The Cause of the Mafia World's Mayhem

Arvin’s eyes went to one guy who still hasn’t spoken. Aside from the kids, he’s the only elder who hasn’t spoken any word.

“Carl? Any comments?”

Cj looked at him. Their eyes met.

“Cj is one of the walls stopping our enemies to reach us,” he articulated. He gave his attention now to the master. “Removing him from that university is a very dumb thing to do. If you want a resolve, this is not the right nor the perfect one.”

“I support Cj’s removal from the university. My reason is somehow personal. He lied to us. According to him, it was for the organization’s best. But looking for his dead sister?” Victoria reasoned to which Xeira and Elle immediately nodded at.

“Why can’t you just trust him and let him do this?” Sean casually asked with his crossed arms. No one’s expecting him to butt in even his cousins. None of them is brave enough to do that. “He’s not even asking you to cooperate with him. He asked us and they agreed to it."

“Your accordance with his unpermitted plan isn’t the point here. The master already forbade him and yet he didn’t listen. And your agreement to his plan is also an act of defiance."

“He forbade Cj as a father and not as a master. The order was when he is not the master yet."

Carl sighed at his son's retort. He's adding fuel to the fire. "Sean...don't."

“Sean,” Victoria butted in with her threatening voice. Her eyes squinted to him. “you don’t understand anything so don’t interrupt—”

“I am part of this meeting, auntie. And I clearly understand the situation here,” he leaned closer to the table and rested both of his arms there. He gave a look to his master. “The situation here is you are scared that the cause of the Mafia World’s mayhem is still alive and kicking and everything that you did was for nothing.”

Cj's jaw clenched.

“Sean! Watch your words!” Xeira and Bryan roared.

“Don’t you think that Cheska coming back to life is the answer to our problems? The end to all of this?”

Rowena’s eyes blinked a couple of times. She suddenly remembered something.

Her eyes flicked up, looking at her husband but he’s too focused on dealing with the family's separate opinions.

“Cj,” Arvin called after his long silence. “do you accept your punishment?”

But he remained silent while looking at his father’s eyes impassively.

Why is he not even surprised by what he heard from his family? Why is he still calm until now?

The answer is simple, he knows this is going to happen. He already knows their resolve to his 'defiance'.

But his guts and instincts have nothing to do with it.

Three days ago, at the university, Cj was about to leave the office of the student council officers when someone knocked on his door. Believing it was a student, he let it in.

To his surprise, he saw a familiar face opening the modern aluminum door.

“Uncle Carl?”

“Cj, can I have a moment?"

Since he has nothing to do and he’s actually about to go home, he only nodded to it.

He offered him the couch not so far from where he is standing. When he went to him, he's already with a glass of juice—the drink that Carl wants to have.

“What’s with the sudden visit, uncle?” he watched him as he sips on his drink. “Is there any problem?”

“You can relax, nothing so far is happening. Yet.” he placed the glass at the top of the low table and looked into his eyes sternly. “I’m here to talk to you about a certain matter. I’m here to talk about your continuous search for your sister.”

His eyes fluttered. How did he know? Did his dad tell him? Or Sean did?

“Yes, it was because of my son. But don’t get him wrong. He told me nothing. I just figured it out by myself,” he assured. “I don’t know what has gotten into him but he used my laptop only to search for someone named Cheska Park. The name is familiar so I immediately assumed the possible situation.”

That left him speechless. Nothing is surprising about that but he can’t speak due to disappointment. Not because his uncle learned his plan but the fact of how he learned about it.

That was a reckless thing to do.

Again, it’s not surprising. Sean isn’t cautious of his actions as long as he doesn’t like what he’s doing.

In short, he shows no effort to something he doesn’t like.

“I’m sorry if I—”

“I understand. I’m not here to chastise you. Contrary to that, I’m here to help you.”

“To look for my sister?”

Carl chuckled and shook his head. “I’m leaving that matter at your hands and to your cousins’.”

“Then…what is that help?”

“Your father will call you in any day from now and will ask for your arrival in Amare. The news has reached not just me but also Bryan and your aunties. Just before I got here, we were discussing your punishment for your disobedience.”

His jaw dropped. He knows his father’s silence isn’t for nothing.

But what made him surprised is that he already called their entire family in a short period. He’s that serious to stop him from looking at his sister?

“Thank you for your notice—”

“That is not my help,” Carl cut his words short. “Your readiness won’t be enough to leave Amare unscathed. To be honest, your appearance will do nothing. During our discussion, we came up with the idea of removing you from this university and let Sebastian replace you.”

“What?!” he almost left his seat. “This is my university! They can’t take it away from me!”

“You are the son of the master, Cj. You know what he’s capable of doing now…” his voice is softer hoping it would make him calm. “Whatever your reasoning will be, they won’t listen. I know that since I’m an elder. That’s why I’m here to tell you something but first I have to ask you this one. Are you sure that girl is your sister?”

The last question was asked severely as if he’s not allowed to answer him wrongly.

The thing is, he doesn’t know which is right and which is wrong. He’s sure that’s his sister but what else does he have? Perfect accuracy of his instincts and gut feeling?

Just like what Carl said, whatever his reasoning will be, it won’t work.

“Yes…”

“How can you be sure?”

“...I felt it.”

“Cj, I need you to be a hundred thousand percent about this. I’m sacrificing this information so you have something on your sleeves before you enter the meeting room. This will help you to protect and save yourself not only from us but also from your dad.”

His forehead creased. There really is something that powerful that could make him win against the elders and not just that…but also against his father?

The master? Just what is that information?

“She is my sister,” he answered in conviction. He looked into his eyes to show how desperate he is to win. “Please. Tell me what I have to do.”

“You only need to say these words in front of us,”

The staring contest remained. Everyone is waiting patiently for his response.

He’s silent for how many seconds. No one knows if he’s going to stare at his father to death so he will miraculously change his mind or he’s simply…thinking.

“Red,” he said after his long silence. “Red eyes.”