Chapter 6

 Luca tried to mask the shocking look on his face as Miguel spoke up. 

 "Luca!" Miguel exclaimed, moving closer to him. "It's really you, huh?" He extended a hand and his smile widened. "I'm so happy that I am finally meeting you."

 Luca took his hand, shaking it, but there was a hesitation in his eyes. 

 "Yeah... nice to meet you," he said, still trying to process everything. He had only just learned about his family, and now he was standing face-to-face with the cousin who could potentially take everything away. 

 He felt intimidated, but he didn't dare show it.

 May La Russo smiled at the sight of the two of them together. "Miguel, why don't you take Luca out for a while? You two need to catch up, bond a little."

 "Hey, what of me?" Rosa chipped in. 

 "Rosa!" Miguel turned at the sound of her voice. He left Luca's side and rushed in Rosa's direction.

 "You're even prettier than what Aunt May described you as being," Miguel said.

 "Thank you." Rosa responded softly.

 "So back to what I was saying?" May La Russo interjected.

 "Yeah, the outing." Miguel grinned. "Of course! I know just the perfect place for Luca and I. Come on, Luca, let's get out of here for a bit. You'll love it."

 "Rosa! You will be staying with me," May La Russo said softly. "Remember we have to plan you and your brother's welcome-back party."

 Rosa nodded. 

 "Bye Rosa." Luca said as he followed Miguel behind. 

 They left the mansion together, and soon enough, Miguel drove them to an upscale restaurant in the city. 

 The moment they stepped inside, it was clear that Miguel was someone of importance. People nodded, greeted him with respect, and whispered as he passed. 

 "Mr. Miguel! Welcome back!" The maître d' rushed over, bowing slightly. "Your usual table is ready."

 Miguel turned to Luca with a grin. "See? This is how you get treated when you've been around long enough."

 Luca chuckled awkwardly, still feeling like an outsider. They were escorted to a prime table by the window, and just as they were settling in, Luca spotted a familiar face in the distance. Coleman.

 Coleman was lounging at the bar, sipping a drink, when his eyes landed on Luca. He smirked, and he stood up, walking over with an arrogant stride. 

 "Well, well, well… look who it is," Coleman mocked. 

 "Luca, what are you doing here? Thought you couldn't afford places like this, or I know why you're. I heard you got fired at your last job." He continued.

 Luca clenched his jaw but said nothing. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Coleman , but Coleman didn't seem to care. 

 "I'm so sorry that happened." Coleman continued with a sneer. "But it was all your fault . In fact—" he turned to the restaurant owner, his voice loud enough for everyone nearby to hear, "I wouldn't let you ruin another person's business. Mr Jackson, if you are planning to offer a job to this filthy fellow over here, I would warn you that he's bad luck and would ruin your business."

 The restaurant owner looked uncomfortable, glancing between Coleman and Luca, unsure of what to do. Miguel, who had been quietly observing, finally stood up.

 "Excuse me," Miguel said, stepping in between Luca and Coleman. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"

 Coleman blinked, thrown off by Miguel's sudden presence. "Who are you?"

 Miguel took a step closer. "I'm Miguel La Russo. And this—" he gestured to Luca, "—is my cousin. So I suggest you rethink how you're speaking to him."

 Coleman's face paled slightly at the mention of the La Russo name. He took a step back, his bravado fading. "La Russo…?"

 "Yes," Miguel said, his eyes locked on Coleman. "And if you don't want to find yourself in serious trouble, I recommend you leave. Now."

 Coleman stood frozen for a while, then he turned, mumbling under his breath as he walked away. 

 Once Coleman was out of sight, the restaurant owner bowed apologetically to both Miguel and Luca.

 "I'm so sorry for the disturbance, Mr. La Russo," the owner said. "Please, let me know if there's anything I can do to make your evening more comfortable."

 Miguel waved him off. "It's fine. Just make sure my cousin gets treated with the respect he deserves from now on."

 The owner nodded before hurrying away. Luca, still processing what had just happened, looked over at Miguel.

 "You didn't have to do that," Luca said quietly, sitting back down.

 Miguel smiled, shrugging. "Of course I did. You're family. And around here, families look out for each other."

 Luca didn't know what to say. He had spent so much of his life feeling alone, and now here was someone, standing up for him.

 "Thanks," Luca finally muttered, glancing at the table. "I… I don't know how to feel about all this yet. It's still sinking in."

 Miguel nodded, "I get it, Luca. You've been through a lot. But now that you're back, we've got your back. You don't have to fight alone anymore."

 As they waited for the food, Luca found himself glancing around the restaurant. The high ceilings, polished wood, and hushed voices all gave the place a sense of sophistication that felt foreign to him. He still couldn't quite grasp how he had gone from barely scraping by to sitting in a fancy restaurant.

 Miguel, noticing Luca's distracted gaze, leaned forward with a knowing smile. "You don't have to think too deeply about this, do you do that right?"

 Luca shifted his focus back to his cousin, unsure of how to answer. "Yeah... I'm trying," he admitted. "But I can't get over the fact that , one day, I'm trying to make ends meet, and the next, I'm part of this... empire. It's a lot to take in."

 "It is a lot, I'll give you that. But trust me, you'll get the hang of it. Running the company... it's not as bad as it seems once you get into the rhythm of things."

 Luca raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of that," he began, leaning slightly forward, "what exactly does running the company involve? I mean, I'm supposed to take over, but I have no idea where to even start."

 Miguel took a sip of his drink, before he spoke.

 "Alright, I'll give you a quick breakdown," he said, setting the glass down.

 "So, La Russo Enterprises is involved in a lot of things. Our main areas are real estate, investments, and luxury goods. The company has its hands on properties all over the city; hotels, commercial buildings, high-end condos, you name it. We also have a stake in several major ventures globally, and we manage a few private equity funds," Miguel said.

 Luca's eyes widened as he tried to digest everything Miguel was saying. 

 "That sounds... complicated," he muttered.

 Miguel chuckled. "It could be. But it's all about delegation. We have managers in charge of each division, and they report to the board of directors. The CEO, you, now, oversees everything, makes the big decisions, and handles the public face of the company. You don't have to know how to do every single thing. That's what the team is for."

 Luca sat back, his mind racing. "But what about you?" he asked, his voice hesitant. "You've been handling all this, right? You seem... I don't know, more experienced with it. I don't even know the first thing about running a business."

 "Yeah, I've been handling things while you were... well, gone. But this was always meant to be yours. Uncle made that clear before he passed. I'm just holding down the fort. The real test is whether you can step in and take charge."

 . "And what happens if I can't?" he asked quietly.

 "If you don't step up, the company goes to me. That's how the will was structured. But Luca, this is your birthright. I'm not gunning for it, and neither is anyone else."

 Luca was silent, as she stared at the table. "I don't know if I'm cut out for this," he confessed. "You seem to have all the skills, all the knowledge... I've just been trying to survive."

 Miguel smiled, placing a hand on Luca's shoulder. "That's where you're wrong, cousin. Surviving is a skill. You've already proven you're tougher than most people out there. All you have to do now is apply that strength to the business. You've got a family to help you along the way."

 They finished their meal, and after some more small talk, Miguel paid the bill. The two of them left the restaurant, heading back to the mansion in silence. When they arrived, Miguel turned to Luca with a grin. 

 "I'm going to crash," he said. "But we'll talk more tomorrow. You've got a lot to learn, but I have a feeling you'll do just fine."

 Luca nodded, forcing a smile. "Thanks, Miguel. I'll see you tomorrow."

 As Miguel headed to his room, Luca found his way down the hall toward his sister's room. He knocked lightly on the door before entering. 

 Rosa was sitting up in her bed, when he stepped in.

 "Hey," Luca said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "How are you feeling?"

 "You don't always have to ask ," Rosa replied softly. "You know that I'm fine, right."

 "Is it wrong for me to ask?"

 "No, I'm glad you're there." Rosa said quickly. "So how did you and Miguel's outing go?"

 Luca sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Rosa. This is all... it's too much. Miguel just explained everything about the company, and it sounded like a completely different world. I don't think I can do it."

 Rosa frowned, reaching out to take his hand. "What do you mean?"

 "I'm not like Miguel," Luca continued, his voice filled with frustration. "He knows how to handle all of this. He's been doing it for years. Me? I barely know how to balance a checkbook. How am I supposed to run a company?"

 Rosa squeezed his hand, her expression serious. "Luca, you've been through more than most people could even imagine. You survived things that would break anyone else. Don't sell yourself short. You have more strength than you realize."

 Luca shook his head. "But I don't have the skills—"

 "You can learn," Rosa interrupted. "Miguel didn't know everything when he started, either. He had to learn, just like you would. And you won't be alone. You'll have me, you'll have Miguel, and you'll have the team at the company. We're all here for you."

 Luca was quiet for a moment, taking in her words. "I just don't want to fail," he admitted softly.

 "You won't," Rosa said firmly. "I believe in you, Luca. And I know Dad did too. He wouldn't have left everything to you if he didn't think you could handle it."

 Luca looked into his sister's eyes, feeling hopeful. Maybe, just maybe, he could do that.

 "Thanks, Rosa," he whispered, squeezing her hand. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

 "You'll never have to find out," she replied with a smile. "Now go get some rest. You've got a big day tomorrow." 

 Luca smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead before standing up. "Goodnight, Rosa."

 "Goodnight, Luca," she replied softly as he left the room.

 As Luca walked toward the room, he had a beeping sound from his phone. He pulled his phone out swiftly, and the minute his eyes landed on the message, it widened.

 This can't be!" he exclaimed out loud, startling the maid that was passing by.

 "Sorry." He whispered before putting his eyes back on his phone.

 "This is horrible!" He exclaimed once again instead of heading in the direction of his room. He walked back to Rosa's room, opening the door roughly.

 "Luca!" Rosa gasped, shocked by his arrival.

 "You need to see this." He exclaimed, positioning him on the bed. The minute Rosa's eyes landed on his phone screen she gasped.

 "This is bad!" She said. "Really, really bad."