You Are The Reason

CHAPTER 17: In Love

Ruslan's POV:

We both stopped infront of her room returning from the funeral. I couldn't help but kiss her forehead lingeringly as I said. "I'll see you later, hmm?"

"Okay..." She whispered softly and I slowly walked back upstairs to my office and sat down on my chair, placing my head down on the desk.

"You're officially the new leader of the Searlus Mafia. Your father's chair..." She placed her hand over the chair. "Is yours now with which comes a lot of responsibility."

"Responsibilities that I didn't ask to be burdened with." I smiled tightly in a sarcastic way.

Her jaw clenched but she didn't say anything on my comment as she walked around the desk and stood infront of me.

"We didn't raise you like this, Ruslan." She accused, her eyes narrowing.

"Oh, of course you didn't. Cause you guys were too busy handling the Mafia business and I was raised by Tiana, my nanny who was too pure for this world. And worth more. She taught me everything." My voice cracked at her memory. "K-kindness...she taught me. She taught me to be kind no matter what. And you guys had her killed right infront of my eyes just because you thought she was being a bad influence on me. No, mom. You guys didn't raise me. She did."

She gritted her teeth. "She raised you, huh? Well, I can see the result of her raising right infront of me. Someone who is weak, emotional, sensitive to almost everything."

I felt a pang of hurt in my heart and I closed my eyes tightly.

Mom walked past me. "And I thought you were ready for this. You have another year, on your eighteenth birthday you will be announced the leader of the Searlus Mafia and that's final." She walked towards the door to leave with my back towards her.

"You are not my mother." I said with my back still towards her and she stopped in her tracks. I slowly turned around. "I never considered you my mother. You never was. Tiana was my mother and she always will." This time I couldn't control the tears falling down my eyes.

Her mouth was slightly parted in surprise but she was quick to cover it with her cold features. "Glad to know that." Was all she said dryly before she walked away, slamming the door shut.

Startled, I jerked awake and looked around myself realising I felt asleep with my head on the desk. Yawning, I sat up straight and stretched my body.

What time is it? I thought as I turned on my phone. It was late in the afternoon.

My mind wandered off to the dream I just had. Or just a replay of a memory.

There was a knock on the door and I grunted. "Come in." The door opened and Geordi walked in.

Sighing, I rubbed my temples and he took a seat in front of my desk. "What's wrong?" He asked playing with the paperweight lying on the desk.

"Just remembering that now I have officially lost every person related to me." I told him gloomily.

His jaw clenched. "Everyone?"

"Everyone. Every member of my family, though it was not a very happy family."

"Am I dead yet, Ruslan?" He snapped making me frown. "Am I not your cousin? Am I not your family? Am I not your brother? Or do you consider me dead too?"

"Geordi..." I said in disbelief, not expecting him to snap like that.

He pushed back his chair and stood up angrily. "I am not supposed to reveal that I am related to you, right? But I don't understand why?! Your mother never acknowledged me like her nephew and that was okay because she never really liked me or my family to be honest."