"Ughhhhhh." Vincenzo sighed. "This room is so small." Vincenzo looked at Mr. Seo who was looking unsure of the girl.
"It's okay, she's raised as a princess. It will be hard for her to adjust." Vincenzo assured Mr. Seo.
"Mr. Cassano, there is an apartment not far from here. Shall I arrange a room for her there?" Mr. Seo asked worriedly.
"No need, she shall stay here with me. Her Korean is so fluent that Koreans themselves will forget how to speak their mother tongue." Vincenzo shook his head.
"If her relationship with you is exposed, Babel can make her their target just to destroy you." Mr. Seo reminded him.
"No one hurts my sister and lives." Vincenzo looked murderous.
"I know but prevention is better than cure." Mr. Seo reminded him.
"Princess," Vincenzo called out and the girl looked at him with her pouty lips "There is an apartment for you nearby, shall we go and take a look at it." The girl nodded excitedly.
"Ms. Cassano, if you like it, we will final it tonight itself. Tomorrow morning you can shift." Mr. Seo said.
"Thank you, Mr. Seo." Pamela Cassano replied.
Mr. Seo gave her a small smile.
As the Cassano Siblings sat in Mr. Seo's car. Vincenzo Cassano remembered how his life changed within 72 hours.
Flashback
"Daddy, see Paolo and Vincenzo are teasing me again." Pamela pouted.
"Lolo, Cenzo, why you both are teasing my princess?" Fabio Cassano playfully glared at his sons.
"Lolo, seriously?" Paolo looked disgusted.
"We're not kids, Papa." Vincenzo sniffed.
"But you both are behaving like kids only." Fabio smiled as his sons made faces.
"Daddy punish them." Pamela whined.
"Yes, of course Princess." Fabio nodded. There wasn't any doubt that Fabio loved his adoptive children more than his own son, especially Pamela. Pamela was the youngest child of his, seven years younger than his own son Paolo and five years younger than his adopted son, Vincenzo.
Remembering twenty years ago, a dishevelled 11 year old Joo-hyung ran to him accidentally along with his 6 year old sister Ji-hyung. Their adopted parents have been killed by a robber, one of the Mafia members had tried to kidnap his sister and to save her, Joo-hyung killed him. Fabio was impressed with the boy. He knew that the boy would be a good addition to the family. Hence, he gave him a home which belonged to a deceased member of the Cassano Family.
The boy worked hard, within a few years he rose and became a lieutenant, a fifteen year old boy becoming a lieutenant was not digested by many. He still remember the annual fight of the Cassano Family. Out of 200 members only Joo-hyung made it out, defeating people who were older than him in both age and experience. Joo-hyung earned the respect of his peers with his skills, intelligence and dedication towards his work, something Fabio always wanted from his own son.
When Joo-hyung turned seventeen, Fabio asked if he would officially be a part of the Cassano Family, initially hesitated Joo-hyung soon became Vincenzo Cassano and his sister Ji-hyung became Pamela Cassano. It was hard to accept that fate had been merciful on the two siblings. Paolo who was initially jealous of Vincenzo, accepted him when Vincenzo took the bullet meant for him thus saving his life. Pamela was a delightful addition to the family, both Fabio and Paolo had longed for a daughter and sister, respectively. Adopting her had made the once silent house to a house filled with joy and constant giggling.
"If I see you both again teasing her then I'll punish you. For now, I'm becoming lenient on you because I have a meeting." Fabio winked at his sons who stifled their laughter.
That night Fabio was dining with his children when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He was immediately taken to the hospital.
"Paolo, daddy will be alright won't he?" Pamela asked shaking in fear.
"Yes, little princess, he will be okay." Paolo hugged his sister inside he too was worried.
"We have a problem." Vincenzo announced. Paolo excused himself after telling Luca to take care of his sister. It didn't take much time for Vincenzo to find out that his father's sudden chest pain and his father's closest friend's death wasn't coincidence.
"Emilio, that traitor killed Carlo, the union leader, Papa considered him as his brother. Looks like Winter, one of our housemaids put this in father's meal." Vincenzo showed Paolo an empty bottle of poison.
"Who ordered it?" Paolo asked angrily.
"Our family friend, Luciano family." Vincenzo replied darkly. Cassano and Luciano family had always been enemies more than six decades. Cassano Family even being the Mafia family had a few rules, they never hurt Woman or children, no matter what they never hurt innocent and they absolutely abhorred drugs. None of the people who worked for the Cassano Family were allowed to dealt with narcotics. If anyone get caught doing anything regarding drugs, they were given a painful death.
Luciano family thought that just because they were a crime family, they were allowed to do anything, they killed people regardless they were innocent or not, woman and children weren't spared and they always dealt with drugs.
Paolo's phone rang. PAMELA
"I'm coming." Paolo disconnected the call as soon as he heard his sister saying their father was out of danger.
"Papa is out of danger." Paolo informed Vincenzo, who looked relieved.
"Luciano family is going to pay." Paolo grumbled. "I think we should wait." Vincenzo whispered. Paolo raised his brow but didn't say anything.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
"Papa," Vincenzo looked at his father's fragile state with tears in his eyes. His eyes were red. From the corner of his eyes he looked as Paolo too was looking upset, while his sister was sobbing quietly.
'I promise, Papa. I would spare none.' Vincenzo promised his father in his mind.
"Did the doctor said something? When will he wake up?" Paolo looked at Luca who lowered his eyes.
"Doctor stated if Boss doesn't wake-up within 48 hours, he might slip into coma." Luca's answer was a shock to both Paolo and Vincenzo.
"I will kill that filthy doctor." Paolo said seething angrily.
"We cannot do anything in this, Fratello." Everyone turned to Vincenzo who looked murderous too. "Theodore is one of the best doctor we have, if he says he can't do anything, then no one can."
"So, we sit quietly and watch father falling in coma." Paolo glared at Vincenzo.
"The culprit must be punished." Vincenzo replied.
"What do you mean?" Paolo asked
"Emilio and Winter both broke the trust, they have to pay for it. We may not kill woman but we can make sure, she's punished through law and Emilio, I have something in my mind for him." Vincenzo replied.
"I don't care what you do? Except killing them, do whatever you wanna do." Paolo replied. Vincenzo nodded.
"Luca find out where Emilio is hiding." Luca nodded and left the room.
"Stay with Paolo, till this mess doesn't end." Vincenzo caressed his sister's hair and left from there.
Next Day
Vincenzo was wearing his black suit to meet Emilio when his phone vibrated. Vincenzo checked the time 06:00 a.m.
He frowned and picked his phone.
Daddy's dead.
Theodore also betrayed us.
Paolo is arranging for the funeral.
Ji-hyung
Before Vincenzo could react his phone again vibrated
Fuck everything.
Don't come to Papa's funeral before destroying Emilio.
Winter has been taken care of.
Paolo
Vincenzo sighed. He was afraid of this only, their father was the sole person to keep Paolo in line. He wouldn't be surprised if Paolo himself killed the maid and maybe the doctor too, considering he didn't say anything to do with the doctor.
Getting ready, he left to meet Emilio. He was greeted with silence from his three trusted men, Dario, Sebastian and Luca. Dario opened the car door for him and he sat, Luca immediately went to the driver's seat.
"To Emilio's house."
"Si, Mr. Consigliere."
On the way, Vincenzo noticed an aircraft spraying something, Luca too did but feeling no hostility from his consigliere, he continued to drive.
The car stopped infront of a gate.
"Why did you come here?" One of Emilio's guards asked. Luca signalled towards the backseat and after watching Vincenzo, the guard nodded and opened the gate.
As Vincenzo came upstairs, Emilio scoffed.
"How can you do business even on the day of your boss' funeral?" Vincenzo just smiled.
"This is the last offer from my boss, Fabio." Vincenzo replied while showing him the tablet.
"An offer from his grave? Not interested. You can take it and leave." Emilio said.
"Killing Union President Carlo to take over the vineyard and union was a mistake on your part. He was like... a brother to Fabio." Vincenzo replied.
"Whatever the offer is, I won't be accepting it." Emilio denied.
"Does it sound like an offer to you?" Vincenzo asked him coldly. Emilio looked at him confusingly. "This is Fabio's last act of mercy to a man who killed his dear friend." Vincenzo looked at Emilio as the latter wiped his mouth.
"Ah! Are you here to make a deal or to threaten me?" It took Vincenzo a lot of effort to keep his anger inside him. Paolo specifically instructed not to kill him.
Inhaling his breath deeply to keep calm, Vincenzo bend forward and said, "If you sign this now... there won't be any problems."
"Get lost." Emilio shouted angrily. "Go back to your country, you arrogant yellow. I fought back and square to take over. The Cassano Family has no shares in this place. Get out of here." Emilio pointed his finger towards the gate.
"You sure you won't regret it?" Vincenzo smirked while Emilio chuckled.
"Regret? The Luciano family is backing me up. I'm not scared to go to war."
"Regret is the most painful thing you can experience in life."
"Hmmm."
"Emilio. I'm here to give you a chance to redeem yourself, not to start a war." Vincenzo said calmly.
"Sure. Whatever. Arigatou. You uncivilized yellow." Emilio insulted him and focus on his noodles.
As Vincenzo stood up, Emilio's guards cocked their guns. Vincenzo ignored it and looked at Emilio with a winning face.
"Uh! Emilio." Emilio looked up at him, "You disrespected my people. You will pay for it. You piece of shit." Vincenzo switched to English, knowing Emilio's lack of foreign knowledge.
"Vincenzo, did you curse at me?" Emilio stood up and turned towards Vincenzo.
It was that time Emilio noticed something getting sprayed in his vineyard.
Otherside
"Fratello" Pamela looked at her step-brother with teary eyes.
"Hey, my precious princess. You need to calm down okay." Paolo gently caressed her hair.
"Next week Daddy was taking us to a vacation, he even said that he was thinking to retire and handover all his business to you and Vincenzo. I was so excited to give this handmade painting to Daddy for father's day." Pamela burst out crying loudly.
Paolo was at a loss of words. He remembered day after tomorrow was the father's day. Paolo and Vincenzo were also very excited because it was a rule in their family that on father's day, their father would spent all the time with them. This time father's day also fell on their father's birthday. Both the brothers had decided to make all their father's favourite dishes themselves to surprise their father.
"I promise you one thing Sorella, that no matter what happens, I will protect you and Vincenzo. I am not losing you both to the Luciano family. Hey, little sister from now on, the only person with whom you step out will be either me or Vincenzo, okay." Pamela nodded. "One more thing, stay alert. I want you to stay alert every single second no matter what you are doing, even if you are sleeping."
"I understand, Fratello." Pamela nodded.
"Where is Vincenzo?" Paolo asked to Andrew.
"Emilio's." Came the robotic answer.
"Get ready, sister. Father's funeral will start in a few minutes." Paolo kissed his sister's forehead and left from there.
Precap : Punishing Emilio and fleeing to Korea.