On Whose Side

Cara swallowed.

Her mind spun, looking for a quick save, as she immediately thought to create a diversion, and her mouth blurted out the first thing it thought of.

"You decided to show up for the first time in weeks and you did that with your mistress?" She accused, portraying so much confidence, contrasting totally its state of mayhem.

How was she to reply to something she wasn't sure about when she wasn't also sure that the person asking was on her side?

Luca frowned,

"I still am the second-in-command. I can be here whenever I want."

"I completely doubt that. What are you doing here with this sly b*tch?" She argued, gesturing towards Tina, who had moved from clinging to Luca to practically sitting on him.

Hissing in disappointment, her eyes rolled at their unnecessary display of actions.

"You don't need to do this. We already know you're a whore."

Luca's head jerked up at her words.

"You would not speak to Augustina that way!"

"I will speak to her whichever way I like. If you've forgotten, I brought her to this mansion, I introduced her to everyone. She is supposed to be my friend... my friend!" Pushing back from the desk, she met his stare head-on.

How did he end up here? Her brain was practically messed up from working things out, yet he decided to add his own bunch?

"What is wrong with you Luca?"

This time, there was no judgement or anger in her voice. All that was left was curiosity. Cara really wanted to know what influenced his decision and caused him to do a total 360-degree change.

Even his playful nature had disappeared and was replaced with a dry stoic expression. But Luca wasn't ready to open up.

"I have nothing to say to you." He grumbled.

"Then you should have something to say to Cece. She wants to know what she did wrong. You can't just wake up one day and decide she needs a replacement. She's not an object but a human being! One who has been with your sorry ass for years."

"That's why it's better she leaves now."

Sighing in resignation, she leaned against the wall, eyeing the cause of confusion.

"I shouldn't have brought you over. I thought I knew you..." Cara trailed off in regret

No one was ready to explain. It became more prominent that things at the mansion had gone awry, and she was the only one in her senses.

How was this normal to them all? And to think she was the only available one to deal with it.

"I've known you for years" She addressed further, her articulation stressing her pleading disapproval. "I considered you as someone important, even as just an acquaintance but this is also a level you shouldn't cross."

All she got once again was silence as Tina shuffled closer—which should be impossible, judging from their current position—to Luca's side.

Biting her lips to stop herself from commenting, she walked back to Adonis's desk.

"I see you have made up your minds. You can all leave then." Then she added in a mumble. "I don't have the time to entertain foolish statements or actions."

But Luca heard.

"If going for what I want is foolish, then I'd remain a foolish one. Let's face it, Cara. Cecelia is not the one for me, and I won't tie myself down to a woman I'm not in love with."

Not in love with? Not the one?

Her eyes narrowed infinitesimal. She had been trying to rein in her actions... to prevent things from getting worse; who was this goat speaking?

To hell with being civil.

"You're an idiot."

"Excuse me?"

Luca was taken aback at the reprimanding tone.

"Yes, a big fool. I used to think you were different from the rest of the men in the mafia—you made me see them in a different light from how the world had portrayed them to be. Conniving cheating and self-centred womanisers. I thought you were waiting for the right time to have the wedding. Do you know how eager Cece is to get married?" Cara heaved, feeling so restless that she had to stand back on her feet, placing her arms on her waist like a mother who wasn't happy about her child's failure.

"She has waited patiently, compromising her wants for yours, and this is what she gets? This is who you want to dump her for? Tina, who knows nothing of who you are? Is that why you've also been slacking?"

"You speak like you know it all. You do not know half the things I do to keep the family safe."

"I'm not asking you to describe who you used to be. The woman by your side is basically a stranger and you talk about keeping the family safe."

"Excuse me, speak for yourself." The fiancé snatcher chimed in earning a glare from Cara.

"Shut it, Tina."

She shot up.

"Do not tell me to shut it! I have sat here and watched you speak ill of me when I have done absolutely nothing wrong!

"Your definition of wrong must be stunted then."

"Let me spea—

"Too late." Cara retorted,

"Cara!"

"What?"

"I did nothing wrong. How can I ruin a relationship that has already been ruined? Luca feels the same for me as I do for him. If anything, Cecelia should be the one to step back. You should mind your business and be more careful. We don't want you losing your baby before its father wakes up." Her smug smile formed on her face. "That's if he ever does."

Cara's heart skipped.

"Is that a threat?"

"Take it any way you want to."

The reply did nothing to soothe her anger.

How did Adonis get into this?

Scowling, she stalked over to Tina.

"I will wreck you and everything you have if you come close to my husband. You do not want to cross me, Tina, and I mean that."

Tina laughed clapping her hands mockingly.

"Cut it out, please. 'The husband' doesn’t work on me. For such a fake relationship, you sure do brag a lot."

"Don't talk about your brother that way, child," Sarah chimed in, causing Cara's brows to pull down in shock.

She wheeled around a little too fast, nearly stumbling at the dizzy sensation.

"You're still here? I thought I told you to leave."

"And I told you I won't leave my son home."

"He doesn't even recognise you as a mother." She cried out tiredly.

Were these people determined to make life unbearable for her?

"Then I can remain here as the mother of the new Capo."

She spun back to Luca

"They plan on taking the throne, yet you remain on their side?"

Silence. Again.

Then it dawned on her. He knew about their plans—in fact, he looked to be involved in it.

"When did this start?" Cara whispered with wide eyes. "Why wait for Adonis to be unconscious before you all show your true colours? You could've joined hands with the Grecos; maybe you'd have a better chance at winning this losing war."

"Oh, we did, but my so-called elder brother wasn't wise enough."

Her widened eyes nearly bulged at Tina's confession.

"You were working with them? Even when you visited the mansion? How long have you been pretending to be my friend?"

It was a rhetorical question; she never expected a reply—particularly the one she got.

"You were the one blind to it all. I was rarely around. You knew nothing about me except where I worked. It was easy; you're as blind as a bat. I was planted by your side to keep an eye on you."

"I thought we had a connection. We both had shitty lives.

She sniggered.

"My life ceased to be shitty the moment I met Antonio. Yours has also changed for the better. You have enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life and if you ever squander it all, your biological father can foot your bills."

"You know about my father too?"

"Oh please, Cara... I am part of the mafia too—a member of the Grecos if I want to be formal and that brings me to my next statement: Why don't you take your husband and everything you both have and leave."

"Who are you to make that decision? Are you as delusional as your mother, thinking you'll be Capo? No one would support you. Your gender is one issue, how you came into the family is another. The men value loyalty, honour, and respect. You're nothing but a backstabbing deceitful human."

Tina gave her a small smile in reply.

"Thanks for the speech and I do agree with you. Loyalty is important—if they find out that their previous Capo isn't worthy of the crown anymore, isn't it easier to trust his right-hand man?"

Cara shifted uncomfortably on her feet. The indirect meaning behind her words weighed heavily on her mind.

"You want to make Luca Capo?"