•{The Devil's Smile}•

• O N E •

Chapter 1 - The Offer

The sky was dark and ominous, casting a shadow over the empty and eerily quiet streets. The air was thick with an inexplicable tension that seemed to linger like a warning to those who dared roam the city at night. For Vincente, however, this was just another typical day in the life of a mafia boss.

As he walked down the dimly lit alleyway, he caught a glimpse of a figure hiding in the shadows. Vincente recognized him as one of his men, but his name eluded him. The man emerged from the shadows and handed Vincente a small envelope.

"What's this?" Vincente asked, suspiciously.

"It's an offer," replied the man with a low voice, "from Marco."

Vincente knew what that meant. Marco was the big boss of a not-so-known mafia family, and he only made offers to those he trusted. Vincente opened the envelope and read its contents. It was an offer he couldn't refuse - a proposition that would change everything.

An alliance was to be made between Russia and Italy, something that had not happened in two centuries. But it was a strong and needed alliance if they were to even win the war against Spain. He looked up at the man and gave a nod of acceptance. "Tell Marco I accept."

The man nodded back and vanished into the darkness. Vincente knew that this offer would bring him more power, more money, and more respect. But it would also mean more enemies, more danger, and more bloodshed - a risk he was willing to take.

It wasn't like he was a small Mafia boss; he was the most powerful of them all. He sat on that throne, but someone was coming up with a plan to dethrone him. If they succeeded, the underground network of crime would crumble, and the economies of several countries would be ruined.

The only way for that to happen was over his dead body, and he didn't have plans on dying anytime soon.

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He entered his mansion, greeted by his guards. He nodded and he walked over to where the dining room was. He heard loud chatter and laughter, so he opened the doors. In an instant, everyone was silent. Everyone had noticed his presence and he made sure that the people who didn't know, they would be made known. He walked up to his mother, with a kind smile on his face. He looked at her, slightly bending his down as his mother was slightly shorter than him.

"Mother, may I ask what's the occasion?" He asked lowly, so as to be only heard by his mother.

"It's a meeting. Before you came, I didn't wish to begin it. It's been a matter of discussion of what has been decided in light of the present matters."

His mother, Alora Alfonsi, was an affectionate yet strict woman. She looked terrifying, but was the sweetest person to those who she welcomed, which wasn't everyone.

He nodded and went over to his sister, Veronica, who was having a conversation with her boyfriend that Vincente absolutely hated.
He was a bad influence on Veronica and she knew it, but as they say, love is sometimes a drug or a cure. Definitely drug in her case.

"I see you've gotten yourself comfortable." He entered the conversation, causing Veronica and her boyfriend to look at him, with subtle smiles.

"Hello sorella..." He hugged her and kissed her forehead. She smiled and hugged back. (Sister).

Hello, where were you? We've been waiting for so l-o-n-g." She dragged. He just chuckled, when Brad, Veronica's boyfriend, cleared his throat signalling he wanted in on the conversation.

"Oh hello Brad, I didn't see you there." He spoke, knowing it would make Brad's blood boil at the slightest insult. Brad's face turned purple and he looked dumbfounded and offended as no one probably talked to him like this.

"It was good to see you too. I would have expected you to be here on time, but I suppose you have better things than family matters, to take care of. "

Vincente's eyes glowed with rage and fury, talk shit about him, he doesn't care. Talk shit about his family, you're a goner. But before he could do anything, Veronica had punched his face, smack-damn at his nose, causing it to bleed. She punched again and this time a loud crack was heard, she had broken his nose.

Veronica didn't stop there, she literally took his ear and pulled his crying-whining ass and pushed him to the railing.

"Sorry, but no motherfucker talks about my brother like that." With that she kneed his balls, probably making him lose all of his parentage rights.

Vincente just stood there cackling with laughter and could barely stand straight. He knew his sister was a bitch, but not to this extremity of bad bitch-ness.

Veronica then smacked him hard across his face and left his unconscious body there to rot.

"Andiamo ragazzo, festeggiamo, cazzo." (come on boy, let's fucking celebrate.) She called after Vincente, who immediately followed.

She walked down to where the drinks were and took a Martini and started drinking it. Vincente got the same and led her to the farthest table, so as to prevent people interfering with their conversation.

It was not soon before, the meeting was called upon. Veronica was one her fifth Martini and was starting to get a little drunk.

"Non svuotiamo tutti i Martini in una volta, va bene?"(Let's not empty all the Martini's at once, shall we?). Saying this, Vincente yanked the half empty glass from Veronica and made her stand up. She looked offended, but soon got over it.

They made their way to the table that had been arranged in the meantime. Vincente sat at the head of the table, where at his left his mother and sister sat and at his right, his brother. Alesso had been missing for most of the function, but that wasn't something unusual. Near the end, Brad sat, with a visible bruise or should he say bruises on his face. He was visibly in agony but for the first time in his life, it wasn't because of Vincente. And he wasn't complaining.

His mother stood up and began the meeting.

"In light of the certain mafia groups, even though they do not deserve to be called so, being a threat to our power in the underground mafia, we have called all of you here." She took her glass and lifted it. "But before that, let's dig into this fantastic Italian dinner." She gave a toast and everyone followed. She sat down and everyone started to eat and whisper and gossip

After some time, a child, probably seven, came up to him, with a piece of parchment in his hand.

"What is this?" He asked softly, not meaning to scare the poor kid.

"It's from Isabelle Lockhart." He raised one eyebrow, signalling he didn't know who that was. "You know, the obnoxious one." Ahh of course, that bitch.

"Well, tell her no."

"But you haven't even read it, how do you know what she's said?" The kid was confused, but Vincente was in no mood to read her letter.

"Well, tell her that I am in absolutely no mood to read her letter, seeing the past ones were very petty and embarrassing for her." Vincente smiled. "You got that?"

"I may just have to hug you. She's going to have a fit at home. Alas, I have to deal with it." The kid fawned. Vincente chuckled and sent the kid off.

His mother, without him knowing, was observing what had happened. She may just have to accept the offer.

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Hey lovelies, how y'all been?

What do y'all think is going to happen??

Well, hint, it's fucked up.
Pls comment and vote for me! All comments are welcome.

Anyways,
Vi amo, carissimi!