Art of Darkness

chapter 18

NATALIA ELYSE DELAVIN

"Miss, everything you asked for is complete. The car is already in the parking." Gael informed me as I sat on my swivel chair, while I read the monthly Sales and Revenue report.

"Schedules?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the paper.

"Department inspections in thirty minutes. A board meeting with the head of each department at two pm. Lastly, a dinner meeting with Mr. Flores at seven in the evening," he read one by one but I raised one of my brows looking at him with the last list of the schedule.

"What dinner meeting? I don't do dinner meetings, Gael. Didn't Felix inform you that?" I calmly said placing the paper down.

"But Miss Rossi, it's about a partnership—"

"Cancel the last one, Gael. I only do personal meetings with the department heads and people I really trust. Did you even run a background check on him? I pick who I do personal meetings with and he is not a part of it."

"Understood, miss. I'll contact him right away," he bowed his head before leaving my office as my phone suddenly rang.

"What is it now, Felix?" I answered.

[Felix] "Miss, there are four companies that want to personally meet you because they want to purchase some of your properties in America. They sent a document folder of their proposal here in Italy thinking you're here."

"Names?" I asked.

"Mr. George Valencia of TC Industries, Mr. Riccardo Laurel of YN Co., Miss Juliette Esteven of CAI Design Company, and Mr. Lucian Delavin of Black Cooperations."

Is that so?

[Felix] "I could decline the meeting if you would want, or I could attend just like—"

"No need. Settle the meeting here in L.A. in two weeks. Tell them to prepare me a proposal," I stood up walking towards the glass window. "And also, I want a full background check on the first three."

[Felix] "Notes, miss. We'll have the information you need in two days."

"Thank you. I won't be returning to Italy anytime soon. My stay here might last for a year or so. Just call me if there's an emergency there and I'll fly back immediately, understood?"

[Felix] "Yes, miss."

Hanging up the call, I placed the phone in my pocket as I walked out of my office to start the inspection early.

It's better to have a surprise inspection because I get to see how they work knowing I wouldn't be there.

LUCIAN OLIVER DELAVIN

Until now, I'm still over the moon about the return of my youngest daughter.

I can't help but smile at the thought that she'll be living with us in two days. Our family can now be complete.

But I don't know how to tell her about the real family business.

Once we tell her the real reason why we thought she was dead, she's going to ask questions until it will lead on to tell her that our family leads the American mafia and the other side leads the French mafia.

I don't know how she'll react. She might get scared of us being criminals, loathe us for killing people and not accepting us at all, or the other way around and see us as her family that will protect her from everything.

She seems like a kind-hearted person.

"Dad, I tried to gather all information I can. El Corporations doesn't do partnerships at all. The CEO doesn't do personal business meetings unless it's very important. if not, they send their secretary." I was cut off by my thoughts when Zeke entered followed by Cole.