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     I quickly changed my clothes and wore a formal suit. Then, I opened my drawers and took out a small box. Inside the box was a gold letter V pin. I took it out and pinned it on my collar.

    After fixing myself up, I took my phone on the side table and saw the pen placed beside it. I was telling myself that I should just leave that disgusting item there, but of course; I didn't listen to myself and just took the goddamn pen and hanged it on the back of my necktie.

     "I cleaned it with alcohol anyways", I thought, trying to convince myself that it was okay for me to carry around a pen that Julien used to masturbate earlier.

     I went out of my room and saw Julien leaning on the wall just right in front of my door.

     "You look tensed", he says as he walks towards me. I ignored him and went downstairs. Julien doesn't say anything and just follows behind me.

     I went out of the house and saw Johnson inside the car that's parked at the front.

     I turned around and looked at Julien, "There will be another car that will arrive shortly. The driver will bring you to wherever you ask him to go."

     Julien doesn't say anything and just stares at me.

     I sighed and said, "Look, what happened tonight-"

     Julien quickly cuts me off and says, "Thank you for tonight. I'll be here at exactly 7 in the morning, right?"

     I nodded my head and said, "Right."

     Another car arrives. I looked back at Julien and said, "That's your ride."

     Julien nods his head. He was about to go to the car but quickly stops and looks at my necktie. He looks back at me and chuckles, "Looks like you're bringing a piece of me with you."

     I quickly looked at my necktie and saw the pen.

     I pretended that it was a different pen and ignored his statement.

     "I'll see you tomorrow", I say instead.

     Julien bows in front of me before I walk towards the car. Johnson quickly goes out to open the door for me.

     "They're already waiting", Johnson says as I quickly went inside the car. Johnson goes back inside as well, and then I looked at the side-mirror and saw Julien go inside the other car.

     As we drove off, I looked down and stared at my thumb.

     It felt like my thumb was still being pressed by something. The feeling, and the memory of Julien biting it made my whole body feel hot again.

     "What if I can help you?" I remembered him say.

     I chuckled by just the thought of it.

     "Let me see you try", I whispered, quickly making Johnson look at me through the rearview mirror, "Did you say something?" he asked me.

     I shake my head and answered, "No, I just remembered something."

     "Hopefully you remembered something good. I don't want you to be in a bad mood again like the last emergency meeting", Johnson tells me; making me remember the last time I met my so-called family.

     I don't want to be part of them anymore. If I could be given a chance I'd even change my last name just to finally remove my connections with them. But sadly, the Valentino blood is running inside my veins. I have to die in order for me to finally end my connections with the family.

     I don't even attend family meetings anymore, or any family related affairs in general, which is why every one of them doesn't like me, or rather, they're pissed off that I'm not acting like I'm one of them. They say I bring dishonor to the family name since I didn't even follow on with my father's footsteps.

     In case you're wondering, Valentino is from my father's side while Roselli is from that woman's side (AKA the mother). Those two families go way back, and they also have a lot of history together, which I obviously don't have the time to explain one by one.

     But like what I said, I try my best to pretend like I'm not a part of them anymore, like how I don't go to their regular meetings. But since today is an emergency meeting, I am obliged to attend even if I didn't want to.

     They can brush off the fact that I'm not attending the regular meetings, but not attending the emergency meetings is practically suicide. It has been made clear to me that even if you like it or not, you HAVE to attend those meetings, because if you don't...well...bad things will definitely happen.

     "Who called anyways?" I asked.

     "You're uncle, Antonio Valentino", Johnson answered, making me change my expression into a serious one.

     Antonio Valentino. Now that's a name people are definitely afraid of.

     "Then it looks like something serious is really happening", I say as I look out the window.

     "Or...they just desperately want to see to you again", Johnson adds.

     I chuckled and answered back, "I highly doubt that."

*****

     "Let's go", Johnson says as he went out to open the car door for me.

     I went out of the car and stared at the café in front of me.

     It looked like a normal café, but in reality, only a Valentino can step foot inside. There were two guards in full suit outside the door. The windows were even covered with thick red curtains so no one can see what's happening inside.

     "Is everyone already there?" I asked as Johnson gave the car keys to a valet.

     "They are", he says as he opens the door for me.

     I went inside and everyone automatically greeted me, "Welcome back sir Romeo", they say in unison.

     I simply nodded my head to greet them back. Then I looked at my right and saw 10 other men sitting down on a long table, and my very own 50-year-old uncle, Antonio Valentino, was sitting in the middle.

     They quickly see me, but not like the others, no one stood up to greet me except for my uncle.

     "Romeo", he calls out.

     "I'll be waiting here", Johnson says as he went to sit on a different table.

     I took a deep breath and walked towards him. He was going to shake my hand but stops when he sees my gloves.

     "Oh yes, of course. I haven't seen you in a long time that I even forgot about your...condition", uncle Antonio stated.

     "Condition? More like an excuse he uses so he wouldn't have to admit that he's a weakling", one of the men stated, quickly making uncle Antonio glare at him.

     "Is this how you show respect to our-"

     Someone suddenly cuts my uncle off and bravely said, "Respect? You ask us to respect a man who abandoned the family? Who decided to go on his own and pretend like we don't even exist? Is that the kind of man you want us to respect?"

     Uncle Antonio quickly slams his fist on the table and angrily stated, "That is enough. We haven't even talked about anything and you're already acting like this. Now Romeo, do sit down."

     I sighed and nodded my head before sitting down on the other end of the table, just parallel to uncle Antonio's seat.

     Everyone glares at me, but I ignored them and just silently sat down.

     This is one of the main reasons why I don't go to meetings anymore. I haven't even said a single word and everyone's blood is already boiling.

     And Johnson fucking expects me to keep my cool.

     "Alright, now that we're all here, we should begin with the meeting", Uncle Antonio stated as he sat back down, making everyone shift their attention back to him.

     Uncle directly stares at me and continues, "This meeting is actually about Elizabeth Roselli."

     I quickly flinched the moment he mentioned that woman's name.

     Everyone started whispering at each other as they heard the name too. But in my case, I quickly clenched my fist under the table so no one would notice it.

     "Ms. Diana Rose Roselli contacted me and told me about Elizabeth's condition. She might be a head of a different family, but she is still the legal wife of our deceased boss. And we all know that she will be under our protection until her last breath", uncle explained.

     "Diana Roselli has already told me about this matter, and like what I told her, I am not interested in helping her in any way. And why are you even concerned about her when the fact that she remarried a different man will weaken the Valentino's connection with her", I explained, surprising others about the fact that I still know some rules about this matter.

     "How can a sane man say those cruel words to the woman who gave birth to him?" another man tells me, making uncle glare at him too.

     I haven't been attending meetings that I don't even recognize these men anymore.

     "Yes Romeo, that may be true", my uncle says, ignoring the other man's comment about me. He then seriously looks at me and continues, "But the fact that you are still alive, still makes her an important person we must protect"

     "Then protect her all you want. I thought this emergency meeting was important, I didn't know it would be filled with bullshit", I coldly say, making the men look at me angrily again.

     Uncle was loosing his patience too, but he was good at not showing it, "Romeo, whether you like it or not, she is still your mother. She is a Roselli, and she is from a family that the Valentino's swore to protect."

     I stared at my uncle, then I looked at everyone one by one and answered, "Trying to protect her...won't change the fact that you couldn't even protect my father."

     "How dare you!" the man on my right suddenly shouted. And to my surprise, he suddenly stood up and grabbed me by the collar.

     Everyone who was sitting on the table gasped from surprise. Johnson and my uncle were also shocked on the man's sudden action.

     He gripped on my collar and dragged me upward so he could forcefully make me stand. But before he could do anything damaging, all the employees who greeted me earlier quickly stood up as well. Seconds later, they brought out their guns and pointed it at the man who was holding onto my collar.

     The whole café was silent.

     "You have no idea...how many brothers have died...just to protect your father", the man says, anger and pain visible in his eyes.

     "Mathias, let go of him", uncle says as he slowly stood up, trying to calm everyone down.

     But the man – who was apparently named Mathias – didn't bother to let go of me.

     I couldn't even push him away. Well, I didn't even want to touch him. So I just stood there, staring back at him as well.

     Uncle Antonio looked at the employees who were pointing their guns at Mathias. He was moving so cautiously like making a wrong move would make everyone shoot Mathias at the same time.

     "We do not want a brother's blood to stain these floors, so let Romeo go", uncle tried to calmly say again. But when it was obvious that Mathias wasn't listening, he finally shouted, "Mathias! Fucking let go of him...now!"

     Mathias was gripping on my collar even tighter, but seconds later, he let's go of me, automatically making everyone hide their guns away.

     Johnson sighs and slowly sat back down.

     Uncle on the other hand, looked at Mathias angrily and said, "You clearly know that you cannot harm, nor touch that man. Not because of his sickness, but because he is a goddamn Valentino, and not just a Valentino, but the last original blood of this family. Do you fucking want me to cut your hands off?!"

     The man's hands were trembling, but he puts his head down and says, "If I am to face a man who does not even give honor to the sacrifices my brothers have done for this family, then I'd rather you cut my head off."

     Everyone didn't say anything.

     Uncle was clenching his fist, obviously trying to calm himself down as well.

     "I understand your pain brother...so I will give you your last chance. Do this stunt again and I will do the honors of cutting your head off like you wished", my uncle says.

     "Thank you Antonio", the man says as he sits back down.

      Uncle Antonio takes a deep breath and sits down, quickly making me sit back down as well.

     "Is this what you want Romeo? To see your own family like this?" Uncle asked, but he looked like he was begging me rather than asking.

     "You do not have to see that woman, but...as a Valentino, you are under the same oath. You will give respect to that oath, and give a hand to Elizabeth Roselli, and that is final. Do not make me argue with you again", my uncle stated, and I knew that nothing could change that anymore.

     I took a deep breath.

     I closed my eyes and massaged my temple. When I opened my eyes back, I quickly looked at Johnson.

     Johnson nods his head and walks towards me with my bag.

     I took my checkbook out, and then I took the pen that was hanging on my necktie.

     I was going to write down a few thousands since my blood was practically boiling because of this fucking emergency meeting. But the moment my eyes locked with the pen, I automatically calmed down.

     I closed my eyes and sighed again.

     "50 million", I say as I wrote the numbers down.

     I took the check and slammed it on the table.

     "That would be enough to cure whatever her fucking sickness is. Secretly taking her from her household will be in your hands. Whatever happens...I will not be involved with it", I say as I put the pen back on my necktie.

     I stood up, making everyone stand up as well.

     "It's funny how they'll automatically show a little respect whenever money is involved", I tell myself as I looked back at everyone.

     "Thank you Romeo. I will personally give that to Diana", Uncle Antonio says as he gestured at the check on the table.

     Johnson took my checkbook and puts it back inside my bag. I looked at him and nodded my head; he nods his head back and leaves the café to get the car.

     "I am not helping because she is my mother. I am helping...because I give my respect to the oath the Valentino's made with the Roselli family", I reminded them, and uncle nodded his head as an understanding.

     "And next time, if the emergency meeting is about this again...don't even bother calling me", I say as I finally turned around and walked away.

     The employees inside the café quickly bowed and thanked me for visiting. 

     A guard opens the door for me. 

     I quickly went outside and pretended like I never walked inside that café in the first place.

     "Family affairs...why are they always this complicated?" 

- END -