42 ~ Ronald's Secret Assets

Brinda

Francesco sat opposite the man, his eyes fixated on the table while his left index finger tapped on his right gently. 

His mother was seated on the plush armchair on his left. She crossed her thighs over each other while she pinned her eyes on the man on her left. 

I remained in the corner, almost next to Francesco. I dare not sit, not especially with the witch around. 

The man’s eyes moved from Francesco's direction to his mother's. He did that severally before he cleared his throat, breaking the silence in the room. 

“What? Am I a ghost? Are you both seeing me for the first time?” The man’s voice cracked through the room. 

“Joshua, I am not in the mood to joke with you. What are the reasons behind my husband's death?” Francesco's mother asked impatiently, trying to keep her cool. 

What's that her name anyway? 

I don't know and I don't want to. Horrible looking woman. Had she been my mother, I would have killed her myself. 

I guess the resemblance issue has been solved. Joshua is Ronald's younger brother. Ronald is Francesco's father. 

Joshua chuckled before he poured some wine into the bottle. “Do you all still think I am bad? Arnold sent me away.” 

“Brinda,” Francesco called and I answered reluctantly.

“Serve me and my mother some wine.” He ordered and I knelt in front of the table and started pouring the drinks as he ordered. “You see… That's the difference between having a slave and not having one.” Francesco said out of nowhere. 

I knew he said it on purpose to make me more angry. I just woke up from a coma a few days ago. Normally, I'm still supposed to be resting but no… Here I am in Francesco's hell where he is winning and dining with his associates.

“Joshua, we aren't here to talk. Tell us everything that you know.” Francesco's mother leaned in, her voice barely audible but filled with urgency. 

“Elizabeth…” Joshua called her name and I heard that ridiculous woman's name for the first time. My stomach churned with disgust and the bottle nearly fell off my hand.

“Do you want to go back into Coma? Are you that useless?” Francesco yelled then he smacked my head from behind. 

“Enough! Have some respect for me at least, Mr. Francesco Dante.” Joshua raised his voice which after the room fell silent. 

Francesco and his mother kept straight faces while I offered them wine. I was about to return to where I stood when Joshua called me back. 

“Pretty lady, why don't you sit beside me?” He asked. His hands reached out to me and for a moment, he fiddled with my fingers. 

Then, I felt an icy touch from behind. “She's mine.” Francesco growled before he pulled me into his arms. 

“Why do you treat her this way then?” Joshua questioned. “You are no less than your father. I guess it runs in the family's blood.” He added. “I have a unique blood so… I'm safe.”

“Uncle. I am not here to argue or whatsoever. And how I treat my woman is none of your business. Stay within your line.” Francesco fired. 

He dragged me back to his seat and dumped me on the chair. He settled beside me with a frown on his face and I nearly smiled but Elizabeth's gaze fell on me and I looked down. 

“It's been ten years since you left the family and then you called. Why? I left where I was mourning my husband for the past year because you said you have a revelation to make. Make that quick. I need to go back.” Elizabeth spoke calmly for the first time but she wasn't as she shifted uncontrollably on the chair. 

“Your father owns a club in Singapore. Let's just say, it's one of the top V.I.P clubs in the country.” Joshua explained then he picked the briefcase on the table. 

He opened it and passed a file to me which I passed to Francesco immediately. He collected it from me and glanced through it. “This is nothing new. How does this connect to his death?” 

“He also has a shopping mall in Italy. A petroleum company in India.” Joshua dropped the bomb. 

“What? A petroleum company? How much did Ronald hide from me?” Elizabeth scuffed. 

“You mean my father has all of these?” Francesco asked. 

Joshua passed the briefcase to Francesco who passed it to his mother without looking at it. 

“All of the properties are in Elizabeth's name according to his will. However, the Dante family’s mansion and the company is in Francesco's name.” Joshua said nonchalantly. 

I turned to look at Francesco who blinked his eyes severally. He must be hurt. Really hurt. How can his father be so cruel? Almost all his properties have been willed to his wife? That's absurd.

“Give us new details. Have heard enough of this.” Francesco leaned back into the chair, steepling his fingers. 

“And in the company's shares. Sixty percent of it goes to Queens Motherless Babies Home.” Joshua dropped the bombshell. 

My ears stretched and my breathing increased rapidly. My eyes shone brightly and my body trembled but I tried my best to conceal it.

Queens? Why Queens? 

Let me just say I was raised and brought up in Queens Motherless Babies Home. Sarah worked there for a few years before we relocated. 

What connection does Ronald have with that place?

“Why will my husband give so much of his shares to that place? What the hell?” Elizabeth gasped for air, her voice becoming very low. 

“Let me finish.” Joshua raised his hands, his gaze fixed on the wall behind me and Francesco. “Your father also secretly received assassination orders to kill the president two years ago. To cut the long story short, the murder of the president was executed by your father, Ronald.” 

I jumped up from my seat before I covered my hands with my mouth. Francesco shot me a deadly glare then I buried my ass back into the sofa.

This means… Francesco's father was responsible for the death of the former president after he was killed in a huge blast on his way to the airport. 

Holy hell! 

Why would he do that? If there was going to be an assassination, it should have been done by other Mafia families in charge of it.

The Dante family only has power over hard drugs. 

Are there more secrets than what meets the eye? How many evil deeds was Ronal involved in before his death?

I turned to Francesco's direction to see him really shocked. It was as if he was saying, “How… How could you do this to me?” 

His jaw dropped, leaving his mouth hanging open in stunned silence. His eyes were like saucers, frozen in a permanent state of horror. He was rendered speechless completely, his mind most probably reeling with the implications of what he had just heard. 

“Your father also was responsible for the death of Marshall's father, the head of the Fernandez family.” 

That means everything that has happened and the conflicts between the Mafia families was initially caused by Ronald Dante. 

Could it be because of a huge conspiracy or for some selfish motives?

Well… Francesco wasn't blessed with a father but a curse.