Chapter 4

Luca

I parked the damned yellow cab in front of my billion dollar mansion and stepped inside, past the housekeepers that stood with their heads bowed, past my men that threw salutes greetings, and went into the control unit in my basement, where Carlos, my second in command, watched monitors with sleepy eyes.

“Good morning, Boss,” Carlos greeted wearily as he stood up for me to sit.

“Morning, Carl,” I replied, settling in. “Get me the views I want,” I ordered.

Carlos tapped a few keys on the keyboard, and seconds later, I was watching Tatiana Robert's room.

I watched her tiptoe nervously towards her dressing mirror, where I left the letter with my name and signature stamped boldly on it.

I smiled as she let out a frightened scream and ran out of the room.

Just the way I expected her to react.

Last night was one hell of a night.

It took hours to go through the gun shipments that arrived in one of my warehouses.

It served it purpose, though, because Tatiana Roberts was already snoring when I broke into her home, making the whole job easier.

Minutes later, a frightened Tatiana rushed in with her daughter fast on her heels. I peered closely at the monitor at the heiress of the Robert's Empire, the unannounced CEO of my billion dollar fortune.

Jade Roberts.

The goddess that gives men wet dreams.

I watched her sashay to towards the dressing mirror, her hair messed up in a sexy way, and her skimpy nightwear dancing on her luscious bum, effortlessly sexy.

Unlike her scared mother, she picked up the letter and read it aloud.

“Five days, Tatiana Roberts. That is what I give you. You choose your fate. You hand over my shipping company, or you lie next to your husband six feet under. Either way, I still claim what is mine. And do not try to play smart. No one outwits Luca De Santo.”

Jade dropped into a crumbled mess on the floor. Exactly the effect I wanted it to have.

“What do we do now, Mom?” She asked weakly.

“We set the plan in motion. You are getting married in on Saturday,” Tatiana Roberts said confidently.

“I am not getting married to anyone, Mom!” Jade yelled, getting up from the floor. “I am not marrying Bernard Veritas!”

“I don't care about your tantrums, Jade. I am not below keeping you locked up, and making you marry Bernard in your nightwear," Tatiana threatened, her voice thick with anger.

I clenched my fists beneath the table.

“I can't marry Bernard…”

"I don't care, Jade! Luca is demanding our only fortune and our necks in five days, and you think I give a shit about your tantrums?” Tatiana yelled, fists clenched as she stepped into her daughter's space.

"Your Dad made the damned will, not me. He knew the reason he chose Bernard, and we are going according to the plan. Now go get dressed up. We are going to check wedding dresses in an hour!” Tatiana ordered as her daughter stomped out, sobbing.

"What the heck is this plan of Roberts?” I asked Carlos

“He is trying to make the company completely inaccessible to us, Boss,” Carlos replied, pouring two glasses of scotch and handing me one.

“When his daughter marries this man, the company would change hands, and would no longer be under the Roberts name. His daughter would still hold sixty percent of the company's shares, because it's her direct birthright,” Carlos paused to sip his scotch.

I nodded in understanding.

“And we can't get the company from this guy the other way round,” Carlos said, giving me a knowing look.

“Why is that so?” I asked, leveling him with a stare.

“I made some digging about him, and Bernard Veritas is no ordinary guy. He's an exporter with registered companies in United Kingdom, United States and in Russia.” He passed me a laptop to check for myself.

“Bernard Veritas is the only grandson of the former United Kingdom prime minister. He's Royal blood, Boss. His Dad has Family ties in Russia and the States. If we murder him, we would have three powerful nations on our backs, standing on our business, and we would no longer be insurmountable.”

I let out a smirk.

“Roberts arranged his cards well, Boss. He chose the best candidate for the job. And if you would ask me,” Carlos paused, looking at me from the rim of his glass, “I would suggest we let this go, because it seems like we are fighting a loosing battle.”

That was all it took.

Carlos didn't get to drop his glass when I had him hanging in the air by his collar.

“I am taking what is rightfully mine, Carlos!” I snarled. “I trusted Roberts with my business idea and my money! All he had to do was front this business, as all my other CEOs are doing, and take my generous fifty percent of everything! But he chose to dupe me! If I let this pass, others would follow suit, and before long, I would be bankrupt!”

“I am sorry Boss,” Carlos said, visibly shaken. “I was only voicing my honest opinion.”

“Keep your fucking honest opinion to yourself!” I bellowed, dropping him as he struggled to find his balance.

“I don't care who has royal ties with who, or family ties with what! That marriage is not happening, and that company would be mine in five days, through hell and Highwater! Mark my words Carlos! I didn't get to be the Leader of the most dangerous society in the world by playing according to the rules!”

“I am sorry Boss,” Carlos apologized again, quivering.

“Now shut up and do what you are supposed to do!" I thundered.

I took the scotch and drank it straight from the bottle. It did little to calm my fraying nerves.

My eyes were drawn back to the monitor where a young man walked into Tatiana's room.

Bernard fucking Veritas.

Ready to reap where he did not sow.

I grimaced as I studied him closely. Well built, with an air of arrogance like he owned the world.

Roberts thought he was smart. He betrayed my trust and made away with my business idea and my capital of a billion dollars.

I allowed him to create the company and test run it, even though he didn't register the company under the Santo Group.

True to my speculations, the business blew up in a year, and Roberts made twice of the capital in profits.

I was quiet, watching from the shadows, while Roberts thought I have forgotten.

And like a snake, I struck when he least expected, when the company was at the height of it's glory.

Roberts never knew my face, and it shocked him to the core when I showed up at his office.

He plotted his game, I plotted mine too.

Roberts set up the stage, I brought the drama.

I can bet on my life that arranged marriage is not happening.

“Get ten bullet-proof SUVs ready for Saturday, Carlos. We are attending that wedding," I said, a mischievous smile stretching my lips as I twiddled the diamond band on my ring finger.

Bernard fucking Veritas is ready to get married to Jade on Saturday, while I already married her yesterday.