Chapter 11

 Rosa's eyes as she kept on reading the message aloud. 

 "They're calling you a disgrace," Rosa said softly. "They say you'll ruin the La Russo name."

 Luca clenched his fists, his heart pounding. 

 The words Rosa read cut deeper than any physical wound. His jaw tightened as anger surged through his veins.

 He got up rapidly, causing his chair to scrap the floor.

 "Enough!" Luca's voice was trembling with fury. He snatched the phone from Rosa's hands, eyes burning as he scanned the screen.

 The headlines were vicious.

 "Luca La Russo: The Orphan Boy Unfit to Inherit."

 "The Downfall of La Russo: Is This the End of an Empire?"

 "The Forgotten La Russo, a Family Disgrace?"

 "They don't know a damn thing about me!" Luca spat, throwing the phone onto the bed. 

 His chest heaved as he paced the room like a caged lion, his fingers raking through his hair. "After everything, they still think I'm nothing. Nothing!"

 Rosa rose from her chair. "Luca, please calm down. They're just words, people talk. You can prove them wrong—"

 "I will*prove them wrong!" Luca's voice was loud enough to make the windows rattle. "I'll show every single one of them that I'm not the orphan they left behind, not the poor boy they pitied! I'll rebuild this empire all over again if I have to!"

 Rosa took a step forward, reaching out to him. "Luca, don't let them get to you like that. You're better than their judgment. You have nothing to prove to them."

 Luca turned, and , his expression scared Rosa. "I have everything to prove, Rosa. They branded me as a failure before I'd even started. If I don't fight back, they'll destroy everything."

 He stormed toward the door, unable to stay in the room any longer. His pulse raced with a maddening blend of anger.

 "Where are you going?" Rosa's voice trembled, and she rushed after him. "Please, Luca, just stop and think for a minute."

 Luca stopped at the doorway but didn't turn around. "I have thought. And I've decided. I'm going to prove to everyone that I'm stronger than they think."

 "Luca…" Rosa's voice broke. "You don't have to do this alone."

 He walked out, leaving Rosa standing in the middle of the room, with a heavy heart.

 ---

 The day of the party arrived. Luca stood in his room, staring at himself in the mirror. 

 The suit he wore fitted him perfectly. 

 "This is my moment." Luca whispered.

 Taking a deep breath, Luca left his room and descended the grand staircase that led to the hall. 

 As he entered, the murmuring began. He could feel the weight of a hundred eyes on him, some curious, others judgmental, their whispers could be heard.

 "There he is. The orphan boy."

 "Does he really think he can run the empire?"

 "They say he's got no business sense. The La Russos are doomed."

 Luca clenched his fists at his sides but forced himself to keep walking. His mother stood on the stage, a proud but anxious smile on her face as she held the microphone.

 "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate my son, Luca La Russo, and my daughter Rosa and their return to the family." She paused, her eyes scanning the crowd. 

 "As you know, the La Russo name has always been built on strength, loyalty, and vision. And I believe that Luca will bring a new chapter to our legacy."

 The applause was low. Luca swallowed hard as his mother gestured for him to join her. He climbed the steps slowly, holding his sister's hands.

 This was it.

 "You can do this!" Rosa whispered.

 Taking the microphone, Luca faced the crowd. The murmurs faded as silence fell throughout the hall.

 "I know what you're all thinking," Luca began. "You've seen the headlines. You've heard the rumors. You think I'm too weak, too inexperienced, too unworthy to carry the La Russo name."

 He paused, letting his words sink in, his eyes scanning the crowd. He could see their doubtful faces gazing. But he wasn't backing down.

 "And I don't blame you," he continued. "I've spent years fighting for survival, scraping by, trying to find my place. But here's the thing, those years taught me more than any boardroom ever could. They taught me how to fight, how to rise when you've been knocked down, and how to rebuild when everything's been taken from you."

 The crowd shifted, some leaning towards him uninterested in his words.

 "I'm not here to be the Luca you think you know. I'm not here to play by the rules of the past. I'm here to bring the La Russo empire into a new era. One of innovation, intelligence, and strategy."

 There was a murmur of surprise, but Luca pressed on. "Under my leadership, we're not just going to survive, we're going to evolve. I've studied the markets, analyzed the trends. The La Russo empire will adapt, embrace new technologies, and make intellectual changes that will secure our future for generations to come."

 He could see the businessmen in the room exchanging glances.

 "And to those of you who've doubted me," Luca's voice lowered,"keep watching. I'm just getting started."

 The room erupted in applause, genuine, this time. The murmurs of doubt had faded. Luca handed the microphone back to his mother, whose eyes shone with pride.

 As he stepped off the stage, Miguel approached him.

 "You're a natural cousin," Miguel said softly. "I'm so proud of you."

 Luca let out a smile. At that moment, several businessmen approached him. 

 "I will catch up with you later then," Miguel said softly. "This is your night to shine. Enjoy it."

 "Luca," one of them said, extending a hand, "I'd like to hear more about these intellectual changes you're talking about."

 Another nodded in agreement. "It sounds like you've got a vision worth returning."

 Luca shook their hands with a smile. Once those men left, another man approached him. 

 The man extended his hand with a warm smile.

 "Congratulations on your return boy," he said. "Your speech was impressive. I've been eager to discuss your vision for the La Russo empire."

 "Thank you. I'm excited about diving into the changes we need to make. What do you have in mind?"

 The man gestured towards a quieter corner of the hall, away from the crowd's chatter. 

 "Let's discuss your plans for expansion." his voice grew. "I know this isn't the right place to do it, but there's one thing your father always said. Business can be done everywhere."

 I smiled. "You have a good point." 

 Suddenly, a loud commotion could be heard. Luca's turned to see what was causing the disturbance. 

 His heart sank as he saw Annabelle, his contract wife, storming into the hall. She was dressed in an elegant gown.

 "Luca La Russo!" she shouted, drawing every eye in the room to her. "You thought you could just walk away and forget about me? You left me after finding out I was pregnant!"

 The room fell into a stunned silence as Annabelle's accusations echoed through the hall.