1 Chapter one: When the capo receives a letter

Dear Sir,

Hope you and your family are doing well. You may not know me, but my late mother Suzuna Yamamoto had been an acquaintance of yours when she used to work as a hostess in Tokyo during the year 2005. According to the documents I have in my possession, along with my mother's journals, you met her in the August of 2005, and I was born in May 2006, exactly nine months after. Even the hospital documents state that I am your biological daughter.

I came to know about this information after my mother's death. I am 16 years old and have no one to turn to as a legal guardian. I am humbly seeking your protection till I become an adult.

I understand that after all these years accepting an unknown person as your daughter can be very difficult for you and your family. But with my full consciousness, I declare that I have no desire to take possession of your properties and other materials. I am only seeking your guardianship for two years so that I can continue my studies and be an independent woman.

If you have any doubts regarding my identity, I am agreeable to conducting a DNA test to suit you. But it is my fervent request not to refuse me for I have no other means to continue my efforts. I am begging you with utmost humility.

Thank you for lending me some of your precious time. Hope I am not bothering you too much. Again, thank you.

Sincerely,

Erika Yamamoto

Alessio Barzini puts down the letter after he finishes reading. His father, Dominico, is looking at him very closely, waiting for a verdict.

He shrugs, "It can be a hoax. People make such stupid things every day."

"I thought so too until the social service called."

Now Alessio becomes a bit unnerved. He was not taking it seriously before. "They did?"

"Yes. The Japanese child protection service contacted them on an international basis. They found my name on their family register. They were confirming all the details. Asked if I am willing to progress further."

"So, what did you say?"

"I said yes."

Alessio gets up from the visitor's chair of his father's office he was occupying until now. He needs a drink, so he makes a peg of whiskey for himself as well as for his father. "Pops, that can be a trap."

Dominico understands how unnerving the news could be for a man, for any man. Promiscuity is something men often conduct out of moment's desire but do not consider the consequences. "Who will put such a trap?"

"I do not know… the Japanese Yakuza or something. Perhaps, a rival organization."

"A rival organization will send a sixteen years old girl to us? Isn't that a bit much?" Dominico becomes hesitant. How good is it to discuss such things with his son? He is considerably a cool-headed person, perhaps too much. But not every day a man expects to have a stepsister! Maybe it is not as easy for him as his father thinks.

But Alessio dismisses all his father's doubts. He is thinking it through. "Possible, if that girl is a hacker or something. Somebody can try to sabotage us. Maybe she is trying to take us down from our turf or something."

Dominico nods. Yes, it is possible. Nowadays, kids are way too smart. Back when he was about Alessio's age or less than that, kids this age could only work on the streets or something. Even then girls would work in brothels and boys as soldiers for the family. It is true then, time flies fast. "So, what should we do?"

"You are asking me?"

"Yes, I am asking you. Granted, this is my mess to clean up, but you are going to be in my place someday. If such a situation ever comes up, what should you do as the head of the family?"

"Before that, let me ask you something. You think this is true?" Alessio was pacing through the length of the office while drinking. Now calmly, he takes the seat he vacated earlier. He must be calm. This is not the time to freak out.

Dominico sighs. "Partially, yes. I indeed went to Tokyo in 2005. You know the reason. We needed the Shirakin clan's ammunition company deal. And we signed it on a ten years contract basis."

"Yeah, I went back to renew it in 2016. I remember."

"Now, I met a young woman, fresh in this business during that time. She said her name was Hana, but now that I think back on it, it could be a trading name. I was her first customer. She told me that she had taken birth control medications. But to avoid further complications, I used protection too. But there was one time…one time I forgot. But I used it the moment I realized it. Hana was insisting on it too. Said, her family would disown her."

"Why did she come into this business if she was afraid of being disowned?"

Dominico shrugs, "I did not know. I only needed her body. She was clean, that was all I needed to know at that time. She said though that she needed her university tuition fees. I even saw her student ID. Let me tell you, that was not fake." Dominico knows that for sure. They make fake IDs out of the woodwork.

Alessio nods in understanding. There is nothing wrong, at least, nothing on the surface. A man can figure out only so many things about his one-night stands.

And he cannot accuse his father of adultery. It is a known fact that Dominico married Minerva Barzini to consolidate his business, not out of love. They respected each other, and they stayed loyal to each other, till death did them part. Alessio lost his mother to uterine cancer about two decades ago. Of course, his father would move on after that. Hell, he would move on after that. So, he finds no fault in that.

That means, either Miss Yamamoto is a precum baby, or someone is trying to make them fools by using silly pranks.

If that is the case, they should know that when in the jungle, befriend the lion instead of trying to take him down. And the lion will start by taking the sacrificial lamb.

(To be continued)

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