The Call to Rome

Rome, Italy.

Carlos's pov:

I couldn't stop thinking about what the bartender said about the lawyer. "She's one of the best," his words echoed in my mind. Should I ask Kai to contact her? Should I give Vincent another shot? Is she really worth it? I had no clue, but I knew I couldn't afford to wait much longer; if I didn't find help soon, I'd be behind bars.

I decided I'd ask Kai to reach out to her. What's the worst that could happen? Besides, I was open to hiring a female lawyer. I stood up, walked downstairs, and found Kai sitting on the sofa with his laptop, the maids still cleaning up the mess I'd made. "Let me speak with Kai," I said one of the maids.

The maids nodded and left the room. I sat next to Kai, who was absorbed in his laptop. "Are you feeling better now?" Kai asked. "Mhm." "Alright, what's the next move?" he asked. "I thought about reaching out to Vincent again, but it seemed pointless. He doesn't want anything to do with us anymore," I explained. "Mhm, and?" Kai asked. "Well, the bartender upstairs recommended a lawyer who's supposed to be the best of the best," I added. Kai raised an eyebrow.

"We thought Vincent was the best, and yet he bailed on us with some flimsy excuse," Kai pointed out. "I need to finish this legal case, and I can't keep hitting dead ends," I said. "I get that, and I don't want to either. But how do we know she won't do the same thing as Vincent?" Kai asked. Kai raised some valid concerns. How skilled is she really? Is she truly gifted? How long can she keep her focus? Who knows, man? "We just have to keep trying," I said. Kai nodded in agreement. "I'll look into her and reach out," he said. "Thanks," I said.

I needed to clear my head, and to be honest, I was overheating. I went back to my room to ditch my suit. My body needed to cool down to feel stress-free for a moment. I changed into sweatpants and went shirtless. Stepping out of the room, I headed outside, even though it was pitch black. I told my bodyguards to stay behind; I needed space. Everyone needs air to breathe. I just hoped the bartender was right about this lawyer. If she really is the best of the best, I'd be grateful for her help.

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Rome, Italy.

Kai's pov:

I rubbed my temples as the headache from all this research intensified. The more I looked into her, the more I realized just how well-known Alliana Mercedes was. According to her website, she had built her own reputation. Born in Ontario, Canada, she had worked with a wide range of clients, including delinquents, and had even volunteered in hospitals for children and various institutions. Her name was frequently mentioned as one of the top recommendations for both complex legal cases and smaller matters.

The website also mentioned her assistant, Souline Marie, who handled all business inquiries and appointment scheduling. Everything seemed solid—her credentials, the rave reviews—but there were no photos. It was strange, especially for someone as well-established as she was. Maybe she just didn't like being in the spotlight. I dialed the number listed on the site, the phone ringing on and on until someone finally picked up.

"Thank you for calling Mercedes Central; you're speaking with Souline Marie. How may I assist you?" Souline asked. "Hello, my name is Kai, and I've been meaning to ask if I could meet with Ms. Mercedes. It's urgent," I said. "One moment, please," Souline said, and I waited for what felt like a couple of minutes. I understood that Alliana must be very busy, given her success, but the situation was pressing, and we needed her help quickly.

"May I ask what the urgency is?" Souline asked. "My brother is dealing with a legal case in which he's being sued by a group of individuals and requires a defendant. I can't provide much detail right now, as I'd like him to be present when I clarify the case," I explained. "I understand. Let me check with Alliana to arrange a meeting. I'll call you as soon as we have a date," Souline assured me. "Thank you," I said. "No problem. Goodbye," she said before the call ended.

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Ontario, Canada.

Alliana's pov:

I've just returned from volunteering at a children's cancer hospital, and my heart aches for them, especially for one of the children. Her name is Velma. She's only twelve years old and battling breast cancer. Velma and I have become close friends ever since I started volunteering. We talk about silly things, and I've even fed her and helped change her a few times, which she's always been comfortable with. Once I have enough money, I plan to donate it to the children's hospital.

These kids deserve to experience a normal childhood and not be stuck in a hospital. I'm hoping to get more funds soon so I can contribute as soon as possible. I placed my things on the counter, and as I looked up, I saw Souline in the kitchen, as usual, cooking. "Hey," she said to me with a smile. "Hey," I said, smiling back. "How did volunteering go?" Souline asked. "It went well; I saw Velma and the other kids again," I said, hanging my jacket on the coat hook.

"Nice, you must absolutely love her, don't you?" Souline asked. "Yes, she reminds me of myself when I was her age," I said. Though I didn't have breast cancer at her age, Velma's been through things I've never spoken about, painful things I avoid mentioning. Just thinking about it makes me tear up, but I have to stay strong for her and for the others who've been through similar struggles. When Souline noticed the tears in my eyes, she stopped what she was doing, hugged me, and rubbed my back. She's the only one who truly understands what I've gone through, and the best part is, she believes me. I returned her embrace, feeling the comfort in her arms.

"Let it all out," Souline whispered, soothing me as I nodded. I quickly wiped away my tears, not wanting them to stain my face. "You're strong; don't forget that," she said, and I smiled faintly. "I love you so much; I don't know what I'd do without you," I said, wrapping my arms around her. "I love you more. Who knows? Maybe you'd burn the house down," Souline teased, hugging me even tighter. I gave her a playful grin, but we both ended up laughing.

"I forgot to tell you that somebody called and wanted to make an appointment pronto because the matter was urgent," Souline said. "You say it's urgent? Did he mention the case?" I asked, my brow furrowed. "Well, it's not exactly his case; he said it's his brother's case," Souline explained as she poured water into the cups. "What about his brother's case?" I asked. "He mentioned it was urgent and a legal matter, but wouldn't go into detail unless we met in person," Souline clarified.

"Hm, I guess we can set up a time tomorrow if he wants to meet face-to-face to describe the legal case," I shrugged. "All right, I'll contact him again and let him choose a time," Souline said as she walked to the office.

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Ontario, Canada.

Souline's pov:

I returned to the office and sat down. I scrolled to the contacts section and found Kai's phone number. I dialed the number and waited for an answer. "Hello?" a voice said. "Hello, am I speaking with Kai?" I asked. "No, you're speaking with Carlos Romano," the voice replied. "Carlos Romano, do you know anyone named Kai?" I asked.

"Yes, Kai is my brother; who is this?" Carlos asked. "My name is Souline, and I work as Alliana Mercedes's assistant at the Mercedes Central. Kai called a few hours ago about a brother's case that requires immediate assistance from Alliana—are you that brother?" I asked. "Yes, ma'am," Carlos said.

"Perfect, I've spoken to Alliana, and she said since it's urgent, we can do a meeting tomorrow. We just need to know where you're located and where you'd like to meet," I said while grabbing my notebook. "Kai has told me you're in Ontario, Canada; is that correct?" asked Carlos. "Yes, sir," I said.

"Fuck, that's like eleven hours away!" Carlos said. "Where are you?" I asked. "Rome, Italy," Carlos said. "Hm, I mean, it's only 11:30 p.m. right now, so we'll try to go to Rome," I said, glancing at Alliana to see if she agreed. She gave a nod. "We can fly there right now and discuss the case tomorrow evening," I said.

"That sounds great," Carlos said. "Okay, we'll take off right now, and I'll call you when we arrive," I said. "Okay," Carlos said. "I'll see you then," I said. "Likewise. See you soon," Carlos said before he hung up the phone. I walked over to Alliana and sat down next to her. "I guess we'll be going to Rome soon," I said. "I can't wait," Alliana said sarcastically.