I had barely slept last night and now I hear someone disturbing my phone at exactly 7: 32 am.
I grunt as I stretch my hand to reach for my phone, my eyes still battling with all the sleep I needed to sleep.
Gianna.
Of course it's Gia,
That alone tells me something is wrong alresdy because the Gia I know, my best friend and also my cousin, happens to be the queen of sleeping in. She simply doesn't wake up before sunrise unless someone is dead or someone is about to be.
I reach for the phone without opening my eyes.
Gia: Answer your phone.
Another message appears immediately.
Gia: Actually don't call me yet. Listen to this first.
Then a voice note drops into the chat…two minutes and fifty seconds long
I sit up slowly.
"Gia," I mutter to myself, "what have you done now?."
I hit the play button and her voice comes through fast and slightly breathless.
"Okay so first of all please do not get mad at me because technically I am not supposed to be telling you this and if my father finds out I said anything he will absolutely lose his mind but I heard them talking last night and I feel like if I don't tell you then I am betraying you and I would rather betray him."
I rub my eyes, trying to drag the sleep out.
Gia keeps talking.
"They are having a meeting this morning at the estate. Like a family meeting. My father called it and apparently everyone important is there and they are talking about the businesses and the territories and what they should do while your father is still in recovery and—"
I sit up straighter.
Gianna is uncle Matteo's daughter.
"Before you ask, no they did not mention you at all which is exactly why I am telling you because that feels extremely suspicious to me considering we all know my father has always wanted an opportunity to take your father's position. Scottie told me not to say anything but I am ignoring him because you are my favorite cousin"
Scott didn't want her to tell me? I'll deal with Scott later. I'll just need to handle this mess first.
Gia sighs into the phone.
"Look, maybe I am overreacting, but I heard Marino talking about taking over one of the lands your father acquired so I know something is up. They are definitely planning something more. I thought you should know before the meeting ends and suddenly everything is decided. Also if you storm into that room please do not say I told you."
The voice note ends and I stare at the phone for a few seconds.
Then I say, very calmly, "You have got to be kidding me."
They are having a family meeting about taking over my father's businesses while my father is still alive ?! Not just that, without the actual heir to the family in question.
I stand up and head for the bathroom.
"Oh this is going to be a terrible morning for somebody," I say to my reflection.
My phone rings while I am brushing my teeth.
Gianna calls this time.
I answer and put her on speaker, my mouth still foamy.
"You talk too much in voice notes, Gia, you know that, right?."
"I knew you listened to it."
"Yes. To the part where my relatives are holding a family meeting about my father's empires. Without informing his daughter."
Gia groans, "You are on your way there, aren't you?."
I rinse my mouth.
"Yes, I am and hopefully I'm not late."
"Serena." Gia sighs loudly.
"Maybe you could just wait and see what they decide."
"That sounds like a wonderful plan if I had any interest in actually letting them decide anything."
"You're not going to do anything crazy, are you?."
"Me? No… when have I ever done anything crazy."
My mind is entirely absent from the call as i'm pulling clothes out of the closet trying to find what's best suited for this kind of situation.
"Seri … I could name a couple of times" Gia calls my name suspiciously.
"Dont you worry Gia. It's going to be more or less a…friendly confrontation."
"A friendly confrontation?"
"Yes." I put on a navy blue blazer.
"I will call you later."
"Will you be at the meeting?"
"Not inside but yes. You know my dad doesn't allow women meddle in such affairs."
A devilish laughter erupts out of me as i darken my lipstick shade. "That's about to change now, mon Cherie."
I hang up before she can continue.
The drive to the estate takes twenty minutes. When I pull up, there are six cars parked in front of the house.
I recognize four of them and the other two; i dont.
Interesting, I note to myself.
I step out of the car and walk toward the front door.
The house is quiet except for the low sound of voices coming from the meeting room.
Nobody stops me when I walk in.
Nobody even notices.
I follow the voices down as I could hear the echoes of uncle Matteo talking.
" The southern routes will be needing supervision until we decide how responsibilities are divided."
I open the door and walk in. I notice nine men sitted around the table.
Matteo stops talking mid sentence and everyone's attention is now on me. Nobody says anything at first and then Matteo smiles.
"Serena."
I pull out a chair and sit down. "Good morning."
"We did not expect you.", Matteo folds his hands.
"That seems to be the theme today, isn't it?."
A few men shift awkwardly.
Matteo keeps smiling at me. I'm disgusted by the fakeness.
"This is a family discussion."
"I know."
I pour myself a cup of coffee from the pot of coffe i see in the center table.
"That is why I am here."
The uncomfortability in the room increases. Matteo's smile at me grows even tighter,
"We were discussing some…arrangements while your father recovers."
I take a sip of the coffee.
"Arrangements ?" My eyes are fixated on Matteo now. "My father is still alive or have you all forgotten that?"
The room goes silent.
Matteo nods slowly.
"Yes, he is."
"He will return to this table."
"Of course."
I tilt my head slightly.
"Then I am curious as to why decisions and meetings are already being handled without him or his heir being informed."
Nobody answers.
I glance around the room.
"Should I take that as a disrespect to my father?"
The air thickens even more. Matteo spreads his hands.
"We did not want to burden you since we know how difficult it must be for you to be dealing with your father's health."
"That is very thoughtful." I nod in exaggeration and lean back in the chair.
"However I do not remember asking anyone to protect me from my own responsibilities."
The tension in the room thickens.
One of the older men clears his throat.
"Serena, we were simply discussing some simple matters. Nothing serious."
I nod slowly.
"Nothing serious, you say? Okay but when I was walking in, I heard my dearest uncle here—" I turn to face uncle Matteo. ".,, talking about accounts and dispatch." I stood up now, addressing everyone in the room. "Any of you care to explain."
No one speaks.
Matteo studies me carefully.
"Careful, serena." His facade was starting to ward off.
"It isnt wise for you to meddle like this or didn't your father teach you this?"
"Oh he did. He thought me quiet alot actually which is why I know this meeting holding now? It shouldn't be happening. Not without I or my father's consent."
"How are you so sure it is without your father's consent?"
I walk closer facing him directly so he feels every beat of my words. "We both know papa would never let you near this room where decisions are made especially not while he's alive. He might be bed ridden but he is more than capable of handling the affairs from the comfort of his bed. But you wouldn't want that would you?"
Matteo is glaring at me now but I don't care. I keep talking.
" You have always wanted to stand where papa stands and sit where papa sits. What better opportunity than now he's in the sick bed?"
Matteo's jaw tightens. He hits his fist on the table. Maybe to instill fear in me. It worked. But I couldn't show it. Not in this room. I needed them to know that even if they tried hurting papa just to take over his seat, they would still not come near it. Because I was hear. His heir. His daughter. I would do anything to protect what my papa has.
Who would protect me after was the question.
I look over at the two men sitted at rhe table who I don't recognize. Most likely the men with the two unfamiliar cars packed outside.
"There are two men here I do not recognize."
Both unfamiliar men glance amongst themselves and they shift slightly in their chairs,
Matteo answers smoothly.
"They are advisors."
"Advisors on what exactly?"
No answer.
"Did my father appoint this advisors?"
No answer yet again.
"Let us make something very clear so nobody wastes their morning."
I let my weight shift around the room.Every eye is on me now.
"My father placed the businesses under my supervision while he recovers."
I gesture lightly around the table.
"That means any decision regarding territory, money, or leadership goes through me."
Nobody interrupts.
"That arrangement is written down and signed."
I pause.
"If anyone here has forgotten that document I would be happy to bring a copy."
No one says they have forgotten.
Matteo holds my gaze.
"You are being too confident, Serena. What has gotten into you."
"You were expecting a weakling, weren't you? Well, I'm sorry but I have news for you."
The room stays quiet.
I stand up slowly.
"This meeting is over. Any further discussion about leadership succession will go through me. Directly. Any attempt to move assets, territory, or personnel without my authorization will be treated as a hostile action." I paused and let the tension sink in. "We all know what that means."
I was already turning toward the door and then I stopped and looked back over my shoulder at her uncle.
"And Matteo?" My voice never changing since the moment i walked into this room. "Next time you think of sitting in my father's chair…don't."
Then I walk out.
Gianna is standing outside near the driveway.
The moment she sees me she runs forward and throws her arms around me."
"Oh my God, Serena!" Her arms are a little too tight now. Any tighter, I'd suffocate.
"I am so proud of you."
"You do not even know what happened."
"Well I know you," she says. "Which means several grown men are currently reconsidering their life choices including my father."
I laugh quietly. "You are a little too happy for someone who just betrayed her father."
"Are you judging me right now, Serena?" She exclaims in shock.
"I might be a bad daughter but I'm a great cousin! Unfortunately that cousin happens to be very ungrateful." She turns her back to me with her arms folded against her chest.
She was right. Not about me being ungrateful— about her being a wonderful cousin and also my best friend. We always came through for each other any time it counted.
"I love you Gigi." I lean over and place a peck on her cheek. She fights it at first but eventually she just lets me rest on her. She understood how exhausted I was. I needed someone to hold for a moment.
And then it dawns on me.
"Shoot. Gia what is the time ?!"
"10:25 , why?"