Chapter 5

Josh's curiosity was piqued by his grandfather's words. He leaned in, his eyes fixed on Giovanni de la Cruz, as he couldn't help but wonder about the enigmatic world of danger the old man was alluding to.

Giovanni De La Cruz leaned back in his chair, studying Josh carefully. "Have you ever heard the name Giovanni de la Cruz?" he inquired, his voice carrying a weight of expectation. Everyone in the city knew the name, so he was expecting his grandson to know it too.

Josh took a moment to think about it. He had indeed heard the name before, it was a name that was always on the news, so it was hard for Josh to miss it.

Giovanni De La Cruz,was not just any name. It represented one of the most powerful and influential Mafia bosses in the country. Giovanni controlled vast territories and businesses, from legitimate enterprises to more shadowy operations. He was known for his ruthless tactics and the web of connections that allowed him to maintain his grip on power.

The city where he held significant influence was the neighbouring city of Riviadente, a sprawling metropolis known for its bustling nightlife, high-end casinos, and a thriving underground economy that kept the city in the clutches of the criminal world. Giovanni De La Cruz's influence reached into every corner of the city, and his wealth and power were virtually unmatched.

But even though Josh had heard of the name and the influence of Giovanni De La Cruz, Josh had never seen Giovanni's face, because they never showed his face on the news. His name was always on the front page of the newspapers, but not his face.

And because of that, he had no idea that he was sitting across from the infamous Giovanni De La Cruz, who also happened to be his grandfather.

"Yeah, I've heard about him, isn't he like some Mafia boss or something," Josh replied hesitantly, wondering why his grandfather had asked him that question.

Wait, did his grandfather himself know who Giovanni De La Cruz was? Well, that would make sense, seeing as his grandfather looked like a powerful and influential person himself, so who knew, maybe the two of them were friends? Josh thought. But it never crossed his mind that his grandfather was Giovanni De La Cruz, and he had concealed his true identity masterfully

Josh's grandfather could tell that his grandson still hadn't figured out that he was Giovanni, and he wasn't surprised. In Fact he was a little proud of himself for managing to hide his face from the world so perfectly. People only knew his name, but not his face.

Locking gazes with Josh, Giovanni proudly said, "Well, grandson, you're looking at Giovanni right now."

Hearing his grandfather's revelation, Josh was stunned. His mind reeled with the weight of the disclosure, leaving Josh in a state of profound shock. In a shaky voice, he finally managed to ask, "So, that means you're a Mafia boss?"

His grandfather nodded.

Josh struggled with a hurricane of emotions and thoughts. Honestly, the realization that his grandfather was entwined with a criminal world left him with a sense of disappointment, making it difficult to find the right words to address this unexpected revelation.

When Josh saw his grandfather a few hours ago, he had expected his grandfather to be a noble man. He had held an idealized image of him as an honorable and honest man, who ran an honest business, but now that he had found out that he was far from noble, his excitement was slowly fading, the image he had of his grandfather shattered.

Josh's grandfather intensely observed the expression in his grandson's eyes, a testament to the unhappiness and shock that had settled upon Josh upon learning of his grandfather's role as a criminal underboss. The room felt really tense because of this, and it made their newfound grandfather, grandson relationship feel strained already.

Growing up in BanksCity, Josh had been a witness to the horrifying deeds, including tragic deaths, orchestrated by the Mafia families that plagued their city. And over time, he had developed a deep-rooted hatred towards them. To him, they were nothing more than criminals who wielded excessive power and exploited those beneath them, so one could imagine the disappointment Josh had after finding out that his grandfather was one of those people who he hated the most.

"Wow, I… had no idea." Josh muttered, having no words to comment.

Sighing exasperatedly, Josh's grandfather said, "You don't approve do you? Are you disappointed in your grandfather?" He asked, his expression slightly serious. 'I'm not surprised Josh, after all, you're your mother's son. But if you don't willingly agree, I'm afraid I'll have to cut you off.' he thought to himself, as he looked at Josh waiting for him to say something.

Josh struggled to find the right words, he was indeed disappointed with the revelation ,but he struggled to find the right words to tell his grandfather what he thought. "I, Umm… I'm just surprised, that's all." He said stutteringly.

"I understand." Josh's grandfather said, with a nod. "Then, in a commanding tone, he dropped a bombshell, "Anyways, I want you to join the family business."

Josh was caught off guard by the request, his eyes widening in astonishment. There was no way he was about to be part of some Mafia. There was nothing that he wanted more than to have a good relationship with his grandfather, but if having a good relationship with him involved getting involved in some shady business and going against his morals, Josh wasn't so sure about that. "Um, I'm not sure about that."

Giovanni couldn't help but feel slightly frustrated by Josh's refusal. They had only met, and Josh was already proving to be difficult! How annoying! Giovanni couldn't help but notice the stark difference between Josh and his father, as well as the similarity between Josh and his mother –both of them were resistant to the life.

Fixing a stern gaze on Josh, Giovanni was determined to persuade his grandson to join the family business. "Josh," he began, his voice carrying a mix of authority and a desire to convince Josh, "I know this is a lot to take in, but our family has its reasons and our own way of doing things. You're young, and you might not see it now, but It's not all as black and white as it seems."

Josh remained quiet as he listened to his grandfather talk.

Giovanni pressed on, his tone firm yet filled with a hint of fatherly concern. "This is the way of our family, Josh. Trust me, if you accept your responsibilities, you'll find happiness and security." Giovanni's words were calculated, aimed at convincing Josh of the necessity of joining the family business, even if it meant straying from his moral compass.

Josh let out a sigh, he didn't want to be part of any criminal activities, but at the same time, he didn't want to lose the newfound relationship he had with his grandfather, "Can I think about this for a while?" Josh asked.

"No problem, but I would like an answer by tomorrow morning." Giovanni replied.

At that same moment, there was knock on the office door that interrupted both Josh and his grandfather's conversation.

"What is it?" Josh's grandfather asked as he gazed towards the door.

"Boss, the doctor has arrived." Rafael informed from outside.

Giovanni looked at Josh and instructed, "Alright, we'll talk tomorrow, for now you should get your wounds patched up, and get some rest."

"Okay," Josh replied, nodding in agreement. With that, he rose from his seat and made his way out of the study room.

In the living room, Josh was greeted by a beautiful woman. She had a striking figure, her curvy body exuding confidence and professionalism. Her lustrous brunette hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her features in an elegant manner. Dressed in her medical attire, she carried an air of competence as she prepared to tend to Josh's wounds.

As she spotted Josh approaching her, she gave a professional smile and said, "Hi, you must be Josh."

Josh smiled back faintly as he replied, "Yes." He sat down on the sofa, waiting for her to do her work.

The doctor began her work, carefully examining Josh's injuries and tending to them. As she cleaned and dressed the wounds, she looked into his eyes, her tone gentle as she started a conversation with him, "So, how did you end up with these injuries?" she inquired, a touch of concern in her voice.

Josh was caught off guard by her question, he didn't expect her to start asking him questions while she did her job and he was not ready to answer her questions either. Josh hesitated for a moment, then decided to give a simple explanation, "I, uh,... I fell."

The doctor raised an eyebrow and replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Uh huh, that's totally believable." Her tone showed that she didn't quite believe his explanation, but she didn't press the issue any further, respecting his reluctance to discuss it.

After carefully tending to the injuries on Josh's face, the doctor looked him in the eyes and said,, "Now, I need you to take off your shirt so I can check and patch up any bruises on your body."

"Um, what?" Josh hesitated for a moment. He was well aware of the pain that radiated from his bruised ribs and other parts of his body due to the fight. He wanted to have them examined, but he couldn't help feeling self-conscious about being shirtless in front of the doctor, so he softly declined, "I think I'm okay. No need to check the rest."

The doctor's expression shifted into a frown slightly, and she couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. In truth, her request for Josh to remove his shirt was motivated by more than just a professional examination. She found him undeniably attractive and had hoped to steal a glimpse of his physique. Nevertheless, she respected his choice and decided not to press the matter further.

As she put her equipment back in a medical bag, the doctor looked at Josh, and continued to converse with him, and she couldn't help but add a touch of flirtation to the conversation. "So, you're Giovanni's grandson?" she asked, her tone playful.

"Yeah," Josh replied, somewhat reserved.

A playful look in her eyes, she commented with a smirk, "Well, I must say, good looks run in the family."

At this point it was clear to Josh that she was trying to flirt with him, and that caught him off guard. It was not everyday that a beautiful woman tried to flirt with him, so he was totally flustered and surprised. "Um, thank you." Josh replied, showing a faint smile. 'Geez this lady is something else.' He thought to himself.

Grabbing her medical bag, the doctor glanced at Josh and said, "Alright, I have to leave, Josh, it was nice meeting you."

Likewise," Josh replied casually. He couldn't resist watching her for a moment as she walked out of the mansion. He couldn't deny that she was indeed strikingly beautiful, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that she had flirted with him.

At that same veryy moment, a woman in her thirties, dressed in a maid's uniform, approached Josh. With a polite and humble tone, she inquired, "Boss, if you're ready to go to sleep, may I show you to your room?"

Josh was completely taken aback by her respectful attitude and the way she addressed him. Few acknowledged him with any respect due to his financial situation, so being called 'boss' felt like mockery because he was not a boss, but a poverty stricken person. "Just Josh is fine, thank you," he corrected with a humble smile

Understanding his preference, the maid nodded. "Alright, shall we proceed?”

***

A black limousine sped through the highway, in the night passing through the streets. Inside the limousine, a woman, dressed in an office black suit, that consisted of a dress and buttoned up shirt and jacket, her face covered by the darkness, engaged in conversation with a man seated opposite her. As the limousine continued to speed, he leaned forward, concern etched on his face as he delivered the news.

"I just heard from our guy we dispatched. That boy.... Josh, didn't agree to accompany him."

"Again? I explicitly instructed him to ensure the job's completion, by any means necessary. Kidnap him if needed," she answered, her features darkening with displeasure, despite the shadow concealing her face.