Captivating The Billionaire Mafia

Romano sat in the back seat of the SUV as Sammy drove him back to his villa. His thoughts drifted to how happy Karina was when Lorenzo proposed to her. He had seen the love between them from the start. He also recalled the time when Karina urged him to consider a serious relationship, but he had scoffed at the idea. He had no desire to be serious with a woman, let alone have children. It had been nine years since he even entertained thoughts of love, though it all began sixteen years ago, when he was mature enough to understand.

He and his parents traveled to Italy for his grandfather's funeral. After Ronaldo was laid to rest, the family and Ronaldo's associates gathered at his mansion. While the group discussed matters downstairs, Alfred and his wife Marian had a conversation in one of the bedrooms upstairs, with Lucian silently observing.

"Alfred, now that Dad is gone, don't you-" Marian began, but Alfred interrupted her.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Marian? I'm not interested in carrying on his legacy" Alfred said firmly.

"Honey, this is power, wealth, and influence. Why are you turning it down?" Marian asked.

"I thought you didn't like my family because we're part of the Mafia when we were arranged to marry, so why are you so interested now?" Alfred asked.

"Alfred, please do this for us" Marian pleaded as Lucian watched.

"I can't. If I'm leaving a legacy for my son, it has to be something good-not a legacy tied to a group of killers and drug lords" Alfred said.

In the large living room, seven mob members were gathered, some seated, some standing.

"I should be the one who died; he died saving me" Greco said, running his hands through his hair.

"What about Luca? We need to hear from him" Rossi said.

"Yes, he was involved in this, and that's why he ran away" Bernardo said.

"We're not sure of this until we see him. Luca couldn't have done this" Rosario said.

"Why do you trust that bastard, Rosario?" Greco asked.

"Because he's served Ronaldo since he was young, he couldn't have betrayed him now" Rosario replied.

Back in the room, Marian stood angrily in front of Alfred, confronting him.

"You're really not going to step into your father's shoes?" Marian asked.

"My answer will always be no, Marian. I won't take his place. I'm doing this for our son" Alfred replied.

"Alright, then you should go downstairs and meet our guests" Marian suggested.

"I have nothing to say to them" Alfred said.

"They're here because of your father. Your presence would show your appreciation" Marian insisted.

"And what about you?" Alfred asked.

"Honey, you'll have to excuse me. My friend is in the hospital, and I need to check on her" Marian said.

"My father just died, Marian. You should stay here with me" Alfred said.

"I won't be long, honey, please" Marian pleaded.

"She's never visited us-neither here nor in NYC. You're always the one going to see her" Alfred said.

"I told you she's a private person. Please, just take Lucian with you downstairs. I'll leave through the back door" Marian said.

"Fine. Lucian, come with me" Alfred said, and Lucian followed him. After they left, Marian took out another phone and started messaging an unknown person.

"I still don't believe Luca did this" Rossi said.

"Are you really sure the Spanish mobs did this with the help of Luca?" Rancho asked.

"I don't know, Rancho. It happened suddenly, but I'm very sure it was Luca betrayed us-they've been the ones intercepting our shipments" Greco replied.

"How is it that you don't know, weren't you there?" Rossi asked.

"We can't blame Greco. We all know he was loved by Ronaldo, he couldn't have seen his death coming" Bernardo said.

"To avoid any future war, we need to confirm the Spanish mobs really did this." Rossi said.

"What else do you need to confirm? What we should be discussing now is how to avenge the Don's death, retrieve our shipment, and choose the next Don" Greco said as Alfred and Lucian descended the stairs and joined the group.

"We have no proof they did this, we can't attack without reason or we will face dire consequences. Ronaldo was at peace with them" Rosario said.

"Last I checked, Rosario, you're only a consigliere for the leader of this family, let the soldiers decide" Greco said.

"Greco, when did you join the family that you think you can speak to Rosario however you want? Is it because you were loved by Ronaldo?" Rossi asked angrily.

"And because I am very loyal to him, that's why we must avenge his death" Greco replied, just as his phone beeped. "Excuse me" he said before stepping out.

"Alfred, we'll make sure to find out who's behind this" Rossi said.

"Thank you" Alfred replied.

A few days after Ronaldo's funeral, Alfred and Lucian were seated at the dining table in Ronaldo's large mansion, while Marian served breakfast. The mansion's workers approached Alfred, lining up in front of him.

"We are here, master" the head worker said.

"Thank you for serving my father well. I've made the payments into your accounts. You should find another job or start a new life out there" Alfred said while Marian watched and Lucian continued eating.

"Thank you, master" the workers said in unison before leaving.

"Alfred, are we really leaving for NYC? We're not staying here?" Marian asked.

"Yes, NYC is my home, and I have a company to oversee" Alfred replied as he continued eating while Marian was busy with her phone.

"Dad, was Grandfather killed?" Lucian asked.

"Yes, he was killed by his enemies, which is why I won't follow in his footsteps. It's not a good legacy to pass on to you" Alfred said.

"Why didn't you tell the police?" Lucian asked, while Marian listened in, still focused on her phone.

"We can't involve the police because it was related to something illegal, which could tarnish our image and reputation. That's why I don't want you to have a life here" Alfred explained.

"Lucian, your father is just scared, it has-" Marian began, but Alfred cut her off.

"I won't allow you to fill our son's mind with that" Alfred said firmly.

"Fine, I won't be going with you right now. I'll join you later" Marian said as she picked up her spoon to eat.

"And why is that?" Alfred asked, while Lucian watched.

"I need to stay with my friend. She has no one else, and she's very sick at the moment" Marian explained.

"Your friend again? Are you hiding something from me, Marian? Are you seeing someone else?" Alfred asked, pausing his meal.

"Alfred, why would you even think that? I only love you" Marian replied.

"In NYC, you always met her at the hotel, spent days with her, and she hasn't even bothered to visit your house or meet your husband" Alfred said.

"We don't need to argue about this, Alfred. She's a private person, and I'm her only friend. You have to trust me" Marian said.

"Alright then, you should take Lucian with you. I need to get back to the company immediately, and you know we fired the maid before we came here" Alfred said.

"Darling, Lucian is thirteen; he can take care of himself, and I won't be staying long" Marian said.

"If she won't be staying long, let's wait for her, Dad. We can all leave together" Lucian suggested.

"Your dad won't wait for me, sweetheart. You should go with him" Marian replied.

"Lucian's right; we'll leave together. We're leaving in two days" Alfred decided.

"That's enough time to spend with her. Thank you, darling" Marian said.

A few minutes after breakfast, Lucian and his father sat in the large living room watching the news when the door opened.

"Alfred" Rosario called as he approached.

"Rosario, I've been expecting you" Alfred said. "Take a seat" he added, and Rosario sat down.

"You called me, and I've been wanting to meet with you too" Rosario said.

"Oh really? Let me get straight to the point-I would like to have all of my father's and the company's documents that are with you" Alfred said.

"Company documents? I don't have any documents, Alfred, not a single one" Rosario replied.

"Aren't you my father's lawyer? He must have kept some files with you. I've searched everywhere for the documents, but I couldn't find anything. That's why I called you" Alfred explained.

"You mean you don't have RE's documents?" Rosario asked.

"Yes, and without them, how can I claim the company is mine? Dad built the company when I showed no interest in the legacy he created here. I thought he kept the documents with you" Alfred said.

"Something's not right-his sudden death, the documents disappearing-it just doesn't add up" Rosario said.

"Lucian, go to your room" Alfred instructed.

"Yes, Dad," Lucian said and left for his room.

"You think someone stole them?" Alfred asked.

"I suspect so, and that's why you need to take over. The family has been considering appointing you as the next Don" Rosario said.

"I'm not interested, Rosario. In fact, if Marian hadn't gone to see her friend, we'd already be on our way back to NYC" Alfred said.

"If you refuse the position, there's no way we can help you with the documents unless you become our Don" Rosario insisted.

"Rosario, you can help me without me becoming the Don. I need to have the company's documents. This can't be known outside" Alfred said.

"If you don't become our Don, Greco is likely to be appointed. Your father was very fond of him" Rosario said.

"Isn't he the guy my father initiated when we came here for Lucian's fifth birthday?" Alfred asked.

"Yes, time flies" Rosario said.

"Let him take it. Just help me with the documents, find them for me, and finding my father's killer is up to you" Alfred said.

"I'll do my best. We've been searching for Luca," Rosario said.

"Luca is innocent, he wouldn't have betrayed my father" Alfred insisted.

"I believe so. I'll get to the bottom of this" Rosario promised.

"Thanks, Rosario," Alfred said as Rosario stood up.

"You're welcome, Alfred. And you still have three months to think about the appointment" Rosario reminded him.

"Rosario, my decision is final" Alfred said as he walked Rosario out.

Months after Ronaldo's death, Alfred returned home from a business trip, weary and burdened. As he stepped inside, Marian heard the doorbell and quickly opened the door. Seeing her husband, she smiled warmly and took his briefcase from him.

"Welcome home, honey" Marian said, noticing the sadness etched on Alfred's face.

"Thanks" Alfred replied, loosening his tie and sinking into the sofa with a heavy sigh.

"Is something wrong?" Marian asked, her voice filled with concern.

"The trip didn't go well. I tried everything to convince the man, but he refused to grant us access," Alfred said, his frustration evident.

"Don't worry too much about it; you can try again another time" Marian reassured him.

"You don't understand, Marian. It's-" Alfred began but was interrupted by his phone ringing. He answered it immediately. "I just got back. What's going on?" he asked the caller.

"Alfred, there's a big problem" the man on the other end said urgently.

"What problem?" Alfred asked, standing up immediately.

"You need to come to the office right now" the person insisted. Without hesitation, Alfred grabbed his car keys and headed outside, with Marian following closely behind.

"What happened?" Marian asked, her steps increasing to keep up with him.

"It's Peter. He said there's a big problem at the company. I need to be there right away" Alfred explained, his voice tense.

"Isn't he your assistant? He should be able to handle it. What if you were still abroad on the business trip?" Marian asked as Alfred started the car and drove off.

At Ronaldo Enterprise, Alfred stepped out of his car, his mind unsettled, and rush inside without replying the greetings from his employees. His focus was solely on reaching his office, where his assistant Peter and the CFO were already waiting, their expressions grim.

"Welcome, Alfred" Peter greeted him as he entered.

"What's going on, Peter? CFO?" Alfred asked as he moved quickly to his seat.

"I thought it could be fixed, which is why I didn't alert you sooner, but things have got out of control" Peter admitted, his voice tense.

"We really did everything we could, Alfred" the CFO added, concern evident in his tone.

"You two are starting to scare me. I trust you both. What's the problem?" Alfred asked, trying to keep his composure.

"We have a serious problem. Our primary investor, VenturePlus, has just pulled out their funding. With immediate effect" the CFO explained.

"What? How did this happen? Why didn't you inform me the moment it happened?" Alfred asked, his frustration rising.

"We also found out recently. We were dealing with the issue of the company's missing documents when VenturePlus announced their decision. They stated some inner changes and a shift in their investment plan. We tried everything to convince them to stay, but their decision is final" Peter said, his voice filled with regret.

"This is a great loss," Alfred mumbled as he stood up, slamming his hand on the table in frustration. "How serious is this? Can we manage without their support?"

"It's very serious. VenturePlus accounted for 75% of our funding. Without their support, our cash flow is dangerously low. We have only about three weeks' worth of functional funds left" the CFO explained, the gravity of the situation clear in his voice.

"I suspected something like this might happen after my trip was unsuccessful. What about other funding sources? Can we secure emergency loans or find another investors?" Alfred asked, trying to think of a solution.

"I've been contacting other potential investors and banks, but without VenturePlus's backing, they're not ready to get support. The terms we've been offered are not favorable and would only postpone our problems" the CFO replied, the outlook grim.

Alfred sank back into his chair, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. "We need to find a solution, and fast," he said, knowing that the survival of Ronaldo Enterprise depended on it.

"We have no options, Alfred. Bankruptcy is smiling at us" Peter said, his words heavy with the finality of the situation. Alfred, overwhelmed, slowly sank to the floor, feeling the weight of the crisis.

"Unfortunately, we need to start preparing for it" the CFO added somberly. "It's the only way to responsibly handle our debts and obligations."

"How am I supposed to break this news to our employees?" Alfred asked, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with sadness.

"Many have already submitted their resignation letters," Peter replied, his tone regretful. "The rest are just waiting to hear it from us. It's no more a secret ."

"We have to be open and honest with them," the CFO said, emphasizing the importance of handling the situation with honesty.

"I can't believe it has come to this," Alfred said, his eyes welling up with tears. "This is the danger of relying on one investor. And without the company's documents, I cannot defend anything"

Later that night, Alfred's car pulled up in front of his house. Peter, who had driven him home, got out of the driver's seat, concerned about Alfred's well-being. They couldn't let him drive himself in his current state of mind.

"Take care, Alfred" the CFO said as he stepped out of the other car.

"Thanks, guys" Alfred replied, his voice weary.

"If we could still get our hands on those company documents, we might be able to come up with something," Peter said, holding onto a light of hope. "But without them, we're at a serious disadvantage."

"It's been three months, Peter" Alfred said, his voice heavy with resignation. "Still can't find them."

As Alfred walked into his house, Peter and the CFO watched him, their hearts heavy with the weight of what lay ahead.

"Well, we've done all we could" the CFO said, shaking his head.

"Yeah" Peter agreed as they both got into Peter's car. "So, what's your plan now?" he asked as they drove off into the night, discussing what their next steps might be.

"I'm moving to the UK. I recently landed a new job there" the CFO said.

"I'm going back to rejoin the force. It was always my calling until Alfred's father asked me to join Alfred at the company" Peter added.

"Do you know who his father was?" the CFO asked.

"Ronaldo was a respectful man, a retired businessman who handed over the reins to his son" Peter replied.

"It must be devastating for Alfred. He's lost both his father and the company," the CFO said sympathetically.

Marian was sitting in the living room when Alfred entered, his face filled with sadness.

"Alfred, why are you just now arriving? What happened?" Marian asked, her concern evident.

"Marian, the company is gone" Alfred said, his voice heavy with resignation.

"What do you mean?" Marian asked, clearly shocked.

"VenturePlus withdrew their support, and on top of that, the company's documents are missing" Alfred explained.

"Honey, don't you think now is the time to consider accepting the position?" Marian suggested.

"Not this again, Marian. You know how much I dislike hearing that" Alfred said, frustrated. "Where is Lucian?"

"He's asleep" Marian replied.

"Have you thought of the responsibilities and risks of taking that position? Stepping into a role where I'll become a target, putting you and Lucian in danger. Have you really thought this through?" Alfred said, his voice tinged with worry.

"Your father was Don before you were born, and he managed to hold power well till his sixties. He died suddenly because of an enemy, and now you're acting like a coward" Marian said, her tone sharp.

"Did you just call me a coward?" Alfred asked, anger rising.

"Yes, I did. You couldn't even stand up for your father or investigate his death. All you care about is the company. Maybe he gave it to someone else because he knew you didn't care" Marian said, her in frustration.

"My father and I were very close. He would never have done that to me" Alfred said, defending his father's intentions.

"Now that the company is gone, what's going to happen to us?" Marian asked, her voice filled with concern.

"That was my father's mistake-relying on only one investor. The family was more important to him than the business. I'll reach out to my friends to find a solution" Alfred said, determined to seek alternatives.

"The company is bankrupt, Alfred. Who's going to help you now?" Marian asked.

"Do you think your private friend might be able to help? I need investors urgently, and the banks are not offering any support" Alfred replied.

"I'll discuss it with her" Marian said.

"I would prefer to speak with her directly about this as a business matter" Alfred insisted.

"I've already said I'll talk to her, and I need to visit her in person. This isn't something we can sort out without a face-to-face meeting, Marian explained.

"Alright, while you're away, I'll reach out to my friends here. Hopefully, we can find a solution" Alfred said hopefully.

"Okay, dear" Marian replied, then added, "Aren't you going to eat?"

"I have no appetite. I'm feeling completely lost, Marian. I hope I can find a way through this" Alfred said, as he walked into their bedroom.

Two weeks had passed since Marian left for her friend's place. Lucian was unable to attend school due to unpaid fees. Alfred was sitting in the living room, feeling cast down, when he heard a knock on the door. He opened it to find two unexpected visitors standing outside.

"What are you doing here? How did you find my place?" Alfred asked, blocking their entry.

"If we wanted to find you, we would, Alfred. There's no place we can't locate" Rossi replied.

"Are you going to let us in or not?" Rosario asked. Hesitantly, Alfred stepped aside and let them enter. He looked upstairs, checking to see if Lucian was around, but didn't see him. Lucian, thinking his mother had returned, came out of his room only to find the two visitors in the house. Curious and careful, he hid in a place where he could listen but not seen as he tried to understand the reason for their visit.

"What brings you here?" Alfred asked as Rosario and Rossi took their seats.

"We heard about your company" Rosario replied.

"Is there any good news? Have you found the documents?" Alfred asked eagerly.

"No, unfortunately. The appointment for the new Don is in three weeks. You still have time to reconsider, Alfred. It could help get your company back on track" Rosario said.

"I've told you before, Rosario, I'm not interested. Just help me locate the documents to restore the company" Alfred said, while Lucian listened from his hiding spot.

"Alfred, we can't afford to waste the family's resources on someone who isn't one of us. You have half the family's support, and once you're ready, I'm sure the others will follow your lead because you're Ronaldo's son" Rossi said.

"Rossi's right. Most of us don't want Greco Gambino to lead us. Although he was loved by your father" Rosario added.

"I refuse to join your syndicate of killers, Rosario. I won't let Lucian grow up seeing me as a killer. If being part of this family was so great, my father wouldn't have been killed by his enemies. If you won't help me find the documents, I'll start from scratch" Alfred said firmly.

"Your stubbornness won't help you, Alfred. According to our information, you're in a serious situation. If you don't fight for yourself, there's nothing more we can do" Rossi said.

"Leave. I'll find a way to rebuild on my own" Alfred said.

"Rebuild? At thirty-six?" Rossi said. "I can't believe Ronaldo's son turned out to be such a coward" Rossi added, while Lucian peeked from his hiding spot.

"Get out" Alfred said as he walked to the door, ushering them out.

"Rossi, we shouldn't overstay our welcome. This visit is useless" Rosario said.

"Take care, Alfred" Rossi said as he and Rosario left.

Frustrated, Alfred slammed his fist against the wall. Lucian, having come downstairs, watched his father.

"Dad, what happened?" Lucian asked.

"Nothing, son. Did you just come down?" Alfred asked as he approached Lucian.

"Yes, who were those people?" Lucian asked.

"They were business associates. They've left now" Alfred explained.

"When is Mum coming back?" Lucian asked.

"I don't know, son. All attempts to reach her were unavailable" Alfred said.

Later that night, Alfred and Lucian were having snacks when they heard a knock on the door.

"It must be Mum" Lucian said, as Alfred went to answer it.

"Marian!" Alfred called out as his wife entered, and he locked the door behind her.

"Mum" Lucian called joyfully as he hugged his mother.

"I've missed you, son" Marian said, patting Lucian on the back.

"What took you so long, Marian? It's been two weeks" Alfred asked.

"I was hoping for a positive outcome" Marian replied, taking a seat.

"Did she help us?" Alfred asked.

"How did things go on your end?" Marian also asked.

"It didn't go well. They're not willing to lend support or invest" Alfred said, and Marian let out a chuckle.

"Well, I'm tired. We'll discuss it later" Marian said as she headed upstairs, with Alfred following.

"Marian, wait. I need to talk to you" Alfred said, grabbing her hand to stop her.

"Let go of me, Alfred. This is all your fault" Marian said, pulling her hand away forcefully.

In the middle of night, Marian was woken by the vibration of her phone. She muted the call and checked to see if Alfred was awake. Finding him fast asleep, she slowly made her way to the bathroom, sat on the toilet, and dialed the number that had just called her.

Alfred, woken by the phone's vibration, pretended to remain asleep to avoid drawing attention. He quietly followed Marian to the bathroom and stood by the door to eavesdrop on her conversation.

"Hi, you shouldn't be calling me in the middle of the night like this" Marian said into the phone.

"I have some important information, and it's good news" the caller responded.

"Don't tell me the plan has changed. I thought we agreed on a week from now" Marian said, sounding concerned.

"Not anymore. I had to speed up things, so be ready tomorrow" the caller said.

"What about my son?" Marian asked.

"Don't worry, I've got everything prepared for" the caller assured her.

"Thank you. Alfred will be shocked to hear this" Marian said.

"Of course. Tomorrow it is" the caller said.

"Thanks so much. I'm really grateful" Marian said, ending the call. Alfred quietly returned to bed, pretending to be asleep, but he couldn't help smiling. It sounded like Marian had received some positive news that could be beneficial for them.

Around 7 a.m., Marian was setting the dining table when Lucian came downstairs.

"Good morning, Mom. Am I going to school today?" Lucian asked.

"Good morning, sweetheart. No, you're not going to school today. I need you to take a bath and pack your things right away" Marian instructed.

"Are we going somewhere?" Lucian asked, confused.

"Don't ask questions, Lucian. Just go and get ready" Marian said, prompting Lucian to head back upstairs.

A few minutes later, the family sat down to have breakfast.

"Marian, thank you" Alfred said.

"What for?" Marian asked, her tone curious.

"For getting help for us. I really appreciate it" Alfred said.

"The help wasn't for you, it's for me and Lucian" Marian said as she continued eating. Lucian watched the exchange quietly.

"What do you mean?" Alfred asked, confused, as Marian left the table. She went upstairs to bring her and Lucian's luggage.

"Mum, are we traveling?" Lucian asked as he followed Marian's movements.

"Yes, we are, darling" Marian said.

Alfred stood up from the table and followed Marian to the stairs.

"What's going on, Marian? Where are you going?" Alfred asked, his concern growing. Marian handed him a paper.

"Sign the papers" Marian said, taking a seat as Lucian walked to them.

"Divorce papers? Marian, what is this?" Alfred asked, shocked.

"You know exactly what it is. Just sign the damn papers" Marian replied firmly.

"I thought you went out to get help for us" Alfred said, looking bewildered as Marian stood up to face him.

"Help for you? When I asked you to take the position that would benefit us, did you listen?" Marian shot back.

"Marian, you can't do this to me. I know you never loved me. Our fathers arranged this marriage for their own advantages, but I've never hated you. I genuinely love you" Alfred said, his voice filled with emotion.

"And I've never loved you, Alfred. You're too weak for my taste. You've never cared about my needs. Maybe if you had listened to me, I might have changed my mind" Marian replied.

"You know I care about you, Marian. I've given you everything you need. Despite your past kind of life, I've always treated you with respect" Alfred said.

"My past? The fact that I used to go out clubbing and wasn't the perfect woman you expected?" Marian said.

"Marian, just stop. Lucian is here" Alfred said, trying to normalize the situation.

"You wanted him to know, so I'm telling him. It's true, Lucian. I used to be a club girl before my father forced me to marry your father" Marian said, looking at Lucian. "But it's not such a big deal."

"If it's about the company, we can rebuild. I'm working on getting it back on track" Alfred said, holding onto hope.

"You must be out of your mind, Alfred. Do you have the company's documents? No, you don't. You think I don't know? You expect me to stay here with you while you're broke?" Marian said sharply.

"Mum, please don't leave Dad" Lucian pleaded, his eyes filled with tears.

"Sweetheart, we can't stay with him. We'll starve. Your father is a wreck now" Marian said, her voice firm.

"Mum, you can't speak to Dad like that" Lucian protested.

"Is this because I rejected the position?" Alfred asked, his voice trembling.

"Yes, you rejected power, authority, influence-everything that commands respect and wealth. You chose the company over all of that, and look where it got you" Marian said.

"I rejected all of that for our son, you know that. I didn't want to leave Lucian with a legacy of power struggles and danger" Alfred said.

"And what legacy are you leaving him now? Poverty?" Marian retorted, laughing hysterically.

"Marian, please, don't leave me, especially now. How long have you been planning this?" Alfred begged.

"Since you started rejecting the position" Marian said coldly.

"Mum, Dad loves you. I can't stand to see you both divorce" Lucian said, his voice trembling.

"Our flight is at 3 p.m., and I can't miss it, Lucian" Marian said firmly.

"Where are you going?" Alfred asked, a sense of fear in his voice.

"To the country you fled from" Marian replied.

"Italy? You don't have any family there. Lucian and I are your family" Alfred said, trying to make her reconsider.

"You're right. My father passed away during a business trip your father should have attended. And don't forget, I have a friend there" Marian said.

"You can't take our son with you. I refuse to let him go live with someone that I don't know" Alfred said.

"Mum, I want to stay with Dad or we can all go together" Lucian said, tears streaming down his face.

"You can't stay with him, sweetheart. He has nothing to offer you, and he's not coming with us. He doesn't fit into our plans" Marian said, her voice hardening.

"Who's helping you, Marian? Are you seeing someone else?" Alfred asked, his voice filled with anger.

"That's none of your concern. Just sign the papers" Marian said firmly.

"I won't sign them because I love you, no matter what" Alfred said, his voice breaking. At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

"You should get the door, Alfred. They're here for you" Marian said, her eyes full of anger. Alfred, looking heartbroken, walked to the door to find two men standing outside.

"How can I help you?" Alfred asked, trying to maintain his composure.

"Mr. Alfred Romano, we're officials from the bank. May we come in?" the first official asked politely.

"Yes, please come in" Alfred replied, allowing them inside.

"Good morning, madam" both officials greeted Marian as Lucian, looking sad, quietly made his way to the dining area.

"Welcome. Please, make yourselves comfortable" Marian said as the officials took their seats, followed by Alfred.

"Mr. Romano, thank you for allowing us in. We've sent countless letters requesting your attention, but none were attended to" the first official explained.

"I wasn't aware of any letters" Alfred said, looking at Marian.

"I forgot to tell you. My bad" Marian said, nonchalantly.

"We're here to discuss your situation. We understand that your company's recent bankruptcy has affected your capacity to meet loan payments" the second official said.

"Yes, it's been a serious challenge. I'm looking for opportunities to get back on track. Is there any possibility of postponing some payments?" Alfred asked.

"Mr. Romano, after a thorough check of your account, we've found that due to default in payments and some outstanding balance, the bank has decided to claim your property" the first official said.

"Claim? What does that mean?" Alfred asked in shock, while Marian scoffed.

"We realize this is not good, Mr. Romano. However, given your company's bankruptcy and the default payments, we have exhausted all possible solutions to help you retain your home" the second official explained.

"This can't be happening. My house is all I have left. Isn't there anything we can do to resolve this?" Alfred pleaded.

"The is the final process, Mr. Romano." the first official responded.

"But where am I supposed to go? I didn't realize things had become this serious" Alfred said, standing up and running his hands through his hair in frustration, while Lucian looked on with pity.

"We sincerely regret that it has come to this. We will provide you with a deadline to leave the house" the second official said.

"How long do I have before I need to leave?" Alfred asked, his voice tinged with desperation.

"Two months." the first official explained.

"We are very sorry about this situation and wish you all the best" the second official added as they placed a letter on the table before walking out.

"This is devastating. I never imagined I'll lose everything" Alfred said, pacing the living room in sadness.

"This is exactly why my son and I can't stay with you. You have no house, no money, no job-you're left with nothing" Marian said coldly.

"Marian, this fault is not mine. I'm certain someone planned this" Alfred said.

And who is that?" Marian asked skeptically.

"Someone who wants to ruin me. Why else would all this happen after I lost my dad? The problems with the company's documents and everything-it's all too coincidental. Someone is behind it" Alfred insisted.

"You might be mistaken. Maybe you don't deserve this after all. Perhaps your father knew that your cowardice would lead to this and entrusted everything to someone who is capable." Marian said.

"What are you talking about? I'm not a coward, and my father would never think that way. Who exactly do you think he gave everything to?" Alfred asked.

"Lucian, let's go" Marian said, pulling their luggage behind her.

"Mum, we can't just leave Dad like this. We need to help him" Lucian said, tears streaming down his face.

"Honey, if we stay any longer, we'll miss our flight. We have to go now" Marian insisted as Lucian ran to his father.

"Dad, I don't want to leave" Lucian cried. Alfred crouched down to Lucian's level and wiped his tears away.

"You know I love you, right? And you know I'll never leave you for anything. You need to go with your mum. She's right at the moment. I am broke and don't have what it takes to care for you , but I promise I'll come back for you" Alfred said gently.

"No, Dad" Lucian said, his voice filled with emotion, while Alfred pat him gently.

"Go with her. I'll keep in touch. I promise" Alfred said.

"Dad, I'm going to miss you so much" Lucian said through his tears.

"I'll miss you too, son. But I need to stay and sort things out. Once I've fixed everything, I'll come back for you" Alfred said, embracing his son tightly.

"Lucian, we need to leave now," Marian said, tugging Lucian away from his father.

Once Marian and Lucian had gone, Alfred sank onto the sofa in the living room, filled with grief. He could hardly believe that the woman he loved had left him during his most challenging time and taken their son with her. Marian's father and Ronaldo had been close friends in New York City. Ronaldo had left his friend to manage the company while he took on the Don's role established by his own father before he died of cancer. Marian's mother had died giving birth to her, and she had been raised by nannies. Her father disapproved of her clubbing lifestyle, which led to her marriage to Alfred, a union planned to address her waywardness.

As Alfred carefully think whether he had been wrong to reject the Don's position, he cried out in frustration, feeling as though he had lost everything.