Tyrant Phoenix

•chapter3•

[3rd POV~Oops Unedited]

Belladonna was stopped by a middle-aged woman outside the boardroom. She immediately recognized the woman as Mrs. Myers, her father's assistant. After acknowledging Belladonna as the new head of the place, Mrs. Myers informed her, "You have a meeting at 12 with Mr. Smith, the bank owner. Mr. Ricci has already signed the first contract, so you only need to meet with Mr Smith to finalize the deal."

Bella responded, "Well, I am the new CEO, but can't everything wait? I just scattered my father's ashes." Although Bella said this with a light tone, it was one of the things that truly hurt her. Everyone, her staff, even her grandmother expected her to act as if nothing had happened and carry on with her life. I just lost my only parent in the world, is it too much to ask for a few days to grieve?

Mrs. Myers didn't know what to say, so she remained silent. Bella walked away, disregarding the deal. She had already dealt with too much that day and just wanted to go home and be in her brother's presence, who would undoubtedly bring her comfort.

Back at the mansion, Chiara was surprised to see her granddaughter return so early, as the appointment of a new head usually took a long time. "How did it go?" Chiara inquired.

Bella replied, "Those old farts refused to accept me as their new leader, but it's alright. I left them with a striking example of what will occur if they still don't acknowledge me as the new CEO by midnight."

Before Chiara could inquire about the specific incident, Bella had already made her way up the stairs. "What exactly did she do?" Chiara questioned Lorenzo. Although she wasn't aware of the details, her instincts told her that it was something negative.

"She slit Mr. Edward's throat and made threats to everyone," Lorenzo responded.

Chiara's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in disbelief as if a surge of electricity had momentarily paralyzed her. "Are you saying she actually slit Mr. Edward's throat? But blood is strictly prohibited in the R.P.O building," Chiara exclaimed.

"She killed Mr. Edward and signed a contract with his blood," Sasha proudly explained, clearly impressed by her friend's actions. "She seemed so composed," she added.

Chiara stumbled backwards, momentarily losing her balance. "Belladonna has just initiated a war," Chiara concluded, her voice sounding muffled. She then took a seat on the couch, as she lacked the strength to remain standing. The reality of what had just transpired and what was to come left a bitter taste in her mouth.

What had she expected? Her son had always been impulsive, with a temper as thin as the skin of an eyelid, and Bella's mother, Yvonne, was just as wild as her son.

Upstairs, Bella entered her brother's room only to find that he wasn't there. She left the room and made her way to her own, where she discovered a small figure lying in the middle of her large bed, cuddling with a lion plush toy.

Bella sat down on the bed and gently stroked her brother's golden locks. "Luca," she called out, trying to wake him up. She showered his face with kisses, and soon enough, Luca's tiny hands found their way to Bella's face, attempting to push her away.

Bella smiled and pulled back, admiring the boy grinning back at her with his few visible teeth. Luca was the result of one of her father's casual relationships. After a paternity test confirmed that he was indeed Luca's father, Marko accepted the child, but he never showed any affection towards him. In fact, Bella herself had never really received her father's love, as he seemed to have lost all capacity for affection when her mother passed away.

Luca had been three years old when he came to live at the mansion, and ever since then, Bella had treated him as her own son. "Belly," Luca called out to her, unfazed by her glare, simply stretching his short limbs. "How many times have I told you to stop calling me that?" Bella scolded, but Luca just smiled innocently in response.

He had no idea that his father was no longer around. Bella picked up the five-year-old and said, "Come on, let's take a bath," leading him to the bathroom as Luca excitedly recounted the movie he had watched the previous day.

After their bath, they got ready for their Sunday outing. Once they were ready, they left the mansion, with security cars trailing behind them.

As Bella watched her brother smiling, laughing, and blissfully unaware life and its burdens, she couldn't have asked for anything more. They were enjoying their date, heading to their favorite burger joint for a meal. "Welcome to Lihle's. My name is Santino, and I'll be your waiter. Let me tell you about our specials today. We ha~"

Bella interrupted the boy, asking, "Is this your first day here?"

It was obvious his position as a waiter was new. He didn't have that familiar waiter or waitress smile, the one that exudes confidence and experience. His unsure demeanor and hesitant movements gave away his lack of familiarity with the job.

Santino nervously smiled and asked, "Did I talk too much?" He fidgeted with his fingers, stealing glances at Bella's face from under his bangs. When their eyes met, he quickly lowered his gaze. Poor Santino, it was his first day, and he had to serve someone who came in with bodyguards, clearly indicating that she was not an ordinary person. Though he acted nervous around other customers  but Bella made the entire atmosphere around him intimidating.

Bella looked at the boy, his porcelain skin that was highlighted by his jet black hair. Cute

"I'll have a hamburger with large French fries, 12 nuggets, and an extra-large Sprite and Vanilla milkshake, three chocolate cupcakes..." Bella continued ordering for her brother, knowing that he always got the same thing whenever they came here.

"Mister, you write so fast," Luca remarked after Santino finished writing down their order. Even Bella noticed how quickly Santino's hand moved to jot everything down. At one point, she intentionally spoke quickly, but Santino's hand picked up the pace to match her speed. Santino showed Luca his beautiful smile and politely excused himself from the table.

After a few minutes, their plates arrived, the aroma of delicious food filled the air, enticing their taste buds. Bella and Lucas indulged in their meals, engaging in light conversation and sharing laughter. Luca's infectious laughter echoed throughout the cozy restaurant, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

After savoring every last bite, they requested the check and promptly settled the bill. Satisfied and content, they rose from their seats, ready to depart. However, their joyous moment was abruptly shattered as a hail of bullets tore through the air, piercing the peaceful ambiance. Panic ensued as chaos erupted in the restaurant. Bella, a horrified onlooker, could only watch in disbelief as Luca, her brother, fell to the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood.

In that moment, amidst the chaos, it struck her deeply that Luca remained remarkably composed, not shedding a single tear despite the unimaginable pain he must have been experiencing.

~thank you for reading