Chapter 8

The next morning, Luca went to the La Russo headquarters. Miguel had followed him, and together they navigated the busy streets.

 The towering glass building stood before him as the car parked in the driveway. Miguel was the first to step out, then Luca joined him.

 "This is magnificent," Luca said with a smile.

 "It is," Miguel replied. His expression changed, as he stared at Luca.

 "Are you okay?" Miguel asked.

 "I've been gone too long. I just hope I can live up to everything he built." Luca said.

 "You will. You've got the instincts, and you've got me to help fill in the gaps. You don't need to overthink," Miguel replied. 

 Luca forced a smile. "You're right. I can do it."

 "Now that's the spirit," Miguel said. "Let's get you settled in. There's a lot to catch up on."

 As they approached the building, employees greeted them, some whispering to each other as they passed by.

 Once inside, the lobby greeted them. Luca couldn't help but marvel at the designs. It was unique.

 Miguel directed him to the reception desk, where he was greeted by a lovely bloody woman who stood as they approached her. "Mr. La Russo, Mr. Miguel. Welcome."

 "Thank you, Shana," Miguel said. "I'd like Michael in."

 She nodded in response.

 "Good." 

 Miguel led Luca down the hallways, pointing out various offices and departments. 

 "The finance team is on this floor. They handle the bulk of the company's day-to-day operations, "he started.

 "While the legal department is a few floors up, anything you need to know, they'll brief you. And here—" he gestured to a large corner office—"this is your office now."

 Luca paused at the door, staring at the dark wood and glass doors. He felt a lump rise in his throat but quickly swallowed it down. 

 When he stepped inside, he smiled as his eyes landed on framed photos that lined the shelves that happened to be pictures of his father.

 Miguel stood by, watching as Luca absorbed the space. "He was a legend in here, you know. But now it's your turn to create your own story."

 Before Luca could respond, a knock on the door interrupted them. 

 The door opened, revealing a young boy.

 "Mr. La Russo," the man greeted you with a nod. "I'm Michael, your father's personal assistant. It's a pleasure to meet you."

 Luca extended his hand, shaking Michael's firmly. "Likewise, Michael

 "Your father always spoke about you,"Michael said softly. "Your father was a great man. And I have to say, you look just like him."

 Luca smiled slightly then raised an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I've heard that a lot lately."

 "It's true," Michael continued. "And you look so much like him. I'm sure you would do just like he did."

 Luca felt appreciated. 

 During that moment Miguel spoke up.

 "Michael knows the ins and outs of the company," Miguel said. "If you need anything, he's the one to go to."

 Michael stepped forward, placing a folder on the desk. "This is your schedule for the next few days. I've arranged meetings with key department heads, and there are some reports that need your attention. I'll be here to assist in any way you need."

 Luca flipped open the folder, scanning through the documents. It was overwhelming, but he didn't show it. L

 Just as they were getting into the details, Miguel's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, and then his expression changed.

 Without a word, he opened a video on his phone and handed it to Luca. 

 "You're going to want to see this," Miguel said.

 Luca took the phone, narrowing his eyes as he pressed play. The screen lit up with a blog page, and there, front and center, was Annabelle. Her face filled the screen as she spoke into the camera.

 "Let me tell you something about Luca La Russo," Annabelle said. "He's not the man everyone thinks he is. He left me when I needed him the most, when I was carrying his child! And now, he's trying to silence me, throwing me out like I'm trash. But I'm not going to be silenced."

 Luca's jaw clenched as the video continued, Annabelle's words cutting deeper with every sentence. She was trying her best to tarnish his name, and doing it on a platform where everyone could see.

 "She's really gone all out this time," Miguel muttered, shaking his head.

 Luca handed the phone back, fury simmering beneath him.

 "She's not going to stop, is she?"

 "No," Miguel agreed. "She knows she's running out of options. She's trying to stir up trouble, make you react publicly."

 Luca exhaled slowly, trying to keep his temper in check. "This is exactly what I didn't want. I thought I handled it last night."

 "She's desperate," Michael said, stepping forward. "She wants attention, and she's going to use whatever means necessary to get it."

 Miguel crossed his arms, thinking for a moment. "The question is, how do you want to handle it? We can ignore it, let it blow over. Or, if you want to make a statement, we can craft a response. But either way, she's going to keep pushing."

 Luca stared at the desk, his mind racing. He had more important things to focus on the company, his family's legacy. Annabelle's antics were a distraction, but a dangerous one.

 "We can't let this spiral," Luca finally said. "But I'm not going to engage her publicly. That's what she wants."

 Miguel nodded, approving of Luca's measured response. "Smart. Keep your distance. Let the lawyers handle it if she tries anything legal. But keep your head down, focus on the company."

 "That's exactly what I'm going to do. Annabelle's not my problem anymore," Luca said.

 "That's the right move, Mr. La Russo. Your father would've done the same." Michael gave him a respectful nod. 

 Miguel put a hand on Luca's shoulder. "Let's get back to business. There's a lot to be done."

 Luca looked between Miguel and Michael.

 "Let's get to work."

 Miguel and Michael left Luca afterward, and he continued with his work.

 During that moment, his phone rang.

 Luca had his fingers tapping rhythmically against the desk as he stared at the message on his phone. It was from Annabelle, and as he read it, anger began to bubble in his chest.

 "You think you can silence me, Luca? You can't. I have more plans, and I'm not going to stop until the whole world knows the truth."

 The truth? Luca scoffed at the words. She had been pushing him. His patience had worn thin, and now, with this latest message, it was clear she wasn't going to stop unless he did something about it. 

 With a deep breath, Luca set his phone down. He stood abruptly, grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair. 

 I'll handle this myself, he thought. As he left the office, he didn't bother telling anyone where he was going.

 ***

 When Luca arrived at the large estate that belonged to Annabelle's parents, he kept a stern expression.

 The door opened, and Annabelle's father, Ben, greeted him with a warm smile, as though they were old friends. 

 "Luca, it's good to see you," Raymond said, extending a hand.

 Luca stared at the outstretched hand, ignoring it entirely. His eyes narrowed. 

 "Save it. Your little tactic of playing nice won't work with me."

 Ben's smile disappeared for a brief second, but he recovered quickly.

 "Please, come inside. Let's talk. There's no need for hostility."

 Luca followed him inside. The house was exactly as he remembered, dripping with wealth, just like the people who lived in it. He didn't care for any of it.

 As they walked deeper into the house, Karen, Annabelle's mother, appeared in the hallway. 

 "Luca, sweetheart," she said in a soothing voice. "It's been so long. We missed you."

 Luca's eyes flicked at her, unimpressed by the act. He crossed his arms. "Where's your daughter? I didn't come here for pleasantries. I came for Annabelle."

 Karen's face tightened briefly before she glanced at her husband, who cleared his throat. 

 "Luca, before you see her, we think it's important that we all sit down together. There's a lot to discuss."

 Luca felt the heat rising in his chest. He was done with this charade.

 "I'm not here for a family meeting," he snapped. "You people don't get to control the narrative. Now, where is she?"

 "Please, Luca. We just want to talk—" Ben said.

 Luca's voice rose sharply, cutting him off.

 "Talk? You think I want to talk after the stunts your daughter has pulled? She's out there dragging my name through the mud, and you want to talk?"

 Karen stepped forward, trying to soften the situation. "Luca, we know this has been difficult, but Annabelle is—"

 "Annabelle is what?" Luca barked, taking a step closer. "Manipulative? Vindictive? You raised her, so you should know. Now, stop wasting my time and take her out."

 Ben sighed, looking weary. "Luca, you need to calm down. We're only trying to help."

 "Help?" Luca let out a bitter laugh. "You two wouldn't know how to help if it hit you in the face. Do you know what she's done? Do you even care, or are you just as delusional as she is?"

 At this, Ben's eyes hardened, and Karen pursed her lips. 

 Raymond shot back,"Watch your tone, Luca. You forget where you came from. We were there when you had nothing."

 Luca's face twisted with anger as memories of his past, his struggle, his poverty, flashed before his eyes. He could feel the rage building,

 "Don't you dare bring that up," he hissed, stepping closer to Raymond. "I pulled myself out of that hell on my own. You think, because you gave me scraps back then, that you have some right to lecture me now?"

 Karen's face paled as she tried to interject, "We're not trying to lecture you, Luca. We just think—"

 "Think?" Luca's eyes blazed with fury. "You have no right to think anything about my life! You're as much to blame as your daughter. I don't owe you anything. Now, for the last time, bring her out, or I'll find her myself."

 Ben realized that Luca was on the verge of losing control. He glanced at Karen, who nodded reluctantly. She disappeared into another room, leaving Luca and Ben standing in silence.

 Ben rubbed a hand over his face. "You're not handling this well, Luca."

 Luca sneered. "I'm handling this the only way I know how. She's gone too far, and I'm done playing nice."

 A moment later, Karen returned, her face strained. "She's upstairs. She'll be down in a minute."

 Luca didn't wait. He stormed past them, heading toward the staircase. "I'll deal with her myself."

 Raymond called after him, but Luca ignored him, his footsteps heavy as he ascended the stairs. 

 When he reached the landing, he heard a door open, and there she was, Annabelle, standing at the top of the stairs, her arms crossed, and she had a smug expression on her face.

 "Well, well, well," she said sarcastically. "Look who finally decided to show up."

 Luca's fists clenched at his sides as he took a step toward her. "You've crossed the line, Annabelle. I came here to tell you to stop whatever game you think you're playing. It ends now."

 Annabelle tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Game? Oh, Luca, this isn't a game. This is my life. Our life. And you're not going to silence me."

 Luca's temper flared, but before he could respond, Ben and Karen appeared at the bottom of the stairs, looking up anxiously.

 "Annabelle," Karen said softly, "just talk to him. Work this out."

 Annabelle rolled her eyes, her lips curling into a mocking smile.

 "But Luca wasn't listening. He never does." She folded her arms, stepping down a couple of stairs. "You think you can just come here, yell a little, and make everything go away? It's not that simple."

 Luca took a deep breath. "What do you want, Annabelle? Attention? Money? Because that's what this all feels like. You go on those blogs, you spread your lies, and for what? To make yourself look like a victim?"

 Annabelle scoffed. "Lies? You really think I'm lying? Let me remind you, Luca, you left me. You walked out."

 Luca felt the sting of her words, but he wasn't going to let her manipulate him again. "You broke the contract, remember, and treated me like trash when I asked for help."

 "Annabelle! You made my life a living hell. You used me. All you care about is how things look on the outside. You never cared about me," Luca said.

 "That's not true!" Annabelle shouted back, her voice rising. "I care for you, Luca. I still do! But you're the one who couldn't handle it. You can't handle a real relationship. You just wanted control."

 "Control?" Luca's laugh was sharp and bitter. "This isn't about control. This is about the fact that you're trying so hard to get with me because I am finally the owner of La Russo empire. You don't care about me. You're just hungry."

 Ben stepped in at that moment. "Both of you, enough. This isn't solving anything. We should sit down and talk like adults."

 Luca shot him a withering glare. "I'm not sitting down with her. Not after everything she's done."

 "You're damn right, it's a plan, Luca. And I won't stop until everyone knows what kind of man you really are." Annabelle's eyes gleamed. 

 "Which is what, exactly?" Luca asked. "What do you think you're exposing? That I didn't want to be trapped in a contract which you ended? Please, go ahead, tell the world."

 Annabelle changed for a second but quickly regained her composure. "You're a coward, Luca. You always have been. You couldn't handle the pressure of being with me, of being part of this family, so you ran. That's what I am going to tell the world."

 "Do you think you can scare me into submission with threats? I've faced worse than you, Annabelle. So if you want to keep playing this game, fine. But I promise you, this is a fight you won't win."

 "I'll ruin you, Luca! You'll regret the day you walked away from me!" Annabelle's face twisted with fury, as she lashed out.

 Before Luca could respond, Karen stepped forward, her hands raised as she slapped Luca.

 "You're still the poor boy that begged us for money." She snarled. "If you have forgotten, I'm here to remind you.

 "Please, both of you, stop this. This isn't how we solve things. Annabelle, you need to calm down. And Luca, this anger isn't helping anyone." Karen stepped in between them.

 Luca shot Karen a cold look. "This is none of your business. You've spoiled her for years, and look where it's gotten you."

 "That's enough, Luca. You're in our home, and we will not tolerate disrespect." Ben stepped in.

 Luca turned his back to them, walking toward the front door. "I've had enough of this circus. You can't manipulate me anymore. This is the last time I'll deal with any of you. If Annabelle continues, I'll take her to court. And I'll win."

 "Both of you, enough. This isn't solving anything. We should sit down and talk like adults." Karen said once again.

 "Stop trying to act like you're not part of her plan," Luca snapped.

 Luca walked to the door and reached for the doorknob. During that moment Annabelle spoke up.

 "You'll regret this, Luca. Mark my words. You're not going to get rid of me that easily."

 Luca paused, with his hand still on the door. Without turning around, he said, "I already have."