FRANZES

72 hours - pt 1

Stefano's POV- past

-Three days before Robert Reid's death-

I was walking down the stairs to grab some water until I heard yelling coming out from dad's study.

Curious, I stopped my tracks and stood in silence to hear the arguments clearly.

"I care about my children too! They are my children! It's not only about the money! Why are you doing this to me?"

Oh, I know this voice way too well.

Dearest mom that left me and my brother who were such in a young age.

With fury raging in my veins, I ran down the stairs, quickly headed to my dad's study. That gold digger should be cast out of here, and who the hell let her in? I'm sick of hearing these yelling again and again everytime she came.

I barged into the full-of-tension room. Their eyes snapped upon me and Madison, my gold digging mother ran into my direction and hugged me.

"Oh my boy, Stefano, your father won't allow me to see you.", she cries.

I pushed her hands aside, not wanting to be touched by her. After all these years, I just can't. Every single time I saw her here, is not because she genuinely wants to see her son. It is a hundred percent because she needs money and I'm tired from all the drama she has put me through.

"Don't touch me.", I ordered.

"Baby...", she whispered.

"That's enough, Madison!", Alessandro shouted.

Alessandro stepped up from his chair, walking towards us and gripped Madison's wrist, pulling her out from his study.

She was struggling through his hold, begging not to be thrown away.

There's a side inside me that doesn't want to see my mother being hurt by anybody, so I ran after them and just when I reached the front door, Alessandro was pushing my mom to the ground. Luckily, I'm quick enough to catch her so she doesn't fall to the ground.

"Dad! Stop!", I yelled.

Annoyed, Alessandro puts both of his hands inside his pocket, huffing.

"Thank you, honey.", Madison said.

"Why would you push her like that?", I asked.

"Really, Stefano? Are you really defending this worthless-bitch right now?", Alessandro asked.

"Don't call her that! She is your wife!", I argued.

"Was.", he cleared up.

"We are now officially divorced and I don't want to see you again anywhere near my estate!", Alessandro gritted his teeth at my mom, with his index finger pointing right on her face.

I know it's not my place to judge my dad for hating her so much but his actions are exaggeration.

Straightening the wrinkle on his shirt with his hands, Alessandro walked back inside the mansion, leaving me and my mom out here.

"My son...", she speaks up with her shaky voice.

Seeing her like this hurts me. I know we never really get along but there was moment where she genuinely cared about me. I pulled her into a hug and she cried in my arms.

"Tell me what do you need.", I offered her some help.

"I can't.", she sobbed.

"Mom...", I stated, not wanting to get into an argument again.

"I uh...", she stuttered and I nodded my head, telling her to go on.

"I... fine, I ran out of money for like one month ago. I tried to send some job applications to several places but no one would want to deal with me right now. Somehow, they knew about my divorce with your dad.", she said.

"But why? Why wouldn't they hire you?", I asked.

"Darling, your father is a very dangerous man. People used to welcome me everywhere because of his power. But now that I'm divorced, it doesn't work that way no more. I know I'm not smart and trained like most of the workers, I shouldn't have expected too high.", she tells.

I rubbed my two-days stubble, trying to solve this problem.

"I'll talk to dad, maybe he can get you a job somewhere.", I said.

"No, honey, please don't. He clearly doesn't want to.", she said, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"We don't have a choice. Please trust me. I'll see what I can do.", I said.

"Alright.", she nodded.

"For the mean time, I have some money in my account that I can give you. It should be enough.", I said, trying to assure her.

"Thank you so much, my boy, it really means a lot to me.", she said. She wiped her tears off using her sleeves, her chest is still heaving up and down but at least she had stop crying.

"Go home.", I tell her.

She opens her mouth to say something.

"It'll all be alright. I promise.", I said.

"I know. Thank you again.", she nodded.

I nodded back at her and walked back into the mansion. Slowly walking, I think about how to convince my dad to help my mom. Of course, it would be difficult since my dad doesn't trust her anymore, Neither do I.

Passed through the foyer, my foot are stepping on the marble tiles incredibly slowly it's barely audible for anyone to know that I'm there.

I entered the only designated way to my father's study. A corridor that has a few doors on it. One is a library. One is a music room. And the other one is the study.

I stood there, right in front of the door's side, facing it. The door was a little bit opened, I can see through the little gap.

I was about to open the door when I heard my dad said something interesting, something that I wasn't supposed to hear.

"You got 72 hours to kill him. I can help you do it but you got to promise me, his business will be mine or you can just go back to your little cage.", Alessandro said.

He paused for a moment. I think he is on the phone, waiting for his caller to speak.

"I'm in charge, now unless you wanna lie down six feet deep, you better do as I said.", Alessandro said, his voice is deep, calm and threatening.

There's another pause.

"You kill Robert Reid, I got the money, everyone's happy. Take it or leave it.", he said, slamming something on his desk.

Kill Robert Reid?

But I thought they were friends.

Oh sweet sweet father,

You aren't really friends with him, huh?

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To be continued....