5 years later...

Writer's point of view.

"Leonardo Micah, Kwabena Santiago. Son of Matéo Eduardo Santiago and Adeline Abena Santiago..." Alejandro starts, looking proudly at his grandson.

"Do you understand what it means to be a don? The responsibility that has been placed on your shoulders? And the turbulence that you will undoubtedly face?" He asks in a loud voice, so that the spectators can all hear.

Leonardo looks into his grandfather's eyes, which shine with endearment, eyes which have seen the best and the worst.

"I understand" Leonardo responds.

Leonardo now stands at least a head taller than his grandfather.

His taut muscles ripple through his body, the intense training that he had faced in the last year being so brutal, that his body changed for the better.

He has broader shoulders and a broader chest. His arms and legs have enlarged to match his stature and his jaw is shadowed by stubble.

His back stings with the pain of a fresh tattoo that he got the night before.

A tattoo of the Phoenix crescent, a permanent and undying show of his loyalty.

It has been three days since himself, Ruben and Dana have graduated from Stanford university with flying colours.

After much deliberation, their parents decided that it would be best to make sure that they were more emotionally ready to handle the life of a mafia which the help of further education.

Dana and Ruben sit beaming in the front row, dressed immaculately along with Dana's mother, Myah, 10 year old Casey, 18 year old Jayla, 19 year old Luis, Adeline, Matéo and the rest of the Carter and Santiago family.

On Dana's lap, sits their two month old little girl, Mila, the new heir to the mafia

Alliances from all over the country and all over the world have come to view the handover of the Golden Phoenix mafia title, to the next heir.

Alejandro continues to speak.

"And do you vow to protect the members of the organisation with every fighting breath you have?" Alejandro asks.

"I vow" Leonardo responds.

Alejandro smiles wider.

"And if you are ready to take on this new responsibility, repeat after me..."

Leonardo nods.

"I Leonardo Micah Kwabena Santiago promise, to take my father's place and depend not on my own strength, but on the people I have been given."

Leonardo repeats the promise and then Alejandro turns to the crowd.

"il nuovo don è stato intitolato!" (The new don has been titled!) he announces.

The crowd goes wild, yelling and cheering with excitement.

Alejandro leans towards his grandson to be heard more clearly.

"It is time for you to make your first order as the new don" he chuckles.

Leonardo turns to the crowd and holds up a hand, his father's ring glinting in the sunlight.

The crowd goes quiet almost immediately, hanging on to his every word.

"I have made a decision." He says, his dominance looming intimidatingly in the air.

His eyes scan the crowd.

"I have decided... That I will have a co-don. Somebody that I trust with my life. Somebody that will have my back no matter what." He says and a murmur ripples through the crowd.

Eyes immediately turn to Ruben, who stares straight ahead. He knows that he hasn't been picked by his beloved cousin and he is respectful of it.

"Who is it, sir?" Sebastian asks, from beside him, but he doesn't answer.

His eyes search the crowd and stop on one person.

The person's eyes lock with his and then widen and their lips part with surprise.

Leonardo holds out his hand.

"Jayla" He says simply.

Gasps of surprise ripple through the crowd and restlessness settles in.

The people become rowdy.

Jayla steps up shakily and takes her brother's hand.

"Do you vow to protect everything that we are with your life?" He asks her.

She nods.

"I-I vow" She says solemnly.

"Then it's settled." He says with a smile.

He slips off his ring and puts it on his sister's right index finger.

He turns to the crowd.

"il nuovo don è stato intitolato!" (A new don has been titled!) he yells and another cheer erupts from the crowd.

"But she's a woman!" Someone yells infuriated.

Leonardo's eyes snap to the person who spoke, his eyes narrowed and the person starts to shrink.

Leo steps forward, but his sister presses a hand into his shoulder.

Without taking his eyes off of the person, he points at his girlfriend and their baby.

"Your heir will be a woman. If you have a problem, you are free to leave with a bullet between your eyes." He says, angrily.

The person snaps his mouth closed, heat rising in their cheeks.

Leonardo looks at his parents and their faces glow with approval.

Leonardo takes his sister's hand and loops it through his arm.

He leads her down the steps and towards their parents.

Matéo holds his wife, looking at his children proudly.

"Congratulations kids" He says.

Adeline hands over the five year old twins to their father and wraps her eldest children in a bone crushing hug.

They exchange an amused glance and then they move in separate directions.

Jayla goes to see her boyfriend and Leonardo goes to his fiancée and kisses her lips, before picking their daughter from her arms and smiling fondly at her.

"Me do wo" (I love you) he whispers into his daughter's ear.

His daughter giggling, happily in his arms as if she understands and then reaches up to hold her father's cheeks.

He kisses all over her face and then kisses his fiancée again, before turning to his cousin, who hugs him gently, taking care not to crush his niece.

"This is it" Ruben tells his cousin and Leo nods in agreement.

"This it it" He says.

They hug again and then separate, parting ways.

Leonardo walks with Mila in his arms and walking outside to see the sun setting.

Mila yawns.

"Look, princess" He says, feeling the warmth on his face as he pressed his daughter to his chest.

"Not even the sunset is more beautiful than you" he mutters.

He looks down to see her fast asleep and then takes her back inside.

Jayla approaches him and stands next to him as the party activates into full swing.

"So this is the end of another era, huh?" He asks his sister, watching to see what she says.

"No..." She says.

"It's only the beginning"

He smiles and kisses her forehead.

"That's why we're both dons" He says with a big grin.

"Promise not to leave my side?" She asks holding up her pinky like they did as children.

"I promise" he responds, looping their pinkies together.

"I promise" he repeats.

The
End.
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