Jas.
The mont that my feet touched down in Italy, I couldn’t understand why it was that I hadn’t co back sooner. The Italian countryside was absolutely beautiful, and I fell in love with it many years ago, but never returned because of how busy my life was.
Now that I was here, though, I was looking forward to trying to get my life back on track. Ronaldo said that he needed to help him with his business, and I wasn’t sure exactly what that entailed since he had been so vague, but I had a feeling that it had sothing to do with the forr business that I owned, as well as other stuff.
As soon as we stepped out of the plane, a car was waiting for us on the tarmac. Following Ronaldo, I made our way to the vehicle, and as soon as we were in, it was off out of the airport, headed straight for our family ho.
“I will go ahead and let you know that there will be a small family gathering this evening. You know how the family is. Everybody will want to see you since it’s been so long.” I know exactly what he ant. It had been quite so ti since I had been here, and now that my father was dead, and everything else had happened with my situation, it was only custom that the family got together.
“I wouldn’t expect any less from the family,” I muttered, trying to keep to myself as much as possible, considering everything that was going on. All I wanted to do was head straight to New Zealand to be with Becca and my child, but of course, that wasn’t going to be able to happen anyti soon.
As the car drove on, making its way through the rolling hills of the countryside, and headed straight for the vast villa and property that our family-owned. I contemplated what exactly I was going to be t with.
However, I didn’t have to think about it long because as soon as the car turned down a private drive an hour after we had landed, I saw the vast amount of vehicles that were parked up near the massive mansion lying high up on the hills in the distance.
“Well, it seems that everybody was able to make it,” Ronaldo laughed, casting a glance towards as I furrowed my brows and then pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration.
“It’s fine. I’ll deal with the family gathering first, and then if you can show to my room, that would be great.”
“Of course, Jas.” Ronaldo chuckled. “My father does want to have a eting with you first, though.”
It was hard to believe that his father, who had to have been close to 90 years old by now, was still running things for the family. Italians were bred differently, though. They were able to withstand doing much more at even an older age and often lived well to et one hundred.
Nona, Ronaldo’s mother, unfortunately, was not a woman who was blessed enough to reach that age. The last I heard, she had died about 15 years ago from cancer, and ever since, his father had never been the sa.
She was a wise woman and the woman who ran more of this family than her own husband had. She was the matriarch, a proud queen bee, and no one had ever been able to replace her. “I take it I’ll be able to et your wife finally?”
When I spoke about Ronaldo’s wife, his attitude completely changed. I hadn’t ant for it to be any kind of jab. I was actually intrigued by eting the woman after so long of him protesting ever getting married.
“Unfortunately, no. I’ve actually provided her a place to stay in Venice, and she’s choosing to stay there,” he replied, giving a very vague answer as if he didn’t want to tell the truth.
“I don’t understand, Ronaldo. Why you didn’t just tell your father the truth?” It was quite obvious at a young age that Ronaldo preferred his own gender to won, and it was more the reason why he had been single for so long.
However, with the family, he was obligated to produce offspring, and his father wouldn’t accept that his only son preferred living that lifestyle.
It was nothing against living that lifestyle, it was simply how things were done in the olden days. Those kinds of relationships were had behind closed doors, and you didn’t publicize it, and when you were given an order from the higher-up, you were expected to follow that order.
“You know how things are, Jas. And even though he made marry that woman, I will not have children with her. She doesn’t even want anything to do with . The only good thing about her was that we agreed. I would give her an allowance, and she would put on a fake smile when doing as I needed her to, and otherwise, she could live her own life.”
“I understand. As long as you’re happy, Ronaldo, that’s all that matters.” The mont between the two of us was one of understanding. Since my father had moved to Arica at a very young age, I didn’t have to live by the sa standards that my cousin did.
Instead, I was free to be whoever I wanted to be.
The conversation quickly died down as the car pulled closer to the house and finally stopped. There was nobody waiting outside, but I knew that as soon as I crossed the threshold, I would be greeted with warm, smiling faces and the slls of various foods.
It was comforting being here, but at one point in ti, I had actually looked forward to bringing Becca with to introduce her to my family in this ho, sothing that I never wanted to do with Allison.
Stepping out of the car, I followed Ronaldo into the house, and as soon as I did, the andering voices of many family mbers ca to greet . Hugging and smiling, laughing and shaking hands were all part of the ritual.
Once that was done, I was taken to et my cousin’s father, my uncle, whom they called Bishop or the Bishop. It wasn’t his real na, but God forbid anybody actually used his real na. “Father wants to et you.”
Ronaldo didn’t hesitate in turning to walk off as they quickly left the crowds of people headed through the hallways of the massive diterranean-style ho straight for a study at the back of the house.
As soon as I passed through the sliding brown doors of the study, I was t with floor-to-ceiling, built-in bookshelves, ornate furniture, lavish golds, creams, reds, and yellows. One could definitely tell that Nona had decorated this office for her husband, and he had not changed a single thing about it.
The old man sat behind his desk, not looking a day over seventy. Light blue eyes, surrounded with wrinkles, t as I took in the figure of my uncle dressed in a three-piece suit, ready to impress anyone who ca to visit.
He didn’t bother to stand from his seat as I entered and standing before him, I watched my cousin slowly walk over to the small Seti Leathered lounge, placing himself upon it as he pulled a cigar from his jacket.
There was no need for him to speak whatsoever. Instead, he was to remain quiet while my uncle conversed with . “Jas, it’s so good to see you after all these years–finally.”
“It’s good to see you as well, Uncle. Thank you for allowing to co and stay here.”
“We need to thank you, boy.” He chuckled, waving his hand in the air as if my being here was absolutely no problem at all. “I’m glad that you’re finally ho. This is where you’re ant to be. Helping your cousin to take care of family business.”
I hadn’t bothered to let my uncle know, or even really Ronaldo for that matter, that I was not interested in living the lifestyle that I once had. I wanted to go clean, I didn’t want to deal with shady business, and that was the reason why my daughter was no longer living because I had done things that I was not proud of.
However, I would respect my uncle and listen to what he had to say before simply jumping to conclusions. “I’d be more than happy to help in any way possible.”
Taking a mont, he stared at before clasping his hands in front of him, rocking back and forth in the leather chair he sat in. “Good, because I think what I have to offer you could be mutually beneficial.”
“What would that be?”
He hesitated for a mont before glancing toward Ronaldo. “There are so aspects of business that have been... not performing as well as I would have liked. I would like for you to assist my son in correcting this. As his personal advisor.”
Personal advisor? I didn’t understand why they would want for sothing like that, but if advising was all I had to do, then I suppose it wouldn’t be too bad. “Okay, that’s simple enough.”
“Yes, and in return, I will see to it that this issue with the Russians is cleared up, and for the most part, your life will be yours once more.”
I knew my uncle was a powerful man, but I didn’t think that he had the power to fix that. To know that, once again, I would have my life back was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. It had been months since I had been a free man of my own will.
“Thank you, uncle. There is much in my life I need to fix.”
Nodding his head, he frowned. “Yes... I heard about your daughter Tally. I’m sorry for your loss. Losing a child is... one of the hardest things a parent will ever have to do.”
“All I can do now is try to do right by her,” I whispered, casting my eyes toward the floor. “By my grandson and my new daughter.”
“Yes... I heard that your lover had a child with you, and she has your grandson. We will work to get them here with you as well,” he muttered, causing to glance at him again. As much as I wanted Becca here with , I couldn’t have her forced.
“In ti, I will work towards having her here. For now, I don’t want to overdo it and run the risk of her refusing .”
Laughter escaped my uncle’s throat as a glimpse of amusent lay in his eyes. “No woman refuses a Valentino, Jas. She will co here, willing or not. For now, we deal with business... we will give her a few months. But with no heirs from my son... I expect yours to be present. They are the future.”
His words were like a bucket of cold water dumped on , forcing to realize what his plans and Ronaldo’s were for coming here the entire ti. It wasn’t just because he wanted here as a part of the family and to help with the business.
Ronaldo refused to have children to keep our bloodline going, and I had another child and a grandson. A male heir to our family’s fortune.
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