Chapter 3 Blackwood's Hidden Daughter

_LORENZO <3

"Who-who are you?" she croaked, making me raise an eyebrow.

"Who are you?" I threw the question back.

She wiped her eyes with a white cloth, then peered up at me a second longer before her face paled and her hands started to shake.

"N-no, you c-can't be here. You h-have to go!" she stuttered, taking a clumsy step backward and tripping on her legs.

I could smell innocence just like I could smell bullshit, and this girl reeked of innocence.

"You're the Mafia boss, right? Please, you have to go. I don't want them to think I did something." Her expression was that of a terrified person; her body was even shaking.

What was she so afraid of?

"I'll leave," I said, making her freeze, looking at me. "Only after you tell me your name."

If she was a servant girl, which I doubted she was, then I would understand her being like this, but why was she crying on the floor when everyone was downstairs?

"Y-you pinky promise?" she asked, and I almost scoffed at her question but quickly controlled myself when I realized she was being serious.

"My name is Daisy." she told me, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before picking up a book from the floor.

Her doe-like blue eyes peered up at me hesitantly. "I am sorry, sir, but please don't tell anyone you saw me, especially not Selena." she whispered, her eyebrows drawn in a pleading look.

When I made no move or offered a response, she swallowed, looking at me one last time with her large eyes before running off in the opposite direction of where I stood.

I looked down at the details of this family again, reading through Blackwood's wife's death when I stopped on my track.

I felt my anger simmer when I read the name of his last-born, the one that his wife died giving birth to-Daisy Blackwood.

What the fuck?

I walked back to the sitting area where my parents were and saw a new face that I assumed was Selena.

"Ah Lorenzo, this is Selena." Blackwood squabbled as his daughter turned to look at me fully, giving me a big, creepy smile.

Why the fuck does she look like that?

This woman looked familiar... I just couldn't pi-ahh, she caused a scene at one of our parties last week.

I was unfortunate enough to be present, but not as unfortunate as my brother Xavier, who had to address the crowd when this bimbo threw a drink at a waitress's face.

I had witnessed it with my own eyes, and many other stupidities of hers I could not even fathom to rethink.

"I was just discussing with Selena, telling her how you love homemade meals, and she said she has no problem with-"

"I am not marrying her." I said to my father, who gave me a questioning look.

"Son, that is not the way to talk-"

"She was at the party last week. You remember when Xavier was talking about a girl who threw a drink at a waitress's face and tried to get him to sleep with her all night? This is yours truly." I groaned, making my mother and her father gasp.

My father growled, standing up with anger, the corner of my lip tilting in satisfaction.

"Sir, please w-wait," Blackwood sputtered.

"We are done here, Blackwood. The future Mafia princess needs to have her honor intact. I will be collecting my goods back and my alliance from your company. You have just wasted my son's time." Father boomed, his rage shaking the room.

"Mr. DeLuca, I deeply apologize. I would offer you something else if I have it, but I need this alliance. My company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Your goods have taken 60% of my company's income." he pleaded with Father. "If you take it back, I'll have nothing but debts."

"You have disgraced my entire family!" Father roared, making the two of them cower backward. "I have already made plans for an engagement ceremony." Father groaned.

"I will do anything, Mr. DeLuca, to fix this mistake my daughter has made-"

"You have another daughter, do you not?" I asked, making Blackwood and Selena go pale.

Father turned to look at him. "Is she the same as Selena or is her honor still intact?" His question was laced with a threat.

"I wish to see your youngest daughter." I stated, looking Blackwood in the eye.

"Now, Damien." Father commanded when Blackwood hesitated-the use of his first name making him paler.

I unbuttoned my suit jacket, adjusting my sitting position to get comfortable, as I watched my father fume in anger, while my mother squeezed his arm to calm him down.

Soon, we all saw the small girl I had talked with minutes ago enter. Her hair was now pinned more neatly, and her face free of tears.

She walked to the side of the room and just stood there, like she felt out of place. Her eyes were trained on the floor.

"She is beautiful." my mother whispered beside me.

"I think, looking at her, we can see everything we need to know." Mother spoke up for the first time since our arrival.

She looked at Father, who also nodded his head in agreement.

"She will be the future Mafia princess." Father declared, making Daisy's head snap to her father's direction.

She then looked at me, and her eyes widened in realization.

Is she really that unfiltered?

My eyes lingered on her as she looked down again, cringing away from Selena, who was throwing daggers at her with just her eyes.

"She is to be married to another." Blackwood said, clearly not liking what Father had just said.

"I do not see a ring on her finger. And who is he that will deny my son a wife?" Father's angry voice was enough to dismiss Blackwood.

"Come here, girl." Father motioned for Daisy to come closer, and my eyes trailed over her body as she walked toward us.

Mother held out her hands, making Daisy stare before hesitantly placing her small one on Mother's.

Mother clasped the girl's hand with both of hers.

"Are you alright, darling?" Mother asked her, making the younger girl nod, glancing at her father's scared eyes.

"You will give her to my son for marriage, and you keep the goods without payment and my alliance for free." Father stated, smirking at Blackwood.

"Yes, Mr. DeLuca, she's all yours as long as my company is doing well." Blackwood stated, making my eyebrow furrow.

Is it that simple to give your daughter out? Just an alliance and some million dollars? Are they that desperate-

"The engagement will be tomorrow." Father announced, cutting my thoughts before walking out.

My mother whispered something to the girl, leaving her with a parting hug, then walked out as well. I did the same, after giving her a long look.