"Where is Félix?"
Adrien's shoulders stiffened at his father's tone. The blond boy unwillingly stood before the man who carried power and neglect equally in his hands, biting his lip in hopes to find a suitable answer. He adjusted the black hood over his face with leather clad fingers.
"He had something to do, so I came in his stead."
"What about Nathalie?"
"She's stuck in bed with a hangover."
Gabriel leaned forward on the polished table, folding his hands and giving his son an examination. Adrien was dressed like the night; from his sneakers to the black mask layered over his face - nothing impressive, but simply a pair of jeans, and a t-shirt under the hood with a pair of matching gloves. His hands were in his pockets, but at least his posture redeemed his… 'appearance'. The longer Gabriel evaluated him, the more the boy could feel his muscles tightening. The air caught in his throat.
Gabriel sat back into the couch with an unimpressed sigh, popping a cigar from inside his white suit. "Would it have killed you to dress formally?"
His heart ripped a touch, Adrien desperately holding back a forlorn expression. He lowered his green irises to the wine colored carpet. "It was short notice, sir."
"Sit."
He slid into the round booth next to his father, making sure to leave enough space between them to at least ease off the awkwardness floating about.
"Hands out of your pockets."
He removed them on reflex, folding his fingers between his knees. "Sorry, sir." So much for attempt of forced peace.
Adrien sat back uncomfortably in his seat. This would have only been the ninth time that he attended one of his father's 'meetings', but the locations and conversations were often not so… desirable for him. The family pair were sitting in a VIP casino room with several booths and seats around the corners, a small bar, and a gambling table. The noise floating about was a sports announcer from the TV's above the counter, and the pungent smell of cigarettes and alcohol soured Adrien's nose. He wrinkled it in discomfort, watching with minor disgust as his father used the scarlet candle on the table to light his cigar.
But Adrien could never hate Gabriel, since he loved his father. His callous demeanor and behavior was nothing too big for Adrien to look past, even when it left him depressed and lonely. He also strongly disapproved of Gabriel's business, though growing up in that environment should have been considered normal by now.
Then there was Gabriel's attire. The man dressed snappy and classy as usual. He wore a pearl white tuxedo with a folded black handkerchief in his breast pocket. A silver tie was neatly knotted up to his neck, holding the collar of a white button down shirt. A grey winter coat lined with fur draped his shoulders, and his dress shoes were dark; newly polished. White rimmed glasses, black gloves and platinum locks slicked back completed his refined and authoritative appearance.
"How did you get in? Minors aren't permitted here."
Adrien tensed again, swallowing his nervousness. "They remembered me and led me to you." Since this happened to be a hot spot for Gabriel's undisclosed business meetings. It always surprised Adrien what money could help you get away with. In this case, every employee at that casino knew to leave the Agrestes alone to do what they pleased. This included the owner.
These very situations allowed the adolescent to know an unfortunate amount of things about the syndicate he wished he didn't, and he intended to keep a lid on how this came to be, for himself. For Adrien, having access to age-restricted affairs, honing an armada of secrets and the topic of death were an ordinary part of his everyday life. But he knew since childhood that he wasn't like his father or like Félix. He always wanted to be the hero.
Though he knew that could never happen.
He shook his head, locks of golden strands brushing across his face. The feeling as if he'd suffocate from the silence dragged on longer than comfort's limit. "Who exactly are we waiting for?"
He nearly stumbled.
"An adversary." Gabriel pressed the tip of the cigar to his lips, exhaling the grey toxins. Adrien held his breath instinctively at that moment, but also gazed at Gabriel with lack of understanding.
"An adversary?" He repeated with enhanced delivery.
"She's of the Cheng family."
His eyes must have widened, because Gabriel responded with a slight smirk of amusement. "There's no need to be so shocked." He chuckled out venomously, the sardonic look in his eye prickling his son's skin.
Adrien prevented a follow up jaw drop at the sudden upturn of his father's lip. He'd question whether it was a miracle or a curse later, and attempt to untangle his thoughts. For as long as he could remember, the Cheng's were the absolute enemy. The Agrestes and the Chengs were at constant war, and rivals to the regrettable, literal death.
Piles of questions layered on his tongue, but every word caught in his throat. Talking and pun making came easy to him. These things did not apply when conversing with Gabriel Agreste. The most he did at that moment was fold his fingers and shake his knee in anticipation for their guests arrival.
A door busted open with a loud crack, drawing the Agrestes' attention instantly. Across from them was a couple of women of Chinese descent. The one who nearly damaged casino property spotted the two and began sauntering in their direction with a catwalk that lacked mercy and eyes that weren't so inviting.
The woman behind her quietly closed the door, then waved with a mysteriously wicked smile. She too made her way, taking her sweet time as if there was no cause for alarm.
Adrien gulped. His father, not so much.
Gabriel rose from his seat. Adrien followed. "You received my message, Miss Cheng."
The one with the attitude's response was a trenchant smirk. "It's hard to refuse when you're cornered in the grocery store parking lot." said she with straight up attitude. Adrien took a moment to take in their appearances. The Chinese female currently speaking to his father stood tall, with short jet black hair pulled into a low ponytail. She wore thick, winged eyeliner, dark eyeshadow, black dress pants and a matching blazer with a red button up; collar unbuttoned. Beneath her were a pair of pleather strapped heels. Her dark irises and hands-in-pockets stance reeked with over confidence and a sense of danger. There was no trying in the game of intimidation with this woman.
Then there was the eccentric woman standing behind her. She wore her long, thick locks into a low bun tied with a large violet bow, her hair color matching what he assumed was her sister's, since their faces had very close resemblance to one another. This one in particular was carrying a white lace umbrella, and a gothic lolita dress with a multi layered skirt that only reached to her upper thigh. She wore knee-high boots, had too many earrings, and plenty of amethyst rings. Purple accents and buckles decorated her outfit, and black fingerless gloves covered her hands. She had a chilling smile that was deceptively inviting, and gave off the impression that she knew more than she should have.
The confident woman glanced at Adrien, nodding over to him. "Who's the kid?"
"He's not what you're here for." Gabriel swiftly dropped the question, looking to the woman in the back, "I see you brought your sister." He motions his hand to the side of the booth. "Please, take a seat."
The more cantankerous Cheng shot a glare at Gabriel before sighing and sitting to the side. Her sister merely leaned against the wall, twirling her parasol. The fashion designer quirked a brow at her.
"Will you not sit as well?"
She grinned at him. "I prefer to stand."
He nodded, then turned to his son. He motioned to the one sitting. "This is Biyu Cheng, and the one standing is her sister, Zihua Cheng."
"And you're Gabriel Agreste and he's whatever - skip the formalities and tell me why you bribed one of my men into doing your dirty work, you piece of s***." she hissed through her teeth. It was then Adrien learned that Biyu didn't mess around. But what mobster has ever joked in business?
From the looks of it, probably Zihua. In fact, she had continued to smile, which was mildly disturbing and creeping Adrien out. He had his eyes locked on her as she hummed to herself in the corner as if the situation she was in didn't exist.
Zihua caught him staring and beamed happily at him.
He gulped again.
"He wasn't one of your men, Miss Cheng. He was a simple townsman and one of your clients-"
"-Which I had doing personal work for me so that he could pay his debts off faster. Léon didn't have the money to dish out for his daughter's operation, so he came to me for help." As she continued to speak, the anger inside of her became increasingly obvious by the second. She slammed her fist on the table, startling Adrien and almost toppling the burning candle.
"Léon Baudin is not a hitman! If that girl ends up in an orphanage because of you, I'll personally scrape you off the street in eight. different. directions."
Adrien turned to his father in slight shock. Yes, he knew what the mafia was capable of, but had this accusation been true? Had his father actually paid an innocent man outside of the Agrestes to kill someone?
Gabriel's expression did not change. He only folded his fingers and leaned forward. "About a week ago, I found someone in my office while I was out trying to obtain certain information." He opened his ice blues, causing Biyu to flinch at the chill of his stare. "Can you guess who I found?"
She kept her lips pursed, locking eyes with him. Gabriel sat back and took a puff of his cigar. "I could've had Léon Baudin killed right then and there, but I had mercy on him and hired him off. Simple as that. You should be thanking me that I let him live."
"By dirtying his hands?" She scoffed.
"You dirtied his hands the moment you tried to use him as a spy, so on the case of putting his life in jeopardy, we're even."
The air became strained, and Adrien felt as if he was the only one sensing it. He had sat in on plenty of apprehensive conversations before, but this argument topped anything he had heard. Maybe Félix had been right about the boy's innocence.
And Heaven knows what Félix could have been involved in at that moment.
Biyu relaxed in her seat with a sour look on her face. Gabriel exhaled and put his cigar out in the mini ashtray. "We could argue all day about who started this war first, but that's not what I called this meeting for."
She snorted with scorn. "What could an Agreste want with a Cheng?" Biyu began examining her scarlet nails, disinterested in Gabriel Agreste himself. Adrien furrowed his brows at the woman. Upon first impression, she carried herself as arrogant, accusatory, and discourteous, but he had learned by now that criminals such as these all share the common quirk of being uncivilized.
"I simply come with questions." He slid his hand into his breast pocket, revealing a white envelope and pushing it to her on the table. She glanced at the piece of paper, then to him in slight confusion. Taking it into her hands and opening it with caution, she spotted nothing but a square piece of paper and slid it out.
Upon first glance, both Biyu and Zihua's faces twisted into surprise. Maybe even a hint of fear on Biyu's end.
"Do you know that child?"
She paused. Her eyes darted at him, burning with anger; hands trembling.
AHHHH SO EXCITED TO BE STARTING THIS SERIES! If you enjoyed it, please leave a review and if you have any suggestions to improve my writing, don't feel shy to give critique as well! :)
Special thanks to catxnoir for being my beta reader!