Reminisce

Samuel was impressed by the Council's work and at the same time he let out a sigh of relief too. His one mission was completed, finally to bring back the Francisco family together. Now the next target was none other than Lorenzo Armani. Lorenzo acted to be a poised man but in actuality was nothing but a vile beast, showing his power to the inferior.

"Sir, I'm sorry." Luca pleaded helplessly for his life.

"You're sorry? Huh." Leonardo said he turned back took out his gun and shot Luca in the forehead. Without even thinking once that how many years Luca and his ancestors served the Armanis.

Other guards and Edmondson were okay with it, Samuel was shocked but grievance overshadowed it as this scene flashed before his eyes. While they all were sitting in Lorenzo's office and Lorenzo was drinking tea as if nothing happened. Leonardo went to a meeting with some officials and continued his routine without hesitation.

It was quite normal, for a person who killed people was a part of his daily routine since his teenage.

"So now what will you do Mr Lorenzo?" Samuel said while sitting with an attitude on the long brown leather sofa,

"The search has been started, not a single house will be left unchecked," Lorenzo said in his gruff voice and sipped the tea,

"Mine too?" Samuel asked in a serious tone.

"No, as you are my consigliere. I trust you." Lorenzo replied in a rather polite tone,

"Hmm, hope this was not overwhelming for you Mr Romeo," Edmondson said sarcastically.

"People should pay for their acts," Samuel said while looking straight into Lorenzo's eye. Lorenzo's eyes widened by thinking about his crimes and for a moment he thought Samuel is talking in front of him instead of Romeo.

"They should," Edmondson said while sipping his tea casually,

"Mr Armani, you called me here for this?" Samuel said annoyingly.

"No..No I called you to give you a responsibility." Lorenzo drove back to reality and answered,

"What is that?" Samuel asked in a serious, deep, husky tone.

"Every kingdom has treasure so does this one have, The key to the treasure is given to my most trusted man. Which is my consigliere. " Lorenzo said in a serious tone, he stood up and went towards his window facing the Mediterranean sea. He tied his hands back and raised his chin like a King.

"What is that treasure?" Samuel asked abruptly.

"Gold, the gold worth billions and trillions. So much gold that you would have seen in your entire life, the room has a hazard to get you blind with its shine and attraction of gold. It is easy to tempt anyone, even the one who lives on his principles. The amount is enough to feed the entire Sicily every Sicilian could own a mansion and abundant property for their generations to feast on." Lorenzo said in a clear, distinctive and arrogant tone.

"If that's the case, then that should be given to the most trusted person. A person who is capable to hold that immense burden on his shoulders, while not assuming it to be their own. I am honoured you trusted me, I hope I meet your expectations." Romeo replied in a strong-willed voice.

"I am glad you understand the job, hand him the Key." Lorenzo smiled and ordered Edmondson.

"What?" Edmondson was about to Spit his tea, his eyes widened by seeing that the only authority from him is being given to Romeo too.

"The Key," Lorenzo said while his voice, expression and tone told how annoyed and angered he was.

"I-" Edmondson hesitated.

"Where it is?" Lorenzo asked while his anger was raising to the par.

"It's been kept safely at a place which I know only," Edmondson said in a lowered voice.

"A consigliere should know his responsibility and be wise enough to carry the burden efficiently," Lorenzo grunted.

"If I would be at your place, I would never keep that Key away from me," Samuel said while putting his aesthetically veiny and elongated hands in his pockets.

"Get that Key here by tomorrow, Mr Romeo I expect you tomorrow." Lorenzo rolled his eyes annoyingly but told Samuel politely.

"I will be here," Samuel replied while his eyebrow frowning.

"You will get the Key tomorrow." Edmondson stood up and excused himself.

"Mistakes happen, don't worry."

Samuel said while patting Edmondson's shoulder, saying in a sympathetic manner and expression. Edmondson glared at him as he felt ashamed of being insulted by Romeo. Samuel smiled and left the room, Edmondson stood there shocked by Romeo's comment.

Samuel sat in his Victoria Benz and told the driver to head back home with a kind smile on his face as usual. Samuel looked outside and on his face was peace and contentment after knowing that Alessio will finally unite with his family after a long, lonely, brutal year.

[Samuel's mansion in Italy]

The sky was bright blue with cotton clouds all over, flowers were blooming, and the gentle and sweet breeze was swinging along with the freshly bloomed cherry blossoms, it seemed as if it was raining cherry blossoms. The streets were filled with cherry blossoms. It seemed like the town was blooming in happiness, at least for Alessio it was. After an entire year which was full of pain, suffering, sorrow and grief. A year in which he almost died, inside he was buried many times though. He was finally to meet and see his family.

The carriage went inside a huge mansion, which was luxurious and beautiful. The Driver was about to open the door for Alessio, but he gently refused by saying,

"No need sir." The driver smiled and so did Alessio. Alessio was greeted by Edward, Edward hugged Alessio also smiled and patted Edward's back like a son to his father.

"Good to see you, Night Shadow," Edward replied in a joyful tone with a bright smile on his face.

"Good to see you too, Sir Edward," Alessio said with a happy tone.

"How was your journey?" Edward asked in a hospitable tone,

"It wasn't tiring after I received your message," Alessio said while showing the brown letter to Edward.

"I knew the news would make you gleaming. " Edward said and smiled which made the dimple on his left cheek visible.

"Are they-" Alessio looked at the mansion and asked in a hopeful voice.

"Yes, they are here, go meet them," Edward replied with a warm smile.

"Thank you so much, sir," Alessio replied with tears in his eyes.

"Your welcome, son," Edward replied kindly.

Alessio stood before the white carved, wooden door and turned the golden knob. He opened the door and before he was his Mother and Sister, the true sight of relief. They both saw him, and tears formed in all of their eyes. Her mother didn't even think that Alessio would be alive till now, she thought he was dead on that day when Lorenzo's men beat him. His sister saw his elder brother again and teats of happiness rolled down her round, chubby cheeks.

"Mother, Eterna." Alessio placed his saddle bag aside and a tear fell from his eye.

Alessio said and rushed to hug them both, they too rushed while tears were continuously falling from their eyes. Alessio hugged both his mother and sister and they cried their hearts out seeing each other after this aggrieved time. Alessio cried and seemed from his deep blue eyes an ocean was streaming. He kissed his mother's forehead and sister's head.

"Thank God you're alive." His mother said while crying continuously.

"Thank God I see you both again, I thought I would die-" Alessio said while his whole face was washed with tears, his sister interrupted him before he could finish this cursed sentence.

"Don't say this brother, we just met it's too early to be apart." Alessio's sister said while wiping her face with a heavy heart.

"We won't be now," Alessio said in an extremely happy voice, after a long time he was this much in joy. Smiles were gleaming and their tears were sparkling too like diamonds, the joy of unity was overwhelming for the family.

At night after a heartfelt dinner, Edward and Samuel were sitting in their office on the green leather chairs, while talking about what happened today at the mansion.

Alessio knocked on the door and asked politely,

"May I come in?"

"Sure, Our Night Shadow."

Samuel said with a warm smile and Alessio came with a full heart of gratitude. Alessio came inside and hugged Samuel, it was new for Samuel, it was the same as when Samuel used to hug Mr Francisco(Alessio's father) who was like Alessio's older brother.

"Thank you so much, sir." Alessio stood and said in a very humble voice.

"Your welcome son," Samuel replied warmly.

"I can't thank you enough for your efforts," Alessio said in a voice filled with gratitude.

"Alessio." Samuel offered him to sit.

"Yes sir?" Alessio asked suddenly in a worried voice when he saw Samuel's serious face.

"Today I want to answer all your questions." Samuel sat and took a deep breath then he said while looking at Alessio.

"Really?" Alessio's eyes widened at seeing a sudden change.

"Yes, I can't take this burden anymore," Samuel said in his deep, husky voice.

"Ah, hmm," Alessio replied in a bit concerned tone.

"So what is your question?" Samuel asked while grabbing all his courage.

"Sir, I...I want to ask many though I would like to know why did you bring so many documents. I mean we all know that no evidence can send Lorenzo or his accomplices to jail. Then why?" Alessio asked in a curious tone.

"Hmm, I see. Alessio, it's said that know your enemy before defeating him." Samuel replied in a serious tone and expression.

"Hmm." Alessio nodded in agreement.

"Samuel, can I ask something too?" Edward asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Edward." Samuel turns his gaze toward Edmondson and said politely.

"You became a consigliere?" Edward asked in a questioning tone, Alessio's eyes widened at knowing what was happening in his absence.

"My brother, keep your friend close and your enemy even closest. I need to gain his trust, to complete our mission. Being the consigliere we will have enough security to protect us from him." Samuel said while smiling.

"Interesting, we have gotten security from him and by him," Alessio said while rubbing his chin like a man.

"True, wise man," Samuel said while smiling.

"Sir?" Alessio asked while averting his gaze from the table to Samuel.

"Yes," Samuel replied.

"Can I ask one more question? " Alessio asked,

"Hmm, ask as many as you have," Samuel replied gently,

"What was the reason my father was killed?" Alessio asked in a serious tone while holding back his tears.

"Alessio, your father died because he knew a secret. That was to be hidden in all circumstances by Lorenzo. It was a vile crime which he hid." Samuel sighed and clenched his fist.

"It's a crime in itself that innocents like my father have to bear the punishment for their crimes," Alessio replied with a grey expression.

"This system would erupt soon," Samuel replied.

"I hope so." Alessio sighed,

"Well, I think we should let this night remain to be a calm and happy one." Edward interrupted politely.

"No, Alessio has every right to know," Samuel replied.

"Sir I agree with sir Edward. I don't want to know what happened or where were you gone, I want to focus on the present and finish the criminals of my father and many." Alessio replied maturely.

"Are you sure Alessio?" Samuel asked with a concerned tone.

"Yes sir," Alessio replied abiding by his decision.

"You look like a reflection of Brother Francisco," Edward said proudly.

"I'm glad to know. "Alessio said while smiling firmly.

They all went to their rooms, to finally have some goodnight's sleep. Alessio and his family were sleeping safe and sound, and Rosanne and her grandmother were sleeping soundly. The entire Sicily was in silence, the entire Romeo mansion was quiet as midnight approached.

"So you won't let go of this case huh?" A man asked in a lowered voice.

"Not until I'm alive," Samuel shouted and banged my hand on his luxurious office table.

"Well, there isn't a problem that money can't solve. " He said cunningly while rubbing his chin and his smile showed his wickedness clearly.

"What do you mean?" Samuel's eyes widened in anger,

"If you would leave this case you would be given a handsome amount that you would have never seen in your entire life and will award with a high official post we will make you so strong that everyone in Italy would be afraid of your name even." He opened a suitcase full of capital and tried to bribe Samuel but he replied,

"What do you think you are huh? Will you be able to repay that innocent life? You can't ever repay even with all of your treasure!!!" Samuel said aggressively.

"These all things are secondary with money and why do you bother that good-for-nothing guy's life he was destined to die someday what's the matter if it came sooner." The man said and cackled as if it was nothing.

"Your money and greed have made you completely blind and stone-hearted but I'm not like you take your filthy cash with me I won't feed myself on innocent souls." Samuel resisted while glaring that man's eye and his anger was burning like a fire which would finish the man,

"We'll see where this kindness would help you when you would be starving." The man said arrogantly.

"It's better than filling your stomach with the flesh of innocents," Samuel replied.

"So you won't agree easily right?" The man said and turned towards the left of his majestic room.

"Over my dead body!" Samuel said infuriatingly.

"Well, then you would agree after you see this! " Before Samuel's eyes were the helpless wife of Mr Francisco and his 3-year-old daughter who were begging for their lives.

"Please don't kill us spare our lives please!" they were crying and pleading for their lives, that innocent girl was crying after seeing the condition of her mother.

"Kill them!" He ordered.

"Stop!!!" Samuel shouted.

"Don't kill them," Samuel said.

"Oh and why I shouldn't?" the man asked in a dark tone.

"They have nothing to do with you, leave them alone," Samuel said and tried to make him understand.

"Hmm, okay I will leave them but I have pulled the trigger. So someone has to die." Lorenzo said and from the next side, the curtains revealed the mother and sister of Samuel, who were all tied up.

"No, No, LEAVE MY FAMILY ALONE YOU BEAST!" Samuel roared at the man who came forward from the dark into the light revealing his ugly face, it was none other than Lorenzo.

"I won't, leave them. Choose one." Lorenzo said while spinning his gun.

"Huh?" Samuel's eyebrow raised in disbelief.

"Choose one, your family or that pathetic man's family," Lorenzo said while walking towards Samuel.

"HOW MUCH LOW CAN YOU GET LORENZO!!!" Samuel said in an aggressive tone he wanted to kill Lorenzo right now.

"Huh! One should keep his voice low in front of me." Lorenzo said,

"KILL ME! KILL ME INSTEAD!" Samuel said in a loud voice, saying so that both families are saved.

"NO, NO DON'T YOU DARE LAY A FINGER ON MY SON!" Samuel's mother grunted like a lioness.

"Don't worry I won't hurt your son, I will leave him to rot in regrets," Lorenzo replied in his vile tone and smirked,

"LORENZO!" The gunshot and the bullet struck Samuel's mother's forehead, his sister screamed and she was killed by Lorenzo's men too. The bullet burst that young heart into billions of pieces.

Samuel was numb, his voice stopped, his tear held in his eye, his breathing stopped, his heart torn apart, a dagger torn his entire chest apart and as if his heart was pulled from his chest and crushed by Lorenzo's hand. He felt hollow and finished like a rotten tree. His whole world was finished, his loving mother and daughter-like sister all died in front of him and he was helpless.

"LORENZO!!!" He screamed his lungs out in pain and although he was held by Lorenzo's men he stood up making the men dragged on the floor and Samuel roared like a lion, his eyes were red, he screamed so fiercely that Lorenzo who was standing in front of him fell on the floor cowardly like a mouse.

"I WILL KILL YOU WITH MY OWN HANDS!!!!" Samuel roared so loud that Lorenzo got scared as if Samuel will kill him, although Samuel's hands were held back but still Lorenzo was frightened to the core.

"TAKE HIM AND THROW HIM IN THE JAIL!!"

Lorenzo shouted at his guards. The guards couldn't hold Samuel as he was fighting with his strength to kill Lorenzo with his both hands. So one guard hit Samuel's head with a steel rod. Which made Samuel blackout, they then threw him in a carriage he was given to a Superintendent who hated Samuel's honesty ever since. He threw Samuel in jail far away from Sicily. Samuel was thrown in a jail which had no light at all except a small window at top of the high ceiling, the entire prison was of stone and an iron door closed the view from outside. No water, no food, and no other person were there for Samuel for the first few days.

Samuel shouted, resisted and fought to get outside but instead they would beat him so mercilessly that he nearly died many times. He didn't eat for days but at last, he had to eat that single bread which was given to him. Years passed, and Samuel grew weak and weak. He was given intoxicants in high dosages to forget his family, the incident and everything else. Even if he resisted it was of no use, they forcibly gave him. Samuel used to sit at a corner of the entire jail, he marked days at the stone wall for years that walls were getting filled one by one, he stopped saying anything, he was numb, he couldn't talk, think or anything. He was just living like a rock, with no sense, no thinking, nothing.

If he remembered something, it was the engagement ring he saw and Rosanne's beautiful face appeared in front of his eyes, so he remembered her, his true love who kept him going through the hard times. The only beam of hope. Until one day, a new Superintendent came and he was re-checking all the criminal records of the people locked up. He came for a visit to the jail when he came across Samuel's cell. He asked,

"From how long is he here?"

"Ten years, Sire." The constable replied in a respectable tone.

"What is his crime?" The Superintendent asked while hitting his baton on his other hand lightly.

"It's said that he had a personal rivalry with the late Superintendent." The constable replied in an ashamed tone,

"Release him now. It's a prison for criminals not for personal rivalries." The Superintendent ordered in an angered tone.

Samuel was released finally and was sent to rehabilitation for some months. He went through a difficult therapy, he was not improving a bit and doctors gave up but one doctor was kind enough to help him through until he regained his memory. He was finally now back on life.

He started going to exercise, he used to jog till the end of the cliff of that hospital, he used to take care of himself, and talk with others. He now remembered everything that happened and wanted to continue his incomplete mission. He looked at himself in the mirror and got shocked by his current looks. The hospital groomed him and then when he looked in the mirror he was reminded of how he was earlier although with more bruises.

Samuel exited the hospital and took a train to London. During his stay at the hospital, he sent letters to Edward and Rosanne telling them that he is alive. Rosanne replied and told him about Edward's London residence. Samuel took a journey to meet Samuel.

[Present]

"Past is better buried," Samuel said while controlling his tears but still a tear rolled down his cheek while looking at the beautiful night view from his balcony. Even the magical view couldn't make him feel any better.