08_A Piece of the Puzzle

"She isn't on the estate grounds, Sergio." Marco reported.

"What do you mean she isn't on the estate grounds?" Sergio asked, his voice tight.

"She's nowhere to be found. Someone thought he might have spotted her driving out a few minutes ago."

Sergio was silent, too silent that Rosy could almost hear the gears turning in his head.

 "That can't be. Bianca can't be the traitor." Rosy felt his denial and pain pierce her heart but she struggled against it. She wasn't going to feel pity for him.

"Sergio, the video__"

Sergio grabbed the front of Marco's shirt and drew him closer, growling at him.

"I don't care about the damn video. Get me my sister. There has to be a perfectly good explanation for this."

Marco bowed and walked away into the shadows leaving Rosy with Bianca.

"You said she handed you the envelope? What else did she say?" he demanded.

"Nothing. She just said I was late and handed me the envelope. Then she walked away."

"Go to your room." Sergio commanded but Rosy stood her ground.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not till you tell the truth about Luca. I demand to know."

Sergio kept quiet.

"Please, tell me. I need to know." Rosy pleaded. "You owe me that much."

Sergio regarded her quietly then sighed resignedly.

“What do you want to know?”

“Why did Luca want to get married to me?” Rosy forced herself to ask. Even though she already came to accept that he never loved her, she was still scared to hear Sergio’s response. 

“Whoever has you controls the De Luca family.”

Rosy waited for him to say more but he didn't. 

“Because I'm the only surviving offspring of De Luca?”

Sergio nodded. 

“Isn't that also your goal?” she asked. 

An expression passed over Sergio’s face. “You know nothing.”

Rosy fell silent, her mind working. There was much she needed answers too but she wasn't sure Sergio was ready to give them. 

“You said we grew up here together. How come?” 

Sergio sneered and Rosy thought he wasn't going to reply to her. 

“My father was your father's successor as the next Don to reign over the Five big mafia families… That is until you came along.”

“... Everything changed. The law was against a female emerging as the Supreme Don but because your father was the overall head of the families, he revised the Law just so he could name you… his child as the successor.”

“Was it really that simple... I mean to totally change something that was almost like a custom?” Rosy asked. 

“It wasn't that's why he created an additional clause to it, that any male from the big five families that his daughter chooses to marry will have equal power with her as the Supreme Don.”

Oh… By doing so, he thought he had curbed the anger of the families, right?” Rosy guessed. 

Sergio’s tone was mocking and angry at the same time. “Yes and it worked but one family wasn't happy with it at all. Care to guess?”

It was obvious which family drew the short straw. 

“The De Niro.”

Sergio grinned wickedly. 

“Bingo… My family. My father wasn't happy at being cheated so he___”

“__He rebelled and had my family killed.” Rosy filled in for him quietly. 

“Close but not quite yet. He called a meeting of the Sits and brought the matter forward, expecting the other families to take his side…” Sergio's voice trailed off. 

“What happened?” 

“The families were all against him, each one seeing it as an opportunity for their family to be the seat of power.”

“...And that's when my father rebelled, wiping out anyone who had any connection to Antonio De Luca.”

Understanding dawned on Rosy. 

“The man that looked like you in the video… that was your father, wasn't it?” 

Sergio grunted. 

“The fool. Because of what he did, our family name was stripped off its rank and even though we are still feared because of our ruthlessness, we lost our seat among the Big Five.”

“That can't be. There was no way to prove your father was behind it. You said he killed everyone.” Rosy reasoning made sense but Sergio shook his head. 

He pointed at the flash drive in her hand. 

“A copy of that video was the proof. Someone did escape and survive.”

Rosy chewed on everything she had heard. 

“So I'm a pawn after all. You plan to use me to regain your seat among the family as well as be the top dog, isn't it?” 

“You have it all figured out.”

“You said the De Lucas were killed by you but if I'm correct, we are about the same age. That can't be true.” 

“Does it matter? I'm the present head of the family and I represent everyone who bears De Niro.” Sergio replied. 

“Why do you keep insisting that I am yours?” Rosy wanted to know. 

Sergio’s response was evasive. “You will know when the time is right.” 

They stood together in uncomfortable silence. 

“You said someone survived. Who?” Rosy asked after a while. 

Sergio didn't respond immediately but when he did, his voice was calm. 

“Matteo… Your father's right hand man.”

*********************************************************

“What's your plan towards her, Sergio?” Marco asked back in Sergio’s car. 

“What do you mean?” Sergio shot back, claiming ignorance even though he knew what Marco was asking. 

“You are hesitating. Remember the whole family needs you to redeem our name and importance.” Marco noted. 

Sergio gave him a pointed look. “You think I'm not aware of that?”

“Chills, bro. I'm just saying. The old ones are getting impatient.”

Sergio said nothing, reclining back in the back seat. 

Marco twisted backward to search his face. 

“No… you didn't.” 

“What?” Sergio grumbled, getting defensive. 

“You haven't fallen for her, have you?” 

“I___”

Sergio couldn't complete his sentence. 

Am I falling for her? He asked himself, looking out the window. Memories of them playing as kids played in his head. 

He shook his head violently. Love and relationship was a luxury he couldn't afford right now. 

“Sergio, it's Bianca.” Marco spoke up from the front seat, his phone pressed to his ears. 

“What about her?” Sergio asked gruffly, pushing the thought of Rosana to the back of his mind. He would deal with it later. 

“She is back home.” Marco informed him. “She wants to meet.”