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Three

Luca got up and pulled Antonio away.

“You should not misbehave. This is an exclusive club, and there are many people here ready to tear me down. My father has put me in charge of the businesses, and I am trying to gain his trust. I don’t want you to come here and spoil my chances of succeeding him,” he whispered into his ear.

Elena got up and tried to slap Luca too. Luca was fast enough to catch her hand before she could touch him.

"Because he let you slap him, that doesn’t mean I’ll let you do the same to me." He said it in a very low tone.

Elena was furious; she was ready to put out all the frustration that had been building up in her for the past few weeks.

“So you are only concerned about your reputation and inheritance but not the fact that he sexually molested me?” She shouted at Luca.

She had pulled the attention of all the guests and staff.

Luca was confused; he was so good at whispering that there was no way she could hear what he whispered to Antonio, especially with the loud music.

Luca signaled the security and told them to take her out.

“I will sue you for molestation; trust me, this will not be the end,” she screamed at the top of her voice.

And just like that, she had blown her chance of working at the top industry that paid their workers well.

She stood at the door, handing over her uniforms and changing into the black mom jeans and black oversized shirt she wore.

"I knew it was a bad idea to hire you; I am going to get into big trouble with the boss because of you.” The manager kept on sighing.

She was escorted out of the club.

Elena squatted by the roadside under the rain, hugging herself. She could hear the banging music by the roadside. She just had three days left to pay her rent, and now that stupid man has blown it.

“Is that not Elena?” She heard Paul, Zoey’s boyfriend, speak.

He pulled up and brought an umbrella for her.

“What are you doing in the rain? Zoey told me you were starting work today." He said this as he walked her to his car.

Elena wrapped herself in the blanket that was at the back of his car; she had no idea why he always had a blanket in his car.

"I started the job, but I was fired. A man tried to assault me, and I was not having it. I tried to stop him, and I may or may not have slapped him,” she explained to him.

Paul sighed.

“Everyone knows Club Den; everyone who has a membership there is rich and famous, meaning they are not to be messed with. Even if you file a complaint, I am not sure the cops will be able to do anything about it,” he told her.

Paul put a call through to Zoey.

“I am with your friend. Apparently, she fought with a higher-up at her place of work and was fired. I am bringing her to you now,” he told her.

Paul was a good man; he and Zoey had dated for almost a year, and the success of the relationship was all thanks to Elena.

Elena and Paul were acquaintances; they took a class together in their second year of college. Unlike Elena, Paul was thriving in the art world; he had pieces of his work in big companies, unlike Elena, who only ever had like one client in five months.

Paul was good to her friend, and he was better than all her exes.

They finally arrived at Zoey’s place. She lived in a studio that was owned by her parents, but they lived in London.

"Elena, you don’t always listen. I told you what was going to happen, didn’t I?” Zoey sighed and helped her in.

Paul stood by the door and kissed Zoey.

"I cooked dinner; are you not going to stay?” She asked him.

Paul sighed.

"I would have loved to, but I have work that I am supposed to submit tomorrow. Besides, I am going to let you girls have your moment." He kissed her again and left.

Zoey went inside and sat beside Elena.

"I need to shower, and I need a change of clothes,” Elena said, pulling off her clothes.

Zoey shook her head.

“So what next? You don’t have a job, and you are absolutely going to lose your place. Are you going to come and live with me finally?” She asked her.

Elena shook her head.”

“I cannot come and inconvenience you. Before we continue this conversation, do you have meat? I am very hungry,” Elena smiled.

Zoey burst into laughter.

"The fact that you’re still thinking of food in this situation baffles me." She laughed with her.

After she ate, she dressed up and went home. She had picked up a blank canvas and her paintbrush.

Antonio's behavior had really put her off this evening; she was going to ruin him and make sure he regretted what he did to her today.

Luca did not approve of Antonio’s behavior with the employee. He was going to have to talk to him, but for now, the girl was wrong to have raised her hand at him.

Luca drove home quickly after receiving a call from his father’s assistant to return home quickly.

As usual, no matter how hard he tried, news could never escape his father’s ears. He parked his car and walked through the doors of the mansion, the place he had called home before until he decided to move out when he was 18.

His father was a brutal mafia lord who had lived his life taking down oppositions and building empires like his father and his own father before him.

Luca was worse than his father in all aspects; he was ruthless and did not think twice. Once his decision was made, it was made.

He walked into the sitting room, and his youngest sister ran up to him.

"Mama did not tell me you were coming." The little girl spoke and hugged him.

Sarah came downstairs in a short, bright yellow dress. He had to admit it. His father had good taste in women.

Sarah was his father’s mistress, whom he recently married ten years after Luca’s mother died. Luca was not happy and moved out of their house a month before their wedding. Even with the enmity between them, he still loved his younger sister to death. She was just ten years old, and she did nothing wrong.

"What brings you here?” Sarah walked up to him.

Luca removed a stack of cash from his pocket.

"Buy something nice for yourself." He handed the money to his sister Belle, who gave a very enormous smile.

Luca walked out, ignoring Sarah’s presence.

He went straight to his father’s study, where he spent most of his time.

His father, Victor, waited for him in his study. The room was dimly lit, and the air was heavy with tension.

"Luca," Victor began in a stern tone, "you know the responsibility that rests on your shoulders as the heir to this family and its legacy. Tonight, you should have handled Antonio better. Instead, you let his reckless actions cause a scene in the club."

Luca's jaw clenched as he absorbed his father's words. He had anticipated this conversation.

"I understand, Father," Luca replied, his voice steady but laced with regret. “I will take stronger measures to ensure that such incidents do not happen again."

Victor's gaze bore into Luca's, his disappointment palpable. "Luca, being the head of this family means making difficult decisions. You must be ruthless when necessary, just as I have been. If you continue to let your friends misuse your friendship, you may not be fit for the job I've been grooming you for."

Luca's heart sank. He knew what his father was implying. If he didn't prove himself, the family legacy would be passed on to his younger brother, Matteo, who had always lived in his shadow.

"I won't let you down, Father," Luca vowed, his determination clear in his eyes. "I have managed the other businesses properly, and nothing has ever gone wrong."

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Victor looked at him.

“Do you know why I decided to give you the nightclub?" His father asked him.

Luca nodded his head.

“Have you started the job?” His father asked.

Luca sighed.

“It is difficult. I have been to many exhibitions, and I have not seen anyone who can bring things to life. The family was eradicated many years ago, and I am not sure we will be able to find anyone from that family again,” Luca told him.

Victor laughed.

“If none of them existed, then the curse would have been lifted by now. The prophecy cannot be wrong; we have to find the person, and so do whatever you can with all the connections you have so you can find him.” Victor said that and waved his hand for him to leave.

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