Edit (01/08/23): If you are re reading this then a little information that I have changed Orla's younger brother's name from Emile to Arnaud.

ORLA

"She is turning eighteen in a month and she isn't even engaged yet, Jackson." Mom's complaint to Dad made me halt right outside the dining room.

"We have more important matters to look into currently. Someone is messing with us and you are concerned about her marriage? She is turning eighteen not eighty."

Knowing that Dad was on my side surprisingly, I breathed out a sigh of relief. Clearing my throat to announce my presence, I entered the dining room where dinner was already served and I took my seat beside my mother and my fifteen-year-old brother, Arnaud sitting opposite me, beside dad.

I quietly served myself dinner and ate it slowly, the tension in the room made my skin prickle.

"These people are getting out of hand. We don't even know who they are or what exactly they want.'' Dad spoke out of nowhere and Arnaud and I paused eating at the same time and our blue eyes met, his were a little blanker than mine. When you are supposed to take over a mafia you are trained to control your emotions even though he still has at least five more years before he will take over from dad.

My brother and I don't share a close relationship, we hardly share things, just a passing 'hello' or things like that, in fact, my relationship with either of my parents is not close either. Having emotionally unavailable parents is one of the downfalls of being born a mafia princess amongst other things.

"Maybe you pissed off someone and that someone is now taking their revenge." I let out my thoughts, thankfully, being a girl didn't mean I couldn't know anything about the business.

"Wow, so clever." Arnaud spoke sarcastically and I shot him a glare.

Dad removed his glasses and rubbed his temples. "No, they are not a personal enemy but a common one."

I raised my brow in confusion so did Arnaud and mom and dad explained further, "Whoever it is, they are just not attacking our territory or threatening our people, they are doing the same with the Ludovicas. Last Sunday they attacked one of their territories and held some children hostage."

I held in a gasp. "Were they saved?"

Dad let out a sigh of disappointment that I was concerned about those children. Being born in a mafia meant not caring about other people, especially strangers but that was not the case with me. I cared. Not too much but still enough to make my parents remind me to harden my heart.

"Yes." Dad answered and I sighed softly.

My curiosity wasn't curbed yet so I asked, "Did they take any hostages when they attacked our territory?"

"Yes."

"Did you save them?" It was a simple question but the way dad stared at me blankly made me realise that he didn't.

"They...were innocent people, dad," I said in disbelief. "You let them die?"

"Orla, that's enough." Mom cut in sternly. "You know what we do for a living, no need to be surprised."

"But hurting innocent people? That's not fair, mom. Why drag people into our mess when they didn't even do anything? In this case, the Ludovicas are better than us."

Though Arnaud seemed to be agreeing with me, he remained silent.

"Enough." Dad stated. "Finish your food and go back to your room, Orla."

Well, guess what, I didn't bother to finish my food and left the room and ran upstairs.

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The next morning there was some chaos going on downstairs, I peeked my head out of my room and found Arnaud rushing past me.

"Hey!" I called out making him pause. "What's going on?"

"Another attack", was all he said and rushed downstairs.

I followed him down and found mom standing in the middle of the living room looking worried. Before leaving, dad kissed mom on her cheek and patted my head in assurance and left with Arnaud.

Hours later, when they returned, dad was cursing under his breath while another of his men brought in Arnaud whose white t-shirt was soaked with his blood making both mom and I gasp.

We both rushed to him as he was laid down on the couch, he was in extreme pain though he tried to hide it.

"Got shot, nowhere serious, fortunately," Dad told us.

Mom kneeled down next to him and ran her fingers through his hair trying to comfort him.

Dad sat down at the edge of the couch, holding his head in his palm. "Whenever we catch any of those men alive, they just kill themselves. What is making them so loyal to whoever they are working for?"

"We have no other option but to work with the Ludovicas now, offer them our allyship." Dad continued.

"But it won't be easy to earn their trust", mom spoke.

"There is a way...or was."

"It's okay, I can still do this." Arnaud tried getting up but dad fixed him with a stern look.

"No, you won't. I'll think of some other way."

"Do what?" I questioned feeling left out of the conversation.

"My initial plan was to have Arnaud stay with them for as long as it takes to figure out who is behind this to show that we are offering our allyship, to show them that we are serious about this." Dad explained. "But Arnaud is injured and I am not going to send him there in this condition."

I slowly processed all the information and pondered on it for a long moment before saying, "I'll do it."

Everyone's eyes snapped to me and I continued, "It's no big deal, I can do this. I am the eldest child so what if I am a girl."

"No."

"You don't even know how to shoot."

"We are not going to risk your life."

They all spoke simultaneously.

"I am a fast learner."

"We don't have the time to train you, Orla", dad said in a surprisingly soft tone.

"We are offering to be their ally, it's not like they are going to kill me. I will be fine."

Dad and mom exchanged a long look and dad shook his head slightly, ending the conversation.

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After a long discussion, they all agreed anyway. I was happy and somewhat nervous at the same time but it was the least I could do besides at least it is better than getting married to some stranger.

Mom sat beside Arnaud on his bed, tending to his wounds while I leaned against his desk and asked Mom, "Have you ever seen him? Marcelo Ludovica?"

She wrapped new bandages around Arnaud's wound. "Yes."

Not able to stop myself, I blurted, "Is he hot?"

Mom stopped whatever she was doing and narrowed her eyes at me and scolded me. "Orla!"

"What? I was just wondering. I might have to live with him in a few days, I should at least know if he is sight for sore eyes."

"Girls," Arnaud mumbled with a roll of his eyes.

Mom quickly finished bandaging him up and glared at me. "I swear, Orla, no funny business while you are there."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "I won't be fucking him, don't worry. I have had my fair share of men."

Mom's mouth fell open on my use of crude language and I had to stifle a laugh.

"You are not a virgin?" She whispered yelled.

Oops.

Okay, I didn't sleep with a lot of men only two of them and I enjoyed it to be honest. I shrugged nonchalantly. "Not a big deal."

She looked moments away from having a heart attack and Arnaud stared at me with wide eyes and coughed.

As if Mom realised his presence suddenly, she looked even more horrified trying to cover his ears and whatnot.

"Come on." I chuckled. "I am sure he has heard more things than just this plus, shouldn't you be concerned if your son is a virgin or not too?"

Both of them's cheeks flushed and mom got up, I was grinning internally, it was fun riling her up.

Glaring at me, she left the room and she shouted to Dad, "Jackson! Your daughter is getting out of hand!"

"She is just not my daughter, do you keep forgetting that?" Dad retorted from down the hall as mom slammed the door.

I chuckled loudly and blew a kiss to Arnaud as I walked to the door.

"For your information," he spoke, his cheeks red, "I am a virgin and I plan on remaining so till marriage." He averted his eyes as his blush deepened.

"Cute," I muttered and left the room.

We still aren't sure whether Marcelo Ludovica will agree to be our ally let alone even take me in. We are just hoping that he will.

If not then we are screwed.

Chapter completion on: 8/2/23
Published on: 10/3/23