Chapter 4: Daughter of a Dead Boss

"Tell Scarlett to see me in my study." Lovato commanded the old Butler as soon as he returned to the mansion.

"Yes, my Lord." The old butler bowed and as soon as he reached the hallway, he could sight Scarlett's furious expression. She was still pissed not just at Romero's taunt but also at herself as she had always been able to control her emotions but ever since she met Romero, it seemed her self-control had disappeared with the wind.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself before approaching Lovato in his study. As she entered the room, his piercing blue eyes bore into her, and she could feel the weight of his gaze.

"You summoned me, father," she said, keeping her voice steady despite the rage boiling inside her.

Lovato leaned back in his leather armchair, studying her for a moment before speaking. "How have you been Scarlett?" His cold voice seemed to contain a bit of concern.

Scarlett was stunned for a while as she had always  remembered how coldly her father started to treat her since January.

"I'm doing well, thank you for asking," Scarlett replied, trying to keep her voice even. "Is there something specific you wanted to discuss with me?"

"I've been getting reports of some suspicious activity near our borders," he said, his voice low and serious. "I need someone to investigate and gather information. You're the most qualified person for this task."

Scarlett felt a glimmer of satisfaction at the compliment but suppressed it quickly. This was not the time to bask in praise.

"I'll get right on it," she said, already thinking of who to enlist for help and what resources she would need.

"Good," Lovato said. "But I must warn you, this will be dangerous. You must exercise caution at all times."

Scarlett nodded, determination written on her face.

"I will do whatever it takes to uphold our power in the underworld," she said firmly.

Lovato smiled softly, pride shining in his eyes. "I know you will," he said. "And I have no doubt that you'll succeed, but my subordinates think otherwise… I want you to prove them wrong Scarlett."

Scarlett felt a sense of relief wash over her. Finally, her father was giving her recognition and an opportunity to prove herself.

"I won't let you down, father," she assured him.

"Good," he said, standing up from his chair. "Now go, make preparations."

Scarlett nodded before turning to leave. As she walked through the hallway, she couldn't help but think about what Romero had said to her. If she was going to succeed in this mission, she needed to regain her self-control and focus. She couldn't let her emotions get in the way.

With a deep breath, Scarlett made up her mind. She was going to show everyone - her father, Romero, and all of the underworld - just how capable she was. The only question was: how far was she willing to go to succeed?

***

'Drip, drop' the blood of her enemies echoed in Scarlett's mind as she made her way to the armory. She needed to gather weapons and gear for her mission. As she walked among the swords, guns, and various killing tools, she could feel her heart racing with excitement and anticipation. This seemed to be where she felt most alive - in the midst of danger, armed and ready to fight.

As she strapped on a leather holster and adjusted her knives, a sudden thought crossed her mind. How far was she truly willing to go for this mission? Was there a line she wouldn't cross?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Scarlett, it's me," Romero's voice called out from behind the door.

Scarlett hesitated for a moment before unlocking the door and letting him in.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

"Just wanted to see how you were doing," he replied nonchalantly, his eyes scanning the weapons laid out on the table.

"And you think I will believe that?" Scarlett asked, walking towards the weapon-filled table.

"And to remind you that I'll be accompanying you on this mission." He added.

Scarlett raised an eyebrow, not surprised by his words. So her father had made it clear that Romero was to keep an eye on her?

"I don't need a babysitter," she spat back, turning away from him.

Romero chuckled. "I'm not here to babysit you, Scarlett. I'm here to make sure we both come back alive."

Scarlett couldn't help but feel a sense of annoyance towards Romero. She didn't need anyone's protection or help. She was more than capable of completing a mission on her own.

"I know you're capable, Scarlett," Romero said sarcastically, sensing her irritation. "But it never hurts to have a backup plan."

Scarlett rolled her eyes, knowing that Romero had a point even though he was clearly taunting her.  She may be skilled, but anything could happen on a mission.

"Fine," she said with a sigh. "But don't get in my way."

Romero grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it." Not when he wanted nothing more but for her to be shaken by the gruesome events of the underworld.

With their weapons secured and their gear packed, Scarlett and Romero made their way out into the night, ready to face whatever dangers lay ahead. As they moved silently through the shadows, Scarlett couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement building within her.

*********

"A new young lady has been identified among Lovato's people, my Lord. Would you like to dig into it?" A one-eyed assassin asked over the phone.

Don's eyes narrowed as he listened to the assassin's query. Lovato's people were always up to something, and he was certain that this new young lady was no exception.

"Yes, I want everything you can find on her," he replied smoothly. "I need to know who she is, where she comes from, and why she's associated with Lovato. We must make sure to keep tabs on all our rivals."

The assassin hummed in agreement before hanging up, and Don leaned back in his chair, contemplating his next move. He knew that his rivals were always looking to sabotage him, just as he was always looking for ways to do the same. Especially the Ruiz's family, they have been silent for the past twelve years now, but he refused to believe that they weren't up to anything.

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

Days passed since Scarlett and Romero's mission. She had succeeded in retrieving the information Lovato had asked for, but the thrill she felt that night still lingered within her. Although Romero still did not believe fully in her capabilities, he still acknowledged that she had a bit of skills.

It was the rush that had actually kept Scarlett going – knowing that she was one step ahead of her enemies, and nothing could bring her down.

Or so she thought.

As Scarlett walked into her apartment which she had privately bought when she returned, she felt something was out of place. Her intuition as a trained assassin back in Europe never failed her. She reached for her gun, slowly moving towards the living room. And there it was – a message left for her on the coffee table.

"Scarlett Ruiz, how does it feel to be the daughter of a dead boss?" She immediately felt her cold down her spine, this was definitely from someone who knew her mother as a mafia boss. 

Scarlett's heart raced as she read the message. Although she didn't want to jump into conclusion that the rival families had finally discovered her whereabouts and identity, it was definitely clear that someone or some people had now set their sights on her. 'Calm down, Scarlett!' She couldn't afford to panic, she had to stay calm and think of her next move.

She quickly packed a bag and grabbed her phone before leaving the apartment. Scarlett knew she had to act fast if she wanted to survive, and that meant going off the grid for a while until things cooled down. She dialed Romero's number and waited for him to answer.

"Romero, we have a problem," Scarlett whispered into the phone. "The rival families might have found out my identity."

Romero's breath hitched on the other end of the phone. "Shit," he muttered.

He could hear the fear in Scarlett's voice and knew that she wasn't overreacting. "I'll be right over," he promised before hanging up.

Scarlett paced back and forth, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for Romero to arrive. She couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her, waiting to strike at any moment. She made a mental note to double-check the locks on her doors and windows when she got back.

When Romero finally arrived, Scarlett could see the concern etched on his face. "Have you seen any suspicious activity?" he asked as soon as he walked through the door.

Scarlett shook her head. "No, but I found this." She handed him the note and watched as his eyes scanned over the words. He blew out a low whistle. "They're not playing around."

"I know," Scarlett said, her voice breaking a little. "What are we going to do?"

"We need to get you back to the mansion, I believe it's the safest there." Romero said firmly, taking charge of the situation. "I will inform your father about this and double your security."

Scarlett nodded eagerly, relief surging through her at his words.

"Okay, let me grab one of my other bags and then we'll go," she said hastily as she hurried towards her bedroom.

As Scarlett packed frantically, she couldn't believe how quickly things had taken a turn for the worse. Just days ago, everything had been normal - well as normal as life could be for someone born into one of New York City's infamous mafia families - but now it felt like everything was falling apart around her.