CHAPTER 1
ALESSANDRO D'ANGELO
I stared outside the huge glass window sipping coffee from the cup. After Dad's funeral I returned straight to my penthouse. I didn't want to go back to that house, I would remember him again and all it would do is cause me pain and at this point I can't waste time crying.
I want revenge.
I was adopted at the age of 10, by Giovanni D'Angelo. My hometown, New York and my birth name, Damien but since I was adopted by an Italian family my name was changed to Alessandro. Giovanni D'Angelo served in the mafia for 40 years. His wife died in an attack that was made by his rival gang. After her death, Dad was heartbroken but never showed it in front of anyone. He believed a man shouldn't reveal his weaknesses in front of anyone especially when you are the mafia leader.
He taught me that a leader shouldn't fall in love. He told me he made a mistake by falling for Mom. I shouldn't do the same because I would be the leader after him and loving someone would be nothing but my weakness. According to him, a mafia leader must be heartless, powerful and capable of protecting his own men. So, I decided to listen to Dad which led me not loving anyone and not caring about what people think of me that's the reason why my own brother hates me.
I have been too cruel to him. It is just my way of pushing people away from myself. I am rude and cruel to the people whom I am scared I might start caring for. Antonio always tries to impress me so that I appreciate him but all I do is scold him.
Last night, I was in a club having drinks when I got the news of Dad's death and that was when I realized that he was right. I shouldn't get close to anyone or care about anyone because after they are gone you are left alone and you know they are not coming back to you again and that hurts like hell. So it's better if I stay away from everyone then maybe I won't get hurt and remain strong. I have to be strong as a leader. Emotions will just make me weaker.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard my phone ringing, picking it up I answered "Yes."
"Everyone is waiting for you." Diego said.
"I'll be there in an hour." With that I hung up.
I have to let my people know who will claim the leader position. Last night, before that incident I visited Dad and we talked.
I sat on the bed waiting for Dad to complete his conversation with his men whom he was instructing about something. When he was done, the man left the room and he took a seat beside me.
"Come sta andando la tua azienda?"
["How is your company going?"]
"Piuttosto sorprendente. Sono contento di aver potuto farlo avere questo successo".
["Pretty amazing. I am glad I could make it this successful."]
He placed a hand on my shoulder, I looked at him "So figlio che non vuoi questo, ma non ho nessun altro."
["I know son you don't want this but I don't have anyone else."]
"Qualcun altro, per cosa?"
["Anyone else, for what?"]
"Prendere il controllo della mafia. Essere il leader dopo la mia morte".
["To take over the mafia. To be the next leader after my death."]
I bit my lips "Papà, ti ho detto che non voglio essere il leader o anche essere imparentato con questa mafia. Papà mi ci sono voluti anni per farmi una reputazione, per farmi un nome e ora non posso rovinare tutto".
["Dad, I have told you I don't want to be the leader or even be related to this mafia. Dad it took years for me to get a reputation, to make my name and now I can't ruin it all."]
I never wanted to get in the mafia, all I have ever wished for is a luxurious and safe life. I am a billionaire which fulfils the luxurious part but when my whole family is related to the mafia how can it be safe?
"Pensi che Antonio possa essere un buon leader?"
["Do you think Antonio can be a good leader?"]
I pursued my lips, staying quiet.
Dad chuckled "Anche tu lo sai molto bene figliolo, non potrà mai essere un buon leader. Un buon leader deve essere calmo, anche nella situazione peggiore deve essere in grado di tenere la mente dritta".
["You too know it very well son, he can never be a good leader. A good leader needs to be calm, even in the worst situation he must be capable to keep his mind straight."]
Not me. Please not me.
I chanted in my mind.
He patted my back "Voglio che tu prenda il controllo della mafia dopo di me."
["I want you to take over the mafia after me."]
My eyes closed, jaw clenched.
This is what I never wanted.
"Dopo di me, i miei uomini sarebbero tutti indifesi e se Antonio prendesse il sopravvento tutto sarà finito, Alessandro. Puoi essere il leader perfetto, fidati di me godrai del potere che avresti".
["After me, my men would be all helpless and if Antonio takes over, everything will be over Alessandro. You can be the perfect leader, trust me you will enjoy the power you would have."]
I tried to act normal in front of him and said "Per ora non stai andando da nessuna parte lasciando la mafia né io ho alcuna possibilità di prendere il sopravvento in modo da poter parlare più tardi".
["For now you aren't going anywhere. Neither you are leaving the mafia nor I am having any chances of taking over so can we not talk about this?"]
He nodded "Ma ancora, se mai mi succede qualcosa, prendi il sopravvento. La mafia sarà più forte di quanto non sia ora, sotto la vostra guida".
["But still, if ever something happens to me, take over. The mafia will be stronger than it is now, under your leadership."]
I still don't want to take over the mafia but I have to. This is what Dad wanted, his last wish for me and how can I not fulfil his last wish.
I left for the mansion to tell everyone who will take over the mafia.
As I reached the mansion, Diego had everything prepared for me. All the men stood in front of me with their heads held down. This is a way of showing respect to their leader which I surely don't like.
"D'ora in poi prenderò il controllo della mafia. Sarò il tuo leader.
["From now on I'll be taking over. I'll be your leader."]
Sliding my hands in my trouser pockets I spoke again "Voglio che tutti voi mi guardite quando vi parlo. Abbassare la testa non mi darebbe alcun rispetto.
["I want you all to look at me when I talk to you. Hanging your heads down would not give me any respect."]
Everyone looked up straight.
I nodded "Voglio che tutti voi mi rispettite come avete fatto con mio padre e non perdonerò alcun tradimento. Forse mio padre era di buon cuore, ma io non lo sarò. Tu cerchi di incrociarmi e sarai un uomo morto."
["I want you all to respect me as you did to my father and I won't forgive any betrayal. Maybe my father was kind-hearted but I won't be. You try to cross me and you'll be a dead man."]
"Spero di essermi reso abbastanza chiaro."
["I hope I have made myself pretty clear."]
"Tutti voi potete andarvene ora."
["You all may leave now."]
They all exited the hall. I remained standing at my place staring blankly at the door.
Diego spoke "We thought Antonio would be the one taking over, everyone was worried about the mafia."
I remained quiet.
"I think they all are now okay with you taking over. You are the best."
I nodded.
Well I am not even a bit happy after taking over, I am worried. Being the leader means you have a lot of responsibilities. I have to protect all my men from all the danger, I don't want anyone to die under my leadership. I have to make this gang more powerful than it ever was.
3 YEARS LATER
Yes and I took over the mafia, it's been only three years I took over but things are going pretty well. The search for Dad's murderer is still on but we aren't able to track him. He went underground after killing Dad and no one has seen him after that. It's actually good that he is underground, I need time to settle as the leader, three years is very less time to adjust in this business. Once Dad's killer comes out of the hideout he is dead and I have to do that job without letting him hurt any of my men.
At first I thought I wouldn't like being the leader but I was wrong, I love the power it gave me. Maybe Dad was right, I was made for the mafia, I love ruling. For these 3 years I have been on many missions and I also have killed too many people which was necessary for the safety of my gang. Everyone in Italy knows my name as the most fearful leader 'Damien' but no one knows my real name. My identity is still hidden because I have a company to take care of.
I was in my penthouse going through some information that one of my men sent about the man who killed Dad. He'll be out of his hiding soon and I am his target, that's for sure.
I heard the doorbell and made my way towards the living room. In this big house it's just me who stays. I don't let too many people in my house, there's a cook and few maids who work in the morning.
When I opened the door, to my surprise it was Diego. Blood on his face and shirt. He entered.
"What the hell happened?" I asked.
He was taking deep breaths, so I gave him a bottle of water. He drank the water then sat on the couch while I stood with my arms crossed over my chest.
He started saying "We were in our cars going to a club."
I stopped him "We?"
He nodded "Few men of Antonio and himself. There were three cars, we were in the middle but the cars that were at first and the last they blew up."
"Blew up?" I asked in utter shock.
He nodded "Then a truck came in front of us, our car flipped upside down."
My palm turned into a fist, jaw clenched "Is Antonio okay?"
He nodded "They didn't want to kill us. It was-"
"Alfredo Rossi." I completed the sentence not waiting for him.
The same man who killed Dad.
He nodded "He held Antonio at gunpoint and threatened him telling he will destroy our whole gang. He also said to tell y..." He stopped not completing the sentence.
"What did he say, Diego?"
I know he said something to me. He knows I am the leader.
"He sent his love to you."
I nodded "Leave."
"Aren't we gonna do anything?"
"No. For now surely no."
He stared at me in disbelief "But when someone messes with our gang, we have to take revenge."
"I said not now."
"Signore, it's what we have been doing till now."
"So from now on you won't. You take my orders Diego and you need to follow what I say."
I turned back to leave but again he spoke "Eight of our men died in that car, that man blew eight of our men and you are asking us to do nothing. What kind of a leader are you?"
I turned to him, my eyes filled with rage "This would be the first and the last time you spoke to me that way. I am your leader and you will respect me."
He held his head down then said "Antonio went to kill him."
My eyes widened. "What?"
"He was angry when they threatened him and he went with a few men to kill Alfredo."
No.
I know what's gonna happen now, that's the only reason I didn't want to fight Alfredo. They see it as my weakness but they don't know why I am backing away.
"How many men did he take with him?" I asked.
"12 men. Why?"
"Be prepared with 12 coffins. Fottuti stronzi"
["Fucking assholes"]
I drove to the mansion with Diego and the scene which I saw wasn't what I expected. There were bodies lying at the door in a line and a very scared Antonio at one corner of the door.
Codardo.
[Coward.]
All he does is make me angry.
His shirt was covered with blood, with his hands shaking.
Before I could take any other step towards the bodies lying, a car stopped in front of me and out came Oliver. He smirked at me then took out a paper from his pocket showing it to me.
"I am here to arrest Antonio D'Angelo."
I read the warrant he showed me then kept my eyes back at Oliver. Seeing the warrant Antonio panicked and ran towards us "It wasn't me. I didn't kill them. It was Alfredo Rossi. I-I didn't do anything."
Oliver handcuffed Antonio, one of the officers he brought with him handed me a paper when Oliver wasn't looking, he whispered to me "Alfredo sends his love to the next leader of Giovanni's gang."
Opening the letter I read it.
Spero che la lettera ti sia arrivata, sembra che tu non sia stupido come tuo fratello. Pensavo che oggi ti avrei ucciso e mandato tuo fratello in prigione per averti ucciso, ma sembra che il mio piano non abbia funzionato. Sarà divertente combatterti Alessandro. Ci incontreremo presto.
[Hope the letter reached you, seems like you aren't as stupid as your brother. I thought today I would kill you and send your brother to prison for killing you but seems like my plan didn't work. It will be fun fighting you Alessandro. We'll be meeting soon.]
My jaw clenched but this is not the time to lose my temper, first I have to stop Oliver from taking Antonio to the prison.
I need to think.
"Are you still going to do nothing?" A voice came, making me snap out of my thoughts. I looked at Antonio to find him trying to get out of Oliver's grip. "Dad was wrong, he gave the wrong person the leadership of the mafia. You didn't do anything when they killed Dad because you were more interested in taking over the mafia than killing the people who murdered him and today too when they attacked me you didn't do anything but sat in your luxurious mansion. You are a shame to this mafia, a wrong leader."
I looked at Diego. He nodded, getting the hint and took the officers including Oliver inside the mansion. I took my step closer to Antonio, while unlocking his handcuffs I said "You took 12 men with you just to let them die, in total because of you I lost 20 of my men in a day and what harm did it do to you, nothing. You are still here in front of me talking bullshit. You know Dad knew what you were capable of doing and what I could do. You took 12 men with you and what did I get as a result, 12 dead bodies but you are completely fine because you begged that asshole to show you mercy."
"I didn't b-"
"I know you more than you know yourself Antonio. I know what you are capable of doing. From next time you do something without asking and I won't hesitate to slice that throat of yours. You know why I didn't do anything because he is stronger than us at this point, I wasn't going to let him live but I asked for time which you didn't give me and see the result is lying in front of you, the result of your anger is 12 dead bodies."
I turned back to go inside the mansion but stopped, without turning back I said "He didn't leave you because you begged, he left you because you are the weakest person in this gang and he can use you in future."
As I entered the mansion I found Oliver sitting on the couch waiting for me grinning widely. I took a seat in front of him then lit up my cigarette. Before fixing it between my lips I asked "Start speaking, whatever you want."
He smirked then drank the whole whiskey in one go "I have a proposal for you."
•_• •_• •_•
This was just Alessandro's introduction and how he becomes the leader.
Excuse if there are any errors in the Italian because it's from google translate. Italian is not my language.
One more thing in the beginning Alessandro's age was 21 (when he took over the mafia) and 3 years later he was 24.
Hope you liked the chapter, see you in the next❣️