that again. It didn't matter how beautiful the women were.

"I have to go," I announced. "I have some friends waiting to speak with me."

"I thought you were going to see your cousin," Amina reminded me. I'd forgotten that.

"I will. After I go deal with business first. Will I see you before you leave for Malaysia?"

Amina looked to her mother who shrugged and entered the store. Amina smiled and blew me a kiss. Me being me, I pretended to grab the heart and put it to my chest. As if. I had other people to fall for. A princess was a princess. Spoiled wasn't what I wanted my kids to be. Especially if they had to have an uncle like Afan. Just no.

※ ※ ※ ※

"What were you doing?" Aless asked as I entered the room. "I swear you're always late."

"Sorry. I had to call my cousin and she wasted my time with her complaining." I don't like talking about Ren like that, but she really was being pretty clingy. I know I promised to visit her, but sometimes business about my immediate family was more important than her. At that moment, my sister was alive again. I wasn't going to miss the opportunity of finding her if this was true.

"Where're the twins?"

Alessandre shrugged and leaned back in his chair. I was tempted to kick the legs, but he was far too strong for me to handle. I'd probably be on the floor withering in pain messing around with him like that.Instead I found my own chair and sat down. Aless just stared at me. This made me wonder if he knew something I didn't know. Elias had called me on my way here saying there was a lot he and his brother had to tell me. Did Alessandre know something?

Before I could ask him anything, the door opened to reveal the twins. They seemed to be in a great mood and Mariano finally smiled at me for the first time in days. Don Russo's death had taken a toll on us all. Expect me. I was busy trying to figure out how to get back at Ty. I know it was him who either ordered Ren's parents to be killed or killed them himself. Either way, I was going to get my hands around his neck. Kill him like they did Josiah.

"First things first," Mariano started. "Your sister, Alessandra, is most definitely alive. And you won't believe who she's been appearing as."

"She's been out and about?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. For weeks. Apparently the people who captured her haven't been good captors. I had someone talk to her and she's been more open about her life without her family to them more than she is to people she should be trusting."

"What did she say?"

"...Gosh, I really can't remember his name, but she did say he was an ex-amant."

Elias laughed but claimed he also didn't remember the given name. Alessandre rolled his eyes and picked up his phone. We didn't say anything until he looked up and flashed the screen my way. Two words stood out as I sucked in a breath and stood up abruptly.

Andrea Romano

The boys looked at me as if I'd seen a ghost. The looks they gave each other indicated that Alessandra had not given their spy everything they wanted to know. Or needed to know. Andrea was a name I hadn't hoped to hear ever again. After what he'd done to my sister, I'd pegged him as a guy who knows boundaries. Showing up again after nearly ten years was bravery. Did he know I was back in Italy? Was he even in Italy?

"She's right in our clutches," Elias said. "We could grab her if you want us to. Not unless you want to sort out your own problems before you talk to her."

"I'm sure she already knows what's been happening to me." I sighed and tried to relax. There was no way I could with all this new information. "Can I see a picture?"

"Sure." Alessandre seemed more than happy to show me. His fingers tapped away as he searched through his text history. How long ago did he get the photo? Maybe he texts a lot. What I saw made me feel stupid and blind all at the same time. How had I not noticed the resemblance? Was I too caught up in my own problems to clearly notice?

"...That's the woman from the mafia parties."

∴∴∴∴

I sort of feel bad for Youngmin, but at the same time happy for him. He's getting a chance to meet his sister all over again, but his parents are another story. And it saddens me to say that this story will be at its end next Saturday. That is Saturday, March 27th. As of now, I am planning a small "sequel". I hope you all plan to read that one.

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