CHAPTER THREE: DO IT FOR THE FAMILY 

Luca POV

"You want me to marry her?"

Gilbert didn't even look up from the glass of whiskey in his hand. "I wasn't asking."

I stared at him for a few seconds before laughing quietly in disbelief, and the slap from earlier still burned against my face, but honestly, that wasn't even the part annoying me anymore.

"She embarrassed me in front of half the city."

"And?"

"And you expect me to reward that with a wedding?"

Gilbert finally looked at me then. "Careful, Luca," and the warning in his voice was enough to make the room tense immediately, while Vincent stood near the window in silence, rain hitting the glass behind him, looking calm as usual, though I already knew he was paying attention to every word being said inside the room.

I leaned back in my chair slowly. "Give me one good reason why marrying her would benefit this family."

Gilbert's expression darkened slightly. "Because Sophia Rossi is more important than you realize," and that caught my attention immediately.

"She's Adrian Rossi's daughter," Vincent said calmly. "People are already talking about the incident from tonight. Some families think the Rossis disrespected us on purpose."

I looked toward him. "You think she planned that?"

"No," Vincent replied smoothly, "but perception matters."

Gilbert set his glass down carefully before standing. "For years, the Rossi name disappeared from Sicily, and suddenly Adrian's daughter returns, and within days the entire city is already talking about her, and that kind of attention can either become dangerous for us," he paused, "or useful."

I stared at him quietly, because something about this entire situation felt strange, too sudden.

"You're still not explaining why marriage is necessary."

Gilbert walked closer slowly. "Because people obey power, Luca. Fear keeps families loyal, but appearances keep empires standing, and you're the head of this family now, and you need a wife beside you."

"I don't need Sophia for that."

"No," Gilbert said calmly, "but this city does."

I clenched my jaw slightly, because I hated when he spoke in riddles.

"She hates us," I muttered.

"That doesn't matter."

"She slapped me."

Vincent almost looked amused for half a second before hiding it, and Gilbert ignored the comment completely. "You care too much about pride sometimes."

"And you care too little."

The room went silent after that, and for a moment I thought Gilbert might actually lose his temper, but instead he smiled slightly and sat back down.

"You want this empire someday?" he asked quietly, and I didn't answer immediately, because we both already knew the answer, because everything I had done for years, every deal, every threat, every sacrifice, had been for that exact reason, and nothing in this family came without proving yourself first, a lesson Gilbert had spent my entire life reminding me of.

"You're not ready to lead if emotions control your decisions," he continued calmly. "A smart man uses every opportunity placed in front of him, even if he dislikes it."

I looked away briefly while lightning flashed across the dark Sicilian sky outside the mansion windows, and silence filled the room again, until Vincent finally spoke.

"The city is unstable right now," he said carefully. "Families are already choosing sides after tonight. A marriage between you and Sophia could calm tensions before things get worse."

I looked toward him slowly. "And if I refuse?"

Gilbert answered before Vincent could. "Then you prove you're still too immature to lead this family."

There it was, exactly what he knew would get my attention, because for years Gilbert had treated every mistake I made like proof that I wasn't good enough to inherit the empire properly, and no matter how much power I gained, no matter how feared I became, it was never enough for him, and now he was testing me again, and I hated that part of me still wanted his approval.

Vincent stepped closer. "Boss, with all due respect, the marriage might actually work in our favor. The city already sees Sophia as connected to us after tonight. Turning her into your wife changes the narrative completely."

I stayed quiet, not because I agreed, but because, annoyingly, it made sense.

Gilbert watched me carefully before speaking again. "You don't have to like her. You simply have to marry her."

The idea sounded ridiculous, a forced marriage to a woman who hated me, a woman bold enough to slap me publicly without understanding the consequences, and somehow that same woman had become the center of every conversation in Palermo within one night.

I rubbed my jaw slowly before finally speaking. "Fine."

Gilbert's expression remained calm, but I noticed the slight satisfaction in his eyes immediately.

"But if this creates problems for the family," I continued coldly, "that becomes your responsibility."

Vincent lowered his head slightly. "I'll handle everything personally."Of course he would. He always did.

Gilbert picked up his whiskey glass again before speaking the words that would completely destroy whatever normal life Sophia Rossi still had left.

"Bring her to the mansion tonight."