HE'S LORD CASSANO

AURORA BRADLEY’S POV

I stand before my parents, shaking fearfully. Someone from my class told them I left with a man. I can't help but think about what that handsome devil said to me. My friends aren't good people, they set me up. 

“Aurora, are you going to speak or do you need me to jog your mind?” My dad shouts, and raises his hand to slap me for the first time in my life. 

I shout in terror and run outside the house, not minding that I'm barefoot and dressed in just a bathrobe. A fleet of luxury cars drives into our compound, making me stop just below the stairs. 

My parents also stop chasing me and stand at the door behind me, watching the spectacle. Neighbors begin to gather and look out their balconies, same with passersby. 

Four Rolls Royce and three Maybachs, all limited edition and customised parks before our small town house. They must have missed their way, we don't know anyone that rich. Even my boyfriend from a rich family can't afford a Rolls Royce, talk more of moving in a convoy. 

Guards dressed in black suits and sun shades got down from the car. They opened the fourth Rolls Royce, and a man dressed in an expensive suit got down from it. But why does the man look so familiar? 

The guards are carrying briefcases, and follow the man who seems to be the leader. That nose and lips look very familiar. Where have I seen it? 

He removes his sun shades and smiles at me, making my heart skip multiple beats. It's him, the handsome demon. 

“Hello sunshine!” He says and smiles at me. I immediately stagger, and he catches me in his arms, making our eyes meet. My heart is doing that again, racing like a wild horse. What's wrong with me? 

He looks up at my mom who is holding the wooden spatula which she used to frighten me for sleeping out, and his eyes narrow. 

“You didn't hit her with that, did you?” 

“Ah? She's my daughter. Will I actually beat her?” My mom stutters, still in shock. 

“That's good then. Otherwise, you will have your arm in a cast for a while.” He says and carries me up, making his way into the house like he owns it. 

I snap out of my daze and immediately slap his shoulders. 

“Put me down, you psycho!”

He smiles and sets me down, before making his way to the sofa. He sits down and looks around. His eyes linger on the photo of my grade school graduation ceremony. I hate the smile on his face as he watches the pictures, I so wish to wipe it off. 

“Who are you? And why are you here?”

“I'm Leonardo Cassano. I'm here to seek your daughter's hand in marriage.” He says with that coldness that never seems to depart from him. The only time he smiled was when he looked at my picture. At other times, he just seems so cold and distant. 

“Are you crazy? I have a fiancé whom I love so much. Get out of my house.” I scream and try to drag him out. But he applies a little pressure and I find myself tumbling into his lap. 

“Your shitbag boyfriend is not qualified to compete with me. A mere sneeze from me can squash him to death. Besides, it's not in your place to refuse.” He says and turns to my father. 

“I want to get married to Aurora, you won't regret it.”

His men open the briefcases and my eyes immediately widen with shock. 

Two suitcases containing bars of gold, three suitcases filled with stacks of hundred dollar bills, one containing jewelry, another containing property deeds, and one briefcase containing car keys.

This, this, this. Isn't this something that only happens in movies? How can someone have so much? All these are definitely upto a billion dollars or more. 

“Leonardo Cassano?” My mom whispers, her body shaking. Her face turns white, and she collapses against the wall. 

“Im-po-ssi-ble! Get out now!” My dad roars and points at the door. 

“Consider it carefully. With me as your son-in-law, you won't have to worry about money all the days of your life.” He then looks around our house with a condescending gaze before he continues. 

“You will move out of this shack, have mansions to yourself, fleets of expensive cars, and private jets. Anything you ask for, I will let you have. And most importantly, no man can love your daughter better than I do. Her boyfriend is not worthy of her.” He says with that same arrogance and coldness that I find incredibly annoying. 

“I don't need your dirty money steeped in the blood of the innocent. Get out, now!” Dad roars in fury. I have never seen him so angry. 

“Calm down, father in-law. I'm not a bad person.” Leonardo whispers in an uninterested tone, tapping away on the armrest. 

“If you, Leonardo Cassano, are not a bad person, who is? Should I give you a run down of your biography? Leonardo Cassano, leader of the Cassano family mafia, and assassins league's underground army, who ascended to power after killing his father, uncle and two cousins. After he ascended, he expanded the Cassano empire to all of northern America, some parts of South America, East Asia, Europe, and Africa. On the surface, he's the genius CEO of JK group. But he's actually the mysterious demon whom different countries of the world are after. With such a reputation, you dare come here to harass my little girl?” Dad shouts, his eyes red with fury. 

I have never seen my level headed dad so furious and resentful. And most importantly, the handsome demon's biography terrifies me. He's that Leonardo Cassano? And he didn't kill me when I slapped him in the morning? Did dad make a mistake?

Impossible! Dad is a retired member of the secret service, the information must be correct. Besides, who else but the deadly Leonardo Cassano can afford such luxurious dowry worth billions of dollars? 

He sighs at that moment, drawing my attention. 

“You seem to know too much, father in-law. But I don't mind. Soon, we will become a family and there would be no need to hide things between us. And for the last time, I never harassed your daughter. It should be the other way around. I'm getting married to Aurora, whether you approve or not. I only came to inform you.” 

The nerves! He came to ‘inform’ us that ‘he’ is getting married to ‘me’. As what? 

“This psycho!” I mutter through gritted teeth, unable to form coherent words. I must have gone dumb from anger. 

“Mr Cassano, get out of my house. Marrying my daughter is impossible, not after your men killed my only son. And most importantly, your money can't move us. If you don't leave now, you won't like my reaction.”

He turns silent at this point and looks at me with an expression I can't read. 

“Your son dying in the hands of the Cassano Vikings was an accident, one I regret deeply. It's worthy of note that since I took over the Cassano empire, we have not done the kind of business I'm sure you're thinking about. We no longer trade illegal goods.”

His words finally wakes me up. I went numb the moment I heard he was the one who killed my brother. Tears roll down my cheeks and I rush to him, delivering a hot slap to his cheek. 

“Get out! Now!” I scream, not recognizing my own voice. 

Leonardo stands up, sighs and wipes my tears, surprising me. 

He waves his men away and smiles at my parents. 

“I will be back. I will never give up on Aurora. Howard Bradley, giving your daughter to me is a decision you will never regret. Farewell, anticipate my next visit.”

His words sound more like a threat, terrifying me. 

The moment he crossed the door, I let out the scream of anger I have been holding back. If murder is not illegal, I would have killed him immediately. The murderer of my brother whom I have been searching high and low for actually spent a night with me! Aurora Bradley, you must have gone crazy. Just you wait. Leonardo Cassano I will destroy you.