Josh reached or his cellphone and opened it to see the message. His brow furrowed as a notification from his school group chat flashed across his screen. Not that interested, he hesitated before tapping to open the group chat. After opening the group chat conversation he began reading the recent messages between his college mates, and a frown appeared across his face when he read a message from one user .“Hey, does anyone know if Mr. Street Rat managed to buy the outfit for Vanessa?" one user quipped, their words making Josh feel annoyed. It wasn't hard for him to realize that the message was talking about him. After all, the name ‘street rat’ was associated with him and it was what half the college students called him. And although he hated being called that, in the past there was nothing he could do because of his financial state.Another message popped up, insulting just like the previous one. "Knowing him, I'm pretty sure he couldn't afford it, what a loser," read the reply, its
Josh's heart was beating rapidly in his chest as he watched the news and heard the news anchor talk about how his grandfather was the prime suspect in the murder of two police officers. His anxiety intensified knowing that it was true, his grandfather was the one who had killed those guys. And the reason he knew that was because he was present at that time when that had happened.A brief flashback flashed in Josh's mind, vividly recalling the moment his grandfather had risen up from his seat, walked to the other side of the table, took out a gun and fired two shots into the two men's heads. He could still hear the echo of the gunshots, see the men collapse motionless, their heads hitting the table. 'Yep, I'm not going to forget that, will I?' Josh thought to himself, resenting the haunting image of the two dead men etched in his memory. Sometimes, even at night, he found himself plagued by nightmares of that horrific scene. Feeling a sense of panic creep in, Josh didn't know what to
Upon hearing Antonio's assurance, Josh's fear of potentially getting in trouble with the authorities because of his involvement with the Mafia family disappeared. And he was also glad to be reassured that Giovanni's potential incarceration wasn't a concern. And although Giovanni was indeed the person who had shot the two police officers, it didn't matter because he had powerful people under his payroll. Antonio's confidence in dismissing the threat put Josh at ease. After all, Antonio had been a loyal part of the De La Cruz family for years, and his understanding of their influence far surpassed Josh's, so Josh believed him and understood why he wasn't worried. Josh exhaled, relief washing over him. Initially, two fears had gripped him. One, that his presence during the incident and his familial ties to Giovanni could make him an accomplice if authorities charged Giovanni with murder. Two, that his silence as a witness could incriminate him as well. “That's a relief to hear.” Josh
Upon spotting Lilith making her way inside the cafe, Josh let out a sigh in relief. Glad that at least she was not very late, and he didn't have to wait for her any longer. ‘I thought she was going to make me wait forever.’ he thought to himself, watching as she walked over to the table where he was sitting. Lilith's gaze met with Josh for a brief second before she looked away. Lilith gave off an aura of effortless elegance as she strode into the cafe, her presence catching the eyes of the other people in the cafe. People couldn't help but sneak glances her way and admiring her beauty, especially the men. She was dressed in a well fitting red dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, accentuating her slender figure. Her flowing hair fell in loose waves down her back, shining under the gentle lights of the cafe. She looked stunning to say the least.Lilith walked over to the table Josh was seated and sat down across from him.Offering her a faint smile Josh greeted her. “
The waiter in shock and sweat dripping down his forehead, looked over at Lilith with an apologetic expression. He tried to apologize, but because of his fear he kept stumbling over his words. And him being scared was nothing surprising given the fact that Lilith was the daughter of one of the most powerful people in the city: Mr Washington. And with that knowledge, the waiter's fear intensified, understanding that he would surely face consequences for his mistake. Like many others in the city, the waiter had heard of Lilith Washington. Anyone familiar with the name Lilith Washington trembled in fear, as she was reputed to be cunning and cold-hearted. From what the waiter had heard about her, she had inflicted harm on individuals for offenses less severe than his. Why? Because she was wicked. "M-Ma'am... I'm sincerely sorry," he apologized, his voice trembling, "It was a mistake." He added.Lilith didn't care about his apology however. Why would she forgive him after he had spilled hot
After Lilith demanded the waiter's hand be cut off for a simple mistake that didn't even deserve such a punishment, Mr. Moretti didn't hesitate. He signaled for his men to execute Lilith's order. And, even though he knew that decapitating someone's hand for a clumsy mistake was too extreme, he didn't try to go against her. Fearing the consequences of going against her due to her powerful background and ruthless reputation, he felt he had no choice but to comply.On their boss's order the two men moved towards the waiter. However as they grabbed the bodyguard to carry out the order given to them, Josh suddenly intervened, telling them to stop, much to everyone's shock. All eyes, including those of the waiter and Mr. Moretti's men, turned towards Josh, their expressions a mix of astonishment and curiosity. Why did he demand the release of the waiter? Who did he believe himself to be?Hearing Josh's demand, Mr. Moretti turned his gaze towards him, his expression hardening as he scanned
A frown made its way to Mr Morreti's face as he heard Josh's words. He couldn't help feeling irritated by Josh, itf was like Josh was threatening him and he didn't like it. “Is that so? Are you threatening me young man?”Josh met Mr Morreti's gaze, not showing any sign of being intimidated by the man. Not even the knowledge that he was standing before someone so dangerous and influencial that he could make people disappear easily made Josh feel afraid. Usually he would be intimidated by figures like Mr Morreti and he would never even think of crossing them, but for some reason it seemed that the fear had gone away. He stopped being afraid of influential people. Guess knowing that he was now a part of the De La Cruz family gave him confidence. Moreover, Josh's empathy for the waiter fueled his determination. Having worked a similar job in the past, he empathized with the waiter's sorry condition and refused to stand by while unjust punishment was being given out to him.Josh met Mr Mo
Mr. Moretti scrutinized Josh from head to toe, attentively examining his features in an attempt to find out the truth behind his claim. The question echoed in his mind: was this young man truly Giovanni's grandson? The mere possibility sent a chill down his spine, for he understood all too well the consequences of his actions. If Josh turned out to be really Giovanni's grandson, he was afraid it would all be over for him. Everything he had worked for, including his reputation, flashed through Mr Moretti's mind. He understood the seriousness of his actions, knowing full well that Giovanni wouldn't tolerate hearing or seeing his grandson treated with disrespect by anyone. The thought of facing Giovanni's wrath sent a shiver down his spine, as he feared the repercussions of his defiance. Giovanni was a ruthless man, who showed no mercy to his enemies. Many had crossed him and had met their demise, some had even disappeared without a trace and it was all Giovanni's doing. The mere possi