Dario Albertini
- These are all the reports of the profits in Brazil, sir! Bernardino sent his regards and informed me that now all kinds of information from the territory will be passed on to me and then reported to you.
I found Bernardino's initiative very strange, at least every four years my father made visits to the capos around the world, of course I will follow the tradition but it seems that the Brazilian capo wants to make my life easier, saving me a trip. Not that I am complaining because the profits in that region are the best and with my little Valentine it will be difficult to make long trips but this aroused in me a great curiosity, why Bernardino does not want my presence in his territory? Maybe it's because he doesn't hide the fact that he hates me, but I think there is something else.
- All right, Mancini! You're excused, send my regards to Bernardino.
The man left confirming that he would return next month, but that sudden change made me suspicious; however, I will let Bernardino do it this way, if he suspects that he is betraying me, I will go to Brazil and solve the problem.
- Caetano, we must go! Valentine is sick, I need to see how he is.
These last two months I have worked a lot and I have been away from my son for a long time precisely because of this I had to leave him with my mother, the nanny had serious health problems and could not stay with my son anymore. So I took the decision to give him to my mother and sister, who loved the idea of taking care of him but I don't know if it was a good option, they tend to be too loving and will end up leaving my son weak, something I didn't want but with all the responsibility that comes with being the Don, I'm not having time to be the father I promised I would be, when I arrived at the Albertini mansion I went straight to my son's room. Mariana was taking care of him while my mother got the bottle to feed him, instead of asking the maids to do this, they preferred to take care of my boy themselves.
- How is my son?
- His fever is down but the doctor says it's nothing serious, he imagines it's just that he misses his daddy. These last months he has been very absent, my son, he is neglecting Valentine!
My mother needs to understand that as Don I have responsibilities that unfortunately I cannot put aside even if it keeps me away from my son.
- You know very well the obligations that I have to fulfill, Mother! It is not something I can avoid, Valentine is still too small to understand but as soon as he is older he will understand that the mafia must come first.
- I really won't discuss this with you, my son! Valentine will have love and affection from me, from his sister, from his father and from Saul but I am afraid that this will not be enough and even though he knows the importance of the Mafia in the future I don't think he will understand his attitudes!
She was right, but what could I do? As soon as he saw me Valentine smiled feeling my presence. My sister and mother left the room leaving us alone to enjoy our moment together.
- Son, I know you miss me but you must understand that if I am away it is to give you a strong and solid criminal empire so that when you are a man like me you can assume your responsibilities as they should be! Now you are still small and don't understand, but you will grow up and understand all this!
Valentine just closed his eyes enjoying the bottle I was giving him, oblivious to the world of crime and power that will be his in the future. As soon as my son falls asleep, I go to his crib placing him there calmly noticing how quiet and good he is, I stayed for a few minutes watching his sleep but unfortunately the obligations called me. I go downstairs towards my father's office when I am approached by Saul, who pulled me into the library of the house like crazy.
- You said you wouldn't go near her, you bastard!
- Saul, are you crazy? Who is she? What are you talking about, my brother?
My brother threw several pictures at me, I looked carefully and recognized the girl. They were pictures of her leaving school, hanging out with her aunt and cousin, and some other pictures that portrayed the girl's daily life.
- Do you think I have something to do with this? I assure you it wasn't me, she is part of the family because of the pact, if I touch her I know the consequences, I shouldn't even consider such nonsense!
- Look at this note that came along with the pictures!
Saul handed over a piece of paper with a note made with letters cut out of magazines and newspapers, a clear threat to him.
I T A L I A N O
IT WOULD BE A PITY, AND I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH IT, I KNOW THAT I WILL NOT WANT TO PAY FOR WHAT I HAVE DONE WITH HER!
F I Q U E L O N G E
I F I F T H E C O N T R A R I O N , I W I L L R E C O V E B E R O T H E R F O T H E R F O T S B E L Y R E A L Y R E A L I S T H A T T H E R!
- I repeat, it was not me! I would never make such a threat against you, you know what the penalties are when we touch someone in the family!
Since Saul made the blood pact with Ligia, she automatically becomes someone from the Albertini family, if I did anything to her I would have to be punished by losing a finger or toe. In more serious cases I could even be killed even though I am the Don!
- Ligia is just a girl, I know it may sound ridiculous what I'm about to say, but I'm so fucking scared! I'm the one who got her into this, I couldn't bear to see her killed by a curse that I brought into her life!
- Saul, you need to stay calm! Do you have any enemies besides the Tolentinos? Someone who would do anything to harm you?
My brother was desolate like he had never seen before, he held the girl's photo with devotion, running his fingers over her image as if the girl was some kind of goddess.
- NO! But I don't believe it is the Tolentinos, I don't know what to do! I can't stay away from Ligia but also staying close could mean the death of the woman I love! To make matters worse, the region where she lived is a territory run by Brazilian drug dealers, some little shits with no connection to the capo Bernardino, so I can forget the idea of asking him for help!
He was right, Bernardino won't go into business for us precisely because I know he has an aversion to me, he is a good capo but he has never agreed to my leadership or to my unorthodox methods of getting what I want!
- Saulo, it is now your Don who will talk to you, not your older brother! I want you to stay away from Brazil for a while, I'm going back on my decision to only give you the position of adviser after your marriage to Ligia, now I'm appointing you as the second in the mafia. Don't worry about your future fiancée, I believe that this threat will only materialize if you are going there but since you will stay away, I believe that they will not do anything against my sister-in-law. How long before she comes of age?
- Two and a half years, Dario!
I couldn't risk her life, and also my brother could get into a trap because of Ligia, so I have to act as coolly as possible.
- Two years go by fast! I am giving you the opportunity to show that you deserve to be the second in the family, don't let me down! Don't worry about the girl, she is already yours and nothing and no one can change that!
- Dario, you know about the rules! If another man touches her, I will have to kill her for the dishonor, someone else can approach her, so I don't need to go into detail with you about that.
Since the girl belongs to Saul, he must be her first man, otherwise he will have to kill her for the dishonor of having been someone else's! I took her picture analyzing the girl's details, she is pretty without a doubt but her aunt protects her well as you can tell by the modest clothes she wears as well as the glasses that certainly help her to see better and also make her look ugly.
- Saul, you idolize a nerd! Do you really think that someone would hit on her wearing those clothes and wearing that awful glasses? Brother, the only one who will get between her legs is you, of that I have no doubt, but I understand that we can't count on luck, so I have an idea, you will continue to take care of her from a distance, I will send trusted soldiers to ward off any threat from her, they will be older soldiers who have teenage children who will take their positions in the future. They will be enrolled in the school she goes to, and these soldiers and their families will live in her neighborhood to further ensure her safety by keeping out anyone who might try anything with your future wife!
I can't count on luck, I remember Ligia well as a child, she was a beautiful little girl so I know that without those bizarre clothes and glasses she will be irresistible and my brother knows it. So I thought well to put the boys of the family in charge of my sister-in-law.
- What will it say to the soldiers and their teenage children?
- That they are protecting someone in the family, that's all, I won't be lying, just omitting the facts to avoid unnecessary gossip in the family!
Saul seemed relieved with the solution I gave, but didn't stop thinking that everything suggests that they want to keep me and my brother away from Brazil, but now I need to know why. I feel that something is not right!