Ruslan's POV:
We both stopped infront of her room returning from the funeral. I couldn't help but kiss her forehead lingeringly as I said. "I'll see you later, hmm?"
"Okay..." She whispered softly and I slowly walked back upstairs to my office and sat down on my chair, placing my head down on the desk.
"You're officially the new leader of the Searlus Mafia. Your father's chair..." She placed her hand over the chair. "Is yours now with which comes a lot of responsibility."
"Responsibilities that I didn't ask to be burdened with." I smiled tightly in a sarcastic way.
Her jaw clenched but she didn't say anything on my comment as she walked around the desk and stood infront of me.
"We didn't raise you like this, Ruslan." She accused, her eyes narrowing.
"Oh, of course you didn't. Cause you guys were too busy handling the Mafia business and I was raised by Tiana, my nanny who was too pure for this world. And worth more. She taught me everything." My voice cracked at her memory. "K-kindness...she taught me. She taught me to be kind no matter what. And you guys had her killed right infront of my eyes just because you thought she was being a bad influence on me. No, mom. You guys didn't raise me. She did."
She gritted her teeth. "She raised you, huh? Well, I can see the result of her raising right infront of me. Someone who is weak, emotional, sensitive to almost everything."
I felt a pang of hurt in my heart and I closed my eyes tightly.
Mom walked past me. "And I thought you were ready for this. You have another year, on your eighteenth birthday you will be announced the leader of the Searlus Mafia and that's final." She walked towards the door to leave with my back towards her.
"You are not my mother." I said with my back still towards her and she stopped in her tracks. I slowly turned around. "I never considered you my mother. You never was. Tiana was my mother and she always will." This time I couldn't control the tears falling down my eyes.
Her mouth was slightly parted in surprise but she was quick to cover it with her cold features. "Glad to know that." Was all she said dryly before she walked away, slamming the door shut.
Startled, I jerked awake and looked around myself realising I felt asleep with my head on the desk. Yawning, I sat up straight and stretched my body.
What time is it? I thought as I turned on my phone. It was late in the afternoon.
My mind wandered off to the dream I just had. Or just a replay of a memory.
There was a knock on the door and I grunted. "Come in." The door opened and Geordi walked in.
Sighing, I rubbed my temples and he took a seat in front of my desk. "What's wrong?" He asked playing with the paperweight lying on the desk.
"Just remembering that now I have officially lost every person related to me." I told him gloomily.
His jaw clenched. "Everyone?"
"Everyone. Every member of my family, though it was not a very happy family."
"Am I dead yet, Ruslan?" He snapped making me frown. "Am I not your cousin? Am I not your family? Am I not your brother? Or do you consider me dead too?"
"Geordi..." I said in disbelief, not expecting him to snap like that.
He pushed back his chair and stood up angrily. "I am not supposed to reveal that I am related to you, right? But I don't understand why?! Your mother never acknowledged me like her nephew and that was okay because she never really liked me or my family to be honest."
"Geordi, listen to me..." I tried calming him down but failed.
"But you, Ruslan. We grew up together. We were basically brothers and then you started neglecting me too. You made sure I always acknowledged you as my boss and not as a brother and I complied cause I thought it's because of your mother. But now she is dead and even now you refuse to consider me a family." He accused and I felt really guilty and hurt because of it.
There were tears in his eyes. "I always considered you my brother, Ruslan. After my whole family died in a bomb blast, I still had you. But then, aunty took you away from me too, had me remove the 'Searlus' from my name."
"Geordi...I..."
"Save it!" He said sharply and turning around, left furiously.
God. How am I gonna explain it to him. I slumped down on my chair with my head in my hands.
.
.
.
The sun was setting and I finally gathered the courage to have a proper conversation with Geordi.
I called him but he didn't pick up my call. So, I went downstairs to search for him but didn't find him there too.
Everyone I asked about Geordi to had no clue where he was. I was about to turn to my area when my eyes fell on the staircase to my right, leading to the terrace where hardly anyone goes.
He always loved to stay on the terrace whenever he was sad so I also made my way towards it.
I climbed the stairs and reached the terrace door which was open just as I thought.
There he was, sitting on the terrace's balcony's sill with his back towards me staring at the sky.
I walked towards him and he sensed me coming as his body tensed up.
"I don't wanna lose you, Geordi." I spoke as I stood beside him.
He didn't say anything and sighing, I sat down on the sill too, swinging my legs to the other side so that they were hanging off the balcony.
"I stopped acknowledging you as my brother because... I saw everyone who was related to the Searlus Mafia, die. Your family died in a bomb blast. Your house was bomb blasted because the enemies suspected that my father was in there. Fortunately, you were not present there at the moment and you lived. But your parents and your brother and sister were not that lucky." I admitted as I stared off at the sky too.
I took a deep breath. "And then my father, he died because of me. Yes, mom never considered you a part of the family because, I admit she never liked your family but I...only did it because I didn't want to lose you too."
"I'm sorry. I am so sorry, Geordi." I whispered. "I can't afford to lose you. I just can't."
"You are not losing me, Ruslan." Finally spoke, his eyes still focused ahead. "I'm a lot stronger than you know."
I patted his shoulder. "Of course, brother. Of course."
His head snapped to me. His eyes twinkling with happiness. "B-brother?"
"Duh. Aren't you my elder brother? Now if you don't want me to consider you that then I have no problem. It's your choice." I said teasingly.
A smile broke out on his face and he engulfed me in a tight hug making my body jerk a little forward. "You fool! Do you want to push me off here?"
Chuckling, he steadied me, still hugging me tightly and I hugged him back, closing my eyes to cherish that feeling.
"You are a bloody asshole, Ruslan!" He shouted as he pulled back, wiping away his tears.
I chuckled. "I know, brother, I know. And I am sorry."
He sighed deeply. "I forgive you, Ruslan. But if you do it ever again, you will have to feel my wrath."
"I wouldn't dare to." I grinned.
He smiled at me and turned his head forwards, continuing to stare at the sky and we both sat like that in silence for a few minutes.
And then he asked. "What's going on between you and Alfresca?"
Alfresca. I felt my cheeks warming at her thought. "Um...nothing...why will you think that?" I acted innocent and with a little smirk on his face, he shook his head.
"You are blushing, Ruslan. When was the last time you blushed? Let me guess..." And he tapped his chin with his finger acting to be in a deep thought. "Oh, I remember when you were in fifth grade and there was this girl who pecked you on your lips. That's the last I remember you blushing."
"Shut up, Geordi." I rolled my eyes.
"Now I am very interested. C'mon, tell me." He nudged my shoulder playfully.
I looked down at my fingers and played with them nervously. "It's...um...well...I'm in love with her." I admitted softly.
When I looked up at him, he looked so shocked as if he saw a ghost or something. His eyes bulging out of his sockets, his jaw dropped. "S-say that again." He managed to spoke.
"I love her." I stated firmly.
"You. You, Ruslan Searlus, you are in love? Oh, please!"
I felt offended. "Why? Am I not supposed to fall in love?"
"No. You can." He said in a duh tone. "But you?! Like seriously?"
"You better start making sense, Geordi or I'll push you off this terrace." I threatened.
"And you think I will die by falling from here?"
I rolled my eyes. "You won't die but it will be excruciating."
"So, you are a sadist, huh? Nice...nice..."
"Geordi!" I warned making him chuckle. "Fine!"
"It's just hard for me to believe that you are in love. I mean it sounds weird." He explained. "What made you fall for her?"
I smiled at her thought. "Well...she is kind and sweet and innocent. And...last night...I was very...I don't know how to put it in words but I was not doing good and she came and calmed me down, assured me and treated my wound. And I knew at that moment I am in love with this girl." Once again, I found my cheeks warming. "And yes. I cuddled with her to sleep."
Geordi burst out laughing. "The Mafia leader, Ruslan Searlus, cuddling to sleep! You gotta be kidding me! Wish I was there to see it."
"You make fun of me one more time and I will definitely kick you from here!" I gritted my teeth.
"Aargh! Fine. Anyway...I do admit Alfresca is very beautiful and hot."
My face blanked. "Don't even dare to look at her that way." I gave him a warning.
He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Already getting possessive, huh?"
I gently shoved his shoulder. "Fuck off, Geordi!" Which only made him laugh.
Seeing my serious face, he said. "Okay, okay. I won't tease you now."
"You better." And then we felt silence for another few minutes which was again broken by Geordi. "So, when's the wedding?"
Chapter completion on: 5/9/21