[GIOSEFFO]
I immediately thought about a plan. I attempted to remove Grandpa’s gear, but he stopped me. My eyes widened at what he did.
“Right. If you try to force it off, the bomb clock will be triggered, and it will speed up, boom!” She laughed loudly. “It will explode.”
I felt Grandpa Reuben release my hand. My heart was pounding, and I had a hunch about what he was planning, but I didn’t want to accept it.
“Gio, listen to me…” He turned to face me and smiled with restraint, as if accepting what was about to happen. “You are the future of our family. There is a great future waiting for you. Run, and don’t look back. Save yourself. I’ll take care of them. You will see the exit at the end of this tunnel. I know no one’s there. Escape.”
“But-”
“I’m already old, my grandson. There will come a time when I’ll be gone. Maybe now is that time. Death is something we cannot escape. I’ve already lived a long life. You have much left to do.” Grandpa paused briefly. My lips quivered, and my eyes welled up as I looked at him. “Go.”
He pushed me away. At first, I didn’t move, but when Grandpa turned and walked away, I had no choice but to follow his instructions.
“Your era is over, Reuben Locatelli! The Locatelli Empire will crumble at my feet!”
I closed my eyes and ran in the direction Grandpa had indicated. He was wrong about there being no one there. I saw a few guards, but due to what I felt and perhaps the rush of adrenaline, I managed to take them down. I got some cuts, but I didn’t feel anything.
I climbed a ladder and opened the cellar door. I ran away quickly, and not far from there, I heard a loud explosion. I almost stumbled as I ran, but I pressed on. My grandfather’s last words repeated in my mind, giving me strength.
“Gio!”
I stopped when I heard that voice. In the midst of the dark forest, I saw a light. A moment later, I spotted the figure of my father.
I had never shown any vulnerability to others, but when I saw Dad, I ran toward him and hugged him tightly.
~***~
Dad instructed me on where Mommy was. Some of our people were immediately sent to the location I indicated. However, I knew it was too late; they wouldn’t see Grandpa Reuben and even Grandma Nora anymore.
It was then that I fully grasped what had happened in just one day. Two of my beloved family members had lost their lives protecting me. Both of them had sacrificed their lives to ensure my survival.
“Oh my, Gio…” Mommy hugged me, but I remained silent. My dad’s gaze was fixed on me, and I could sense it with every fiber of my being.
Mommy separated from me, her eyes showing concern, but I seemed to be slowly going numb.
“Are you okay, Gio? Did they hurt you?”
“I killed them,” I interrupted Mommy’s words. She stared at me before glancing at Dad and then back at me.
“What do you mean, Gio?” she asked, her hand gently caressing my arm as if trying to comfort me.
I stared straight at Mommy with a blank expression, as if my heart had been frozen for a long time and I was now afraid to trust anyone, especially at this moment. It felt like I had locked away my emotions permanently so they could never escape and control me. The only emotions I intended to release were anger and hatred – revenge.
“I killed Grandma Nora and Grandpa Reuben. Grandma Nora was shot because she tried to protect me. Grandpa Reuben died because he sacrificed himself for my escape. In conclusion, their deaths are on me. I killed them.”
Her eyes widened, and she looked around. It was probably then that she realized Grandma was no longer there.
“Mama…” Mommy said. I could feel her hand trembling, but she didn’t say anything more. She just held me tightly.
Some of the Belleza’s men were captured, but not the woman. Even without my grandparents’ bodies, we still managed to give them a proper burial.
It seems that ever since that incident happened to me, I’ve been gradually growing numb. I should feel less, use my heart less. Emotion is a weakness, and I can’t afford that in my life. To be unbeatable, I must never reveal my vulnerabilities to my enemies. So, I made the decision to eliminate my emotions.
You can feel my distance from people more than ever. I’m increasingly unapproachable. One question, one answer. If I deem your question as meaningless, I won’t engage with you.
I trained intensely, doubling my efforts compared to the past, both physically and mentally. I honed my instincts and knowledge so that I would never be outwitted by anyone. I taught myself to anticipate my enemies’ next moves, so I’d know how to counter any plan that failed.
By the age of eleven, I was a different person. I would kill without hesitation if I saw someone as a threat to me or my family. I became ruthless and devoid of emotion as days passed. My hands were already stained with the blood of others at a young age. The only thing that could quench my thirst was the blood of my enemies.
But it wasn’t enough. I wouldn’t be satisfied until I found the woman who had killed my grandparents.
Apart from my cousins and immediate family, I trust only a few people outside the family circle, which includes Dario and Elliott. They are the children of two of Dad’s most trusted associates. We grew up together, and I know that we share a bond that can never be broken. I’m certain that they will never betray me. They’ve sworn their loyalty, especially their faithfulness to me and me alone.
I never disclosed to anyone, not even to my father, about the woman who killed my grandparents. I conducted my own investigation while Dad was busy searching for the Belleza family.
“Sir…” There was a knock on the door, and one of the agents I had assigned to investigate the woman entered. He handed me a set of documents containing various results of their investigation.
I took a seat and carefully examined the documents present.
“Her name is Astrid Pearce now, Sir. She has been using this name since she married a business tycoon, Enrique Pearce. She had long ceased her involvement with the Belleza organization to focus on raising her daughter. However, it appears that when they orchestrated your capture, Sir, the Belleza family brought her back to strategize the abduction and for her expertise in a bomb suit.”