Chapter 135 The Heir and the Intruder
\[Lilia\]
I may have been transferred to another place, but as I sweep my gaze around the interior, it reminds me so much of Kael's mansion.
They have different designs and layouts, of course. From the giant chandelier hanging from the high ceiling to the murals mounted against the walls, the mosaics, and the stained-glass windows, the ambiance was very much similar. It reeked of old money and powerful influence.
I wasn't completely oblivious to what they do for a living; I’m very much aware of the illegal businesses and the extent they would go to just to expand their empire. I do not exalt it, either. It is not something of which one should be proud to have been a part. However, I didn't have the right to be admonishing them for their actions.
I am a little too late for that. I, too, am so deeply involved with this kind of life that I see no way out. They already existed before I came into this world, and there’s nothing I can do to change that.
Ronan ushered me toward the grand staircase, my arm idly linked through his as we made our way down. A lady servant was already waiting at the bottom for us. She was holding an overcoat folded over her arms with her head bowed low.
“Here’s your coat, sir,” she said in a submissive tone, extending the coat to him. I stared at her, trying to catch a glimpse of her face, though I couldn’t make out her entire countenance as she tilted her head away to avoid my gaze. She appeared to be roughly the same age as me, or possibly a few years older. I could tell she was beautiful, though.
“Thank you, Selena.” Ronan gave the woman a dismissive nod and waved his hand before putting the coat on.
He put his palm flat at the small of my back again, leading me outside the mansion. I wanted to avoid his touch, feeling uneasy that a man I barely know was holding me. Though I knew I couldn't pull away. If he were a part of my newly found family, then I might as well get used to it. The cold blast of frigid air stung my nose, but I loved how it felt. I inhaled deeply, my head almost clearing instantly if not for the gentle nudge at my back.
I let out a shaky breath and let Ronan guide me. There was nothing much to see other than a vast stretch of white snow, though what caught my attention was the frozen lake right in front of the mansion.
The scenery was beautiful—the afternoon sun reflecting its rays into the ice, pine trees bordering the water, and a cleared path where we were strolling. This place was quite refreshing. However, it felt hollow at the same time, knowing that everyone around me was basically a stranger, even the one who was my blood kin.
“You say you’re adopted. Care to fill me in? I have a lot of questions, but I don’t know where to start,” I blurted out, trying to start a conversation as we traversed the newly plowed pathway.
“Ah, yes.” Ronan nodded. “I was only five. A stray kid sleeping on the side of the road. Nothing to eat, pickpocketing strangers. It was a memory of my youth I couldn’t forget. Life was hard until then. Imagine my struggle.”
Five? He was too young to live on his own, much less to be abandoned on the side of the road. I was eleven years old when my mother passed away, and ever since then, I've had a hard time getting through life. I couldn’t imagine how hard it would have been for him, but I didn’t say anything and listened intently to his tale.
“And then one night, I wandered off too far from the city searching for anything to eat, toward a narrow alleyway. I found two men fighting. One was losing. I didn’t know what came over me, but I saw a metal pipe with a sharpened end. I dashed into that alleyway and drove the pipe into the attacker’s back—all the way to his gut.”
I turned and looked at him. His electric blue eyes appeared almost white against the snow as his gaze grew distant at the reverie of his past.
“I didn’t know if I killed the bad guy or the good guy, but I felt something strange in me. I didn’t feel remorse or guilt about what I did. Then a dozen men came, surrounded me, and brought me to Signore Vittorio.
Later, I discovered that the man I killed was a rogue dealer from the mob who had betrayed him, and the one I saved was his man tasked to kill the traitor.” A slight tug lifted the corner of his lips. “He took me under his wing and gave me his name. He even announced me as his heir.”
He paused for a moment and then turned his attention to me.
“Then you came. All of this will be yours.”
I don’t know why, but the aura around him suddenly changed into something dark and sinister.
“You’re not okay with that, are you?” I stammered, swallowing the lump suddenly lodging in my throat.
“No, I’m not okay with it.” A menacing grin spread across his face.
“I built this empire alongside him. Shed blood and sweat and crawled my way from the bottom to get to this place.”
The soft features of his countenance suddenly hardened, and his hand on my back abruptly moved to my shoulder, gripping me tightly and pushing me against a pine tree. He pressed his body firmly against mine, limiting my movement.
I gasped in pain as my back hit the rugged surface of the bark, but I endured it and glared at him. “What are you going to do with me then? Are you going to kill me?”
I couldn’t fight him. I may have trained, but I am still an amateur and only know the basics. I know the extent of my skills, and Ronan is obviously way out of my league. I couldn’t take him singlehandedly; most likely, I would only injure myself more.
“Oh, no, cara.” He sniggered, touching my face with his cold, bare hands and then squeezing my jaw.
“You might not want to believe me, but I do care for the old man, and killing you would only upset him. Let’s just say when we get back to Italy, I’ll ask for your hand and we will marry. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind when it means keeping the business in line.”
Bewilderment immediately registered on my face. It felt like a punch to my gut, sending an acid taste to my mouth. He was no son of my grandfather. All I saw was a greedy man wanting nothing more than wealth and power.
“You bastard!” I growled. “You can’t do that. I don’t want to. You can have all the money, but stay away from me!”
There was no way I was going to marry this psychopath. Never—over my dead body. I may have been taken away from one rabbit hole, but then I was moved to another one even deeper.
“Why? Is there someone else you want to marry?” He taunted, moving his face closer to mine. “Do you really think that bastard would care for you?”
My heart sank because I didn’t know the answer to that. However, I was not going to give this motherfucker the satisfaction of seeing my reaction. I met his gaze and squared my stance, contending with his electric stare, hoping that this was all just a dream and that it would morph back into mossy green hues.
“He’ll come for me. I know that.”
“You’re a fool to believe that.”
“Maybe I am, but I do believe in him,” I sneered. Using all my effort, I freed my arms and pushed him away from me as hard as possible.
Ronan backed away, letting his body take in my strength, and laughed.
“Signore wouldn’t simply allow it. It’ll break the truce and unleash chaos between our families,” he asserted, brushing the invisible creases on his coat.
“You see, the Aslanovs have been our enemy long before Signore took me in. Five years ago, a stupid truce took place, and now that transient peace is slowly thinning—all because of you.” He moved closer again, but he kept his hands buried inside the pockets of his coat. “What do you choose now, cara? Marry me, or the life of your beloved?”
He was taunting me, I knew it, but I couldn’t help but let his words echo in my head.
“Just leave me alone,” I snarled, turning on my heel as fast as I could and leaving him there.
“I’ll be watching you, cara.”
Shit. I need to get the hell out of this place.