Cara’s POV
Adonis and I paused, staring at their wide eyes-well, Luca’s. The atmosphere immediately switched into one of urgency.
“For heaven’s sake! Why did he choose to attack now?” I cried out.
“Because we’re occupied at the moment? What better time to strike the sheep than when the shepherd is away?”
“What did the men say?”
“He has over two hundred men with him, and they’re heavily armed. I believe it’s a takeover. About fifty were ours.”
“The takeover we’ve been expecting.” My father clarified and I gave him a pointed stare.
“But everything is set right?”
“Everything but Adrian’s sample.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem, I’ll find a way to get close to him and snip one.” Luca offered.
“That isn’t necessary. I already did.”
We all paused, staring at Adonis in surprise. “You… did? When?”
“Just before I collapsed, remember I fell on him?”
“Dude… you’re crazy,” His second-in-command commented.
“Hmm… you’re very competent.” My father supported. “That’s settled then. We should leave right away.”
“Hold up! I’ll need to change out of this first. Can you please get my clothes, Bel?”
He got our attention once again.
My hold around Adonis tightened, my face contorting into a frown. “I believe my father meant himself and Luca. Not you inclusive.
“I can’t leave my family to fight it out alone.”
“You have to. Remain here. We’ll take care of it.”
“Cara’s right.” Luca echoed. “We have everything we need. It shouldn’t be hard, but just to be safe, we’ll get backups, right?” This was directed at my father.
“My men are ready. Just say the word, and we’ll be there.” He added, throwing me a nod.
We all remained silent as Adonis thought about it. Not that we were giving him a choice, but it was better to let him think we were.
Finally, he sighed. “Fine. Carefully check the pants I had on. The sample is there.”
“You bet.”
“And you’ve got to keep me updated. Remember Luca. Avoid as much bloodshed as you can. We’ve got this!”
They shared a look, one I didn’t have to think too hard to understand.
This is it. What we have been working for… Let’s get him. For family…
In no time at all, my father and Luca left, leaving me with a fuzzy Adonis. I could tell that staying behind was killing him, but it was constraining and he knew it. He wasn’t in the right frame of mind to join the fight.
We didn’t know when next his memory would fluctuate, and his presence would only cause the men’s attention to be divided.
Acting like I wasn’t bothered was a bit hard for me also. My father and I had changed the entire plan. I wasn’t worried about losing… whatever happened, we’ll never be on the losing side.
I made sure of that.
But the actions that will lead up to that victorious moment wouldn’t be a simple one. Diavolo’s response to the issue… I could only pray that my father would play his role before it happened.
****
Flashback: Cara’s Conversation With Her Father Continued…
Miguel clasped his hand beneath his chin in focus.
Taking the Bernardi out? They made up the entire region. He didn’t know where Cara was going with this, but he liked it.
“Tell me more.”
“Transfer all the properties under my name.”
His eyebrow shot up. “I don’t believe that’s your aim, but you want to rid your husband of his wealth? I have enough you can inherit Corazon.”
Cara rolled her eyes at her father. “No, Dad. We’re doing this to give Adrian an empty throne.”
Miguel frowned.
What does she mean?
“We can use this opportunity to filter out the betrayers too. The plan is simple: every property, account, and things that are attached to the Bernardi name would be transferred to me.”
“That sounds easy, Camilla, but it isn’t. They’re worth billions. There would be a lot of protocol.”
“I’m also a signatory. Before my marriage, Nadia and Cecelia briefed me on the Bernardi rules. They’re big on tradition, so it still functions to date. Only I and Adonis have the final say. All other things must come through us.”
“But your husband would be alerted, no?”
“That I can work on. The lawyers would not doubt me…” she paused, “but the seal would be needed for that. It’s what the signet is for.”
“How do we get it?” He asked.
“Luca,” Cara smirked. “It should be in Adonis’s safe, but you told him to clear out the important documents before Tina and Sarah find them, so I’m sure he has moved them.”
“And it’s my job to find out?”
“Yes. That’ll be less suspicious. The only clue I know is it’ll be in the mansion somewhere.”
“After we do that, what next?”
“I’m sure Adrian is already trying to recruit our men. We’ll let it happen. Our home is in chaos already, so this is the best time to know those who’d stand by us. Tina seems too foolish to be in on their plan, but Sarah… there’s a reason she returned. Something tells me she’s not working on her own.”
“That can’t be possible. She doesn’t have the balls.”
“Literally and practically yet it shows the reason must be very tangible. Get your man on her. My guts are telling me.”
She’d spent days thinking about the stories she’d heard about Sarah. There were some loopholes only a woman like herself would see.
Why did she return for Adonis? Why did she try to drug the son she risked her life for to death? And she was also high at the moment.
It felt odd. Call it female intuition.
“And while you’re at it, we need a spy within the Bernardi mansion. Someone who can let us know the people we can trust. Because we’re going to take them all.”
“Now you’ve lost me.” Miguel stared blankly at his daughter.
Who was this woman, and where was his spoilt, attention-seeking child? Where was all this coming from?
“No matter what we do, bloodshed is inevitable. We’ve got to save the loyal ones. The snitches can be the sacrifice.”
“But where would we take them to? This isn’t my terrain.”
“You have to figure it out. I can’t do a lot, and neither can Adonis. He’s got too many eyes on him, so we can’t tell him. Not even Luca.”
“This is a secret then?”
“Yes. If you’re careful enough, Luca would be of great help.”
“We’ll let them continue their plan either way?”
“Yes. It’s very crucial. Well, he needs to prove his paternity either way. Call it his part in the plan, just like how I dished out yours and Luca’s.” She adjusted herself. “We’ll practically have no men left, and they’d ask for your support.”
“Let me guess,” he paused. “I won’t help?”
“Not really. I’ll tell them otherwise, though. Your men would only come in when Diavolo goes berserk.”
“When’s that?”
“After he has revealed the truth behind Adonis’s birth and taken the throne, it wouldn’t take him a long while to find out that it’s useless. Their work is to apprehend him.”
“But what if it proves difficult? This isn’t a walk in the park, Corazon.”
“We’ll bring in our men. I’d give Luca hints, should you be occupied.”
Miguel pondered over the words his daughter had said. It was doable but the plan would need some meticulous refining. They’d have to work extremely quietly and hard. She had carefully thought of a counter for each attack Diavolo might have.
If they were able to scale through, this might just be the end.
They’ll take down Diavolo and his men, reveal the truth, and restructure the Italian mafia.
“We can make it work.”
Cara let out a heavy breath she’d been holding. She had thought she’d have to do a lot of convincing, but it didn’t take as long as she expected.
If only her husband would see what her father saw in her…
“I have just one question now,” he pursed his lips. “At the end of it all, what do we do with all the wealth… where do we move the mafia to?”
Cara chuckled, rising to her feet as her work there was done. She trusted that her father would lead it well.
“Where else?” She smirked. “The original place it was meant for.”
Italy…
Miguel breathed. It made sense. What didn’t was that she didn’t state her part in all of this. While he was grateful for that, he knew his daughter well. Cara wouldn’t want to miss out on the fun.
“And what’s your part in all of this?”
“Me?” She flushed. “It’s nothing much.” She began heading towards the door, in a hurry to return to her room before Adonis woke up.
“And that is?”
Cara paused.
“Why to set off the time bomb, of course?”
****
The weight of her plan settled on her shoulders as she returned to the present, the image of Adonis’s concerned face replacing the memory of her father’s.
It was up to him now…