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(Eight Years Later)
"We are now standing in front of the main building of the Valentino Group of Companies, to celebrate their fourteenth anniversary", the news reporter says as he turns around to look back at the camera behind him.
"The chairman of the company, Chairman Val, has once again opened the doors of his great empire to let everyone see the progress of his company," the reporter continued as he walks towards a man who was also answering questions from other reporters.
"President Sterling! Just one question please!" the reporter shouted as he pushed the rest of the reporters in front of him.
"Oh yes, of course," the president answered as the reporter showed him the microphone.
"I just wanted to ask if we'll be able to see Chairman Val today," the reporter asked.
President Sterling smiles and shakes his head before answering, "No, unfortunately Chairman Val is celebrating something else today. An event that he made sure he will never miss ever again."
*Television turns off*
I laughed and placed the remote on the side.
"Enough with that, we still have a lot to prepare today little boss," I say as I looked at the seven year-old-kid named Vinnie Bornello who was happily playing with his action figure.
"But aren't we just going to uncle Bryson's birthday party? Why do I have to prepare for that?" Vinnie stubbornly asked as he puts his toy down.
I walked towards him and shuffled his head.
"If I tell you a story, will you take a bath and get ready little boss?" I asked, finally making Vinnie look interested.
I smiled and pretended like I was thinking of something as I started, "Well, once upon a time, there was a very weak man called...lets say...R. R was a very weak man, but suddenly, he met J. J on the other hand was also weak like him, but both of them helped each other and became two very strong men. R killed all the bad guys so he and J could live happily ever after."
"Did they?" Vinnie suddenly asked
"Did they what?" I asked back.
"Did they live happily ever after?" he asked, making me genuinely smile.
I shuffled his head and answered him, "They did, because there weren't any bad guys any more."
Vinnie looked happy as he started jumping on the sofa, "I want to kill bad guys too!" he innocently told me.
I laughed and stood up from my seat, "You're still too young to think of that Vinnie."
"But I'm going to be a police! I'm going to kill the bad guys!" Vinnie declared, making me laugh again.
"A policeman? The irony. Wait till your father hears that," I whispered to myself. Then suddenly, the door opened, revealing a very strong man named Choi Julien.
"Vinnie? Why are you still not ready?" Julien asked as he saw the boy happily jumping on the sofa.
"Dad!" Vinnie shouted as he ran towards Julien to give him a hug. Showering him with the child's sweet kisses.
Julien kneeled down and hugged his dear son, or to be exact, the surrogate child of Romeo Valentino.
(If you are not aware, a surrogate child is when the man injects his semen inside a volunteered woman through medical procedure. The woman carries the child, and will be paid before and after the child is born.)
"Didn't I tell you that we'll be heading to uncle Bryson's house today?" Julien asked, making Vinnie pout.
"I won't get mad. Just go to your room and get ready," Julien says, and just like that, Vinnie ran out and went straight to his bedroom like how his father wanted.
"And I had to say all kinds of shit just to make him stand," I say as I approached him.
Julien smirked and patted my shoulder, "He's like Romeo isn't he? Very stubborn and hardheaded. He really is, no doubt, his son."
"And I ended up being his Johnson," I say, making Julien laugh.
"Well at least you're doing a good job with it," Julien answered back, making me laugh this time.
"Anyways, Romeo called us. He needs us in his office," Julien says, and I immediately knew that we were going to have another serious discussion about something that we have been worrying about for the past eight years.
Antonio died, but the outcomes of that war remained.
"Alright then, let's go," I say as Julien and I went to Romeo's office.
I knocked three times before going inside the room. Romeo Valentino was sitting in front of his desk, signing papers that I clearly did not know about. He was even using the pen that he has always held onto for years for some reason that I might never know about.
"Hi hubby," Julien sweetly says as he appears behind me.
Romeo looked stressed. But the moment he sees his husband, he quickly smiles from ear to ear; honestly making me cringe a little.
"Am I even supposed to be here?" I joked, making Romeo and Julien laugh.
Julien goes inside and gives Romeo a quick kiss before standing on his side like how he always does.
"So, what seems to be the problem?" I asked as I sat down on the seat in front of his desk.
"I've been receiving death threats again by an unknown source. I don't want to be paranoid here but I'm scared our son might end up being affected by it," Romeo says.
"But I thought you dealt with some of those death threat?" Julien asked.
"I have, but it just keeps on coming. It's been years, we've been trying to secure Vinnie's identity to make sure he lives a normal life," Romeo says with a worried tone.
"You didn't give him the Valentino surname, nor a Choi surname. And no one in the public knows you have a son with Julien. Vinnie will be safe as long as we're here," I told them.
"That's it, "as long as we're HERE". What if there will be a time that we're no longer here?" Romeo asked.
"Rome, we talked about this didn't we? You wanted a child even though you knew about the consequences. You promised me you'll keep him safe, so thinking like that is not helping your promise with me," Julien says, squeezing Romeo's shoulder to help him relax.
Romeo sighs and finally nods his head.
"Maybe you're right. As long as we're here, we'll make sure Vinnie grows up to be a normal man. A man who will not end up having the same problems as we did in the past," Romeo says.
"And besides, Eric and Jiyong will fly all the way here with one call. So there is nothing you should be afraid of," Julien assures him, then suddenly someone knocks on the door.
"Master Val," one of the maids called out.
"Yes, Come in," Romeo answered.
The maid opened the door, revealing Vinnie all dressed up for my dear cousin's party.
"Papa!" Vinnie shouted as he ran towards Romeo.
Romeo laughs and carried him so he could sit on his lap.
"Look at this little Romeo. You look really handsome with that suit. Uncle Bryson will end up pinching your cheeks again," Romeo joked, making Vinnie pout.
"Dad wanted me to wear this," Vinnie says, making Romeo look at Julien.
Julien smirked and pinched Vinnie's nose, "You said you loved it remember? Why are you complaining now?"
"I'm not!" Vinnie quickly defended.
I cleared my throat, ruining their moment as I said, "Well, shouldn't we head out now?"
Romeo and Julien nodded their heads. Then Romeo stood up from his seat, carrying Vinnie in his arms.
"Let's go meet your uncle Bryson and President King," Romeo says as he and Julien got out of the room first.
I followed behind them and took a deep breath.
We went through a lot, but there are more things that we have to face. Sadly, we might not be able to face it ourselves. Vinnie might end up facing it, and if I'm right, Julien is planning to have a surrogate child as well.
I looked down at my middle finger, glancing at the washed-out V tattoo that showed that I am a Valentino Family member.
I don't want to sound negative here, and I don't want to sound like I don't want Romeo and Julien to have a family. But our past cannot be erased so easily.
Once a mafia...
Always...
A Mafia.
- FIN -
Dear Readers,
It's not over yet 😉
Your author,
- N