Chapter 4

Gerardo was right. The documents left to me were financial reports from the year my parents died. The expenses don't add up. There are unnecessary things on this list, undervalued items, overvalued items. Everything is just wrong. Who could do this?

I look down and Seong's signature came into view. I grit my teeth. What is he, stupid? That mother fucker. The anger starts to consume me so I take a deep breath and switched pages. There I find an envelope with my name on it. This must be from mom.

I rip open the envelope and a silver locket falls out. Then I notice the letter that accompanies it. Am I really ready to know what my mother's last words to me are? I regret the last thing I said to her; I am yet to forgive myself. Now in her death, she's trying to protect me but I don't deserve it.

Sighing, I slowly unfolded the piece of paper and the first line made my eyes well up immediately.

~

My little blood flower,

If you are reading this, it means everything has gone to shit and you are now staying with Gerardo. You must be careful. Dwayne and his men would attack them first, knowing that Gerardo is my most trusted ally. However, if they have already attacked and you are now in their home country I beg you to listen to them. Only trust Gerardo and his sons, Vincenzo, Dangelo and Angelo.

I am sorry I had to leave the way I did but it was for your own protection. Your father wasn't the good man he had led you to believe. I couldn't let what happened to me, happen to you so I had to kill him. Please understand. I had to kill myself as well because had I stayed alive you would have been lost just like your real brother.

The locket enclosed in this letter holds two pictures, one of your brother and I and the other of you and I when you were both babies. My last wish is that you find Gi. I wish for the two of you to have each other during the chaos that is to come. I love you my little blood flower. May your life be long and meaningful.

Love,

Mom.

~

I was sobbing by the time I got to the end of the letter. What does she mean? What does all of this mean?

"What are they not telling me." I whisper to myself.

I read over the fourth to last line in the letter and open the locket. The pictures in there is as she said. I wiped the tears off my face with my sleeve and took deep breaths to steady myself.

I glance at the picture of my brother and my eye caught on to a birthmark. It was in the shape of a crescent moon with little dots around it. I've seen this mark before. It was on that weird kid at school. He walked with a limp all the time and he looked anorexic. His bones were visible.

Last I heard of him, his mom took him out of school after one of the guidance counselors tried to help him. That was five years ago. I used to see him around town but then that stopped after we bumped into each other a day. I really wanted to help him.

Could he have been Gi? Either way, it's a lead and I need to find that boy as soon as possible.

~

I face the men around the round table with confidence, my stare unwavering. I asked Gerardo to gather his most trusted men and that came up to five people; himself, Dangelo, a woman called Mafalda and his two other sons whom I've never met.

The other two sons were away on business when I arrived yesterday, however I am still yet to meet them formally. Vincenzo was obviously the eldest. His hair is dark and his eyes are grey and his features were both sharp and soft. The other son, Angelo is an exact replica of Dangelo, seeing as they are twins. Angelo however kept his hair short unlike the other two brothers. The five of them wait for me to start explaining why I gathered them here.

"I need to go back to America." I finally said.

Gerardo sat up straight, "What was in that letter?"

I know he is referring to the letter my mother left and I didn't hesitate to answer.

"She wants me to find Gi."

He tilts his head confused and urges for me to continue.

I take a deep breath, "I think I know where I can find him. Gi has a crescent moon like birthmark on his neck and it's surrounded by little dots. I have seen this before on someone who used to go to my school years ago."

"It's a scar." Dangelo says, "A surgical scar to remove cists on a child's neck. There are many people with the same scars."

I pause slightly and think back to the picture. So the holes must be where they put the stiches.

"Even so, no one has the same scar in the same place, with the same stitching pattern not even how the scar itself healed. I remember every detail of this scar and it is the exact scar in the picture mom left me."

"Miliani, I understand you wanting to jump in and find him immediately but I have a duty to protect you. You know very well that Dwayne will be looking for you." Gerardo advises with a fatherly voice.

My eyes turn hard and I clench my fists.

"I will deal with Dwayne and that traitorous group of mine afterwards. Right now I need to find my brother and find out what hell happened to him. It is my mom's dying wish and I want to fulfill it. Immediately. Just get me some guns, some money, some clothes and a few wigs and I'll go do what I have to."

I raise my nose to the air, letting the power in my words sink in. Gerardo's eyes gave away that he knew I was not going to back down from this.

"we'll go with you." Vincenzo offers.

"I do not want to get anyone else involved in this." I hiss, "I can do it on my own."

"I know the stories about you, Miliani. The innocent mob boss. The first boss to gain respect without having blood on her hands. You will not be fine on your own. Besides, my father isn't the only one your mother told to protect you." he responds coolly.

He shrugs, "It's not up for discussion."

"Who the hell do you think you are, Ravello?" I bit out. The smugness in his voice made my irritation spike and I couldn't help snapping, "You don't tell me what to do. If you guys want to come along, fine but I'm in charge. We use my methods, my strategies."

Gerardo chuckles and shakes his head at me, "Just like Aniva. I suggest you work with Vincenzo, my dear. You are a great boss but so is my son, you will only profit from his input."

We stare each other down, honey brown to stormy grey. The triumphant smirk on his face irritated me to no bounds but thinking over his fathers words I give him a sharp nod.

Gerardo clasped his hands together, "It's settled then. How soon do you want to leave?"

"As soon as possible."

"Everything will be ready by tonight."