Consigliere

"How are you?" Rosanne asked while moonlight reflected upon her fair face making it glow.

"All fine by seeing you."

Samuel said while putting on a sparkling smile. The scene was panoramic and dramatic, a dome-like door was covered with vines, the terrace was all marble white and the railing was beautiful white well-crafted cylinders and two alluring pillars were supporting the painted roof. Both Samuel in a Fine Tuxedo, styled hair in a small pony, wide chest, lean physique, black stylish beard, and Green emerald eyes filled with love for Rosanne. Rosanne was wearing a red, lace border silk gown falling gracefully on her, the golden light waves were looking beautiful in a princess-style hair with a rose headband. Her diamond bracelet and ring shined brightly in the moonlight. She placed her hands on his arms and both were looking like they are made for each other.

Fingers of sunlight came inside Samuel's luxury bedroom by sieving from the net curtain. Making Samuel flinch and wake up. Samuel rubbed his face to wake up completely from his dreamland. He stood up and grabbed the cup of coffee which waited for him there impatiently. He took a sip of the Fresh and fragrant Italian Almond milk latte and went outside his balcony. The views were beautiful, lush green mount Edna, orchards of pink roses, glistening brightly on a sunny day in the Sicilian sea. He smelt in life or a glimpse of it. Why was he so happy today? His thoughts made him wander then when he remembered about Rosanne a smile came on his face. Yesterday after many years he finally met his love.

"Glad to see a smile after a long time." Edward came from behind and said in a light-hearted tone.

"Oh, Edward! How are you?" Samuel turned behind and said while coming inside his room from the balcony.

"I am right in front of you, peaceful and delighted after yesterday," Edward said while pretending to dance.

"Yesterday was a beautiful day," Samuel said while smiling at Edward's dramatic approach.

"Indeed it was, how did you like our surprise?" Edward asked.

"Your surprise?" Samuel said to tease Edward although he knew.

"Come on Samuel! I and Eliza planned this for both of you. We decided to bring you both there and yeah!" Edward said being annoyed slightly.

"Oh!" Samuel said sipping his latte and making a serious face while pretending not to know a thing,

"Do you want to say anything else?" Edward said with his eyes filled with shine.

"No, I don't think so." Samuel shook his head in disagreement while making a serious way.

"Samuel," Edward said being annoying.

"Hmm?" Samuel said while being unbothered.

"Brother, what do you say to someone who does plan a surprise for you or make some effort?" Edward asked in a questioning tone.

"Oh yeah thank you, thank you very much, Edward. I'm grateful for the evening." Samuel said while shaking Edward's hand generously and showing gratitude in his voice.

"Your welcome mate, now get ready we have to go for the meeting," Edward said while patting his shoulder being proud.

"Hmm, the first meeting in Lorenzo Mansion," Samuel said.

[Rosanne's house]

A gentle breeze came through the round window of Rosanne, silk curtains were flying beautifully in came the rose petals with the gentle spring breeze. The breeze was playing with Rosanne's golden strands trying to wake her up. A small gentle smile came on her face as Samuel's face appeared in front of her eyes. She sit up and stretched a bit. She cuffed her strand behind her ear while she was still smiling showing the cute smile on her face with the dimples. She looked outside the window and stood up. Then she looked at her engagement ring and said,

"It was nice meeting you, Samuel."

"Rose!" Her grandmother called her downstairs.

"Coming grandma."

She replied while smiling, she stood up and took her Grandmother's scarf from the chair, wrapped it around her and swirled around. Her smile was very beautiful so was her heart blowing in happiness, the jasmine on her light blue dress was showering from above her lying in her hair beautifully. The joy was all over her after seeing Samuel after longer than a decade. It was like her dream has come true, her prayers has been answered. She thanked God a million times for this blessing. Her Samuel was all fine and in reality, in front of her, it was the best day of her life. Whenever Samuel's face comes in front of her she gleams with happiness. She freshened herself up and wore a beautiful pink rose dress with a turquoise slightly shining base. She sat on her white British style, rose-painted dressing table and picked up her lip colour, none other than bright, poppy, cherry red. She made her hair into a beautiful braid and she smiled while looking at herself in the mirror. She then wore beautiful earrings which were of her mother's, she sprayed some beautiful lily of the valley scent on herself and went downstairs to look at her grandma.

"Breakfast is ready my darling." Her grandmother said while setting the breakfast table.

"Oh, My dear grandma you shouldn't have made it. You must be tired now let me do it for you." Rosanne said while placing the three-tier rose-patterned stand having different kinds of bread placed on it elegantly.

"Ah! My dear granddaughter why don't you let me work." Her grandmother said in her warm voice while Rosanne placed Almond butter and homemade strawberry jam.

"Because I am here grandmother then why should I let you work," Rosanne said in her sweet voice while placing fresh seasonal fruits such as kiwi (kiwi), strawberries (fragole), and cherries (ciliegie).

"Okay, I understand my darling." Her grandmother said while sitting on the dining chair. Rosanne placed some croissants when suddenly somebody knocked on the door.

"Who might be here this early?" Grandma said confused and eating her breakfast.

"I will see," Rosanne replied in a mellifluous voice.

Rosanne said while a radiant smile came on her round, cute, rosy red, beautiful face. She assumed that it would be Samuel. She went to the door while smiling, she rushed to it. And when she opened the door a man of height 6 feet 2 inches was standing there a smile came on her face thinking it was Samuel. But when that man turned facing towards Rosanne her smile disappeared and anger came on her face.

"Buongiorno!" Edmondson said while opening his hands.

"Good morning," Rosanne replied in a subtle tone.

"How are you, Rosanne?" Edmondson asked in a lovable voice and took her hand to kiss but she got rid of him before.

"Good and you?" She asked in a serious tone.

"I'm also great at seeing you," Edmondson replied in a vagrant way.

"Hmm." Rosanne nodded while slight anger came on her face.

"Won't you let me inside?" Edmondson asked while smiling uglier.

"Rosanne who is at the door?" Grandmother asked from inside politely.

" It's me Edmondson, Grandma! let me meet her hmm?" He said in a loud tone and shoved himself inside.

" Well, let's see what he has to say," Rosanne said with an innocent face and closed the door.

" How are you, Grandma?" Edmondson came inside the home and asked Grandmother while sitting on the dining chair beside Grandmother.

"I'm fine and you," Grandmother asked while eating her breakfast and offered him breakfast.

"I'm fine too," Edmondson said while excusing himself.

"What made you visit early in the morning?" Grandmother said while spreading jam on a twisted bread.

"Tea." Rosanne placed in front of him a delicate blue flower, gold-rimmed tea cup with a matching tea plate.

"Thank you, I'm here to discuss something important." Edmondson thanked Rosanne and stirred the tea.

"What is it?" Grandmother politely asked her.

"As you know as consigliere of Lorenzo and a big Law firm in London chief things are not easy for me and I am always in need of an experienced and eligible lawyer." Edmondson started to build the base of his argument like an efficient lawyer.

"So?" Grandmother asked respectfully.

"So I want Rosanne to work for my firm," Edmondson said quickly.

"What?" Grandmother's eyes widened with amazement.

"What made you think that?" Rosanne suddenly got infuriated and suddenly turned towards Edmondson.

"Rosanne-" Edmondson was about to say something but Rosanne cut in between which is very unlikely of her but she was angry to the core.

"I won't work for even a penny in your double-faced firm which is run by a hypocrite to rise the elites and crush the poor." She said angrily.

"But-" Edmondson said but Rosanne raised her hand telling him to stop.

"Thank you for your offer but I won't work there," Rosanne said while her face had an enraged expression.

"Try to understand Rosanne it's for your good." Edmondson tried to convince her.

"I am well aware of what is good for me and what is hazardous for me I am an adult not a teenager, okay Mr Brown?" Rosanne said while her eyes widened and rage for Edmondson was evident in them.

"Okay, I respect your choice," Edmondson said trying to cool down Rosanne.

"Thank you, you may leave now," Rosanne said while having an ire expression on her face.

"Okay, a wise man guest knows when to leave." He placed the hibiscus tea aside and stood up.

"Take care grandmother," Edmondson said in a sad tone,

"You too." Grandmother said in an unpleasant tone too.

"I will accompany you to the door," Rosanne said courteously although she still had anger on her cute face,

"Hmm." He went towards the door and so did Rosanne with a cross expression on her face. She opened the door for him and lowered her face to avoid seeing his face. Edmondson sighed hopelessly and went in his Victoria Benz with a heavy heart.

"You did the right thing, Rosanne." Grandmother said while tapping Rosanne's shoulder proudly.

" Thank you, Grandmother, I couldn't shake hands with the one who stabbed Samuel's back," Rosanne said in a lowered voice to her Grandmother.

"Okay now calm down and eat your breakfast." Grandmother said while giving Rosanne a croissant.

"Little did she know what I had in my heart." He said while taking a ring box out of his brown cashmere overcoat's inner pocket. He opened the box which had the diamond of a platinum ring shining brightly. He closed the box and placed it back in his coat and diverted his gaze toward the beautiful Taormina scenery.

"Where to sir?" the driver asked,

"To Lorenzo Armani's mansion," Edmondson replied.

The huge gates of Lorenzo's mansion opened wide. The cars came in and parked around the circular parking of the gigantic Italian mansion. There was a guard appointed to lead the way for each official member of the council. Officials who were present last night at the party came one by one into the mansion. Samuel's Victoria Benz came inside the mansion and stopped in front of the Italian marble stairs surrounded by a beautiful landscape garden. Edmondson and Edward also arrived inside with Katherine too.

"Let's see what's today meeting is about. " Samuel said while looking at the mansion. Samuel was wearing a white, broad square check brown three-piece, formal, tailor-made, fine Italian suit with a red tie. His shoes were also made of Italian leather and had buckles on them, he was holding a brown leather office bag in his hands. His hair was styled up and his beard was a shirt to mid-length he closed his coat's button and went inside the luxurious ambience of the Armani Mansion. Edward was wearing a grey three-piece, fine-stitched suit with a brown tie and black shoes.

"Ah! It's never easy for a consigliere." Edmondson sighed and closed his coat's button. Edmondson was wearing a brown cashmere overcoat and a black sheer coat, pants and tie along with the white shirt. His golden brown hair was styled up with his Italian beard.

All stepped into the mansion in full groove and style.

Inside the meeting room was a long wooden conference table with green chairs lined aside by a throne-like brown leather chair for Lorenzo. Then the guards opened the door and Lorenzo arrived, Samuel got reminded of the first time when he met the much younger, full of arrogance Mafia King compared to the now older and former Mafia King.

"Welcome all, thank you for coming," Lorenzo said in his cold, gruff voice.

"Our pleasure." The council members said and sat on their seats.

"Well, you all might be thinking why I gathered you here in the morning," Lorenzo said in a questioning tone.

"If you have called us then it might be something important," Samuel replied in his deep husky voice.

"It is indeed. I am stepping down and my son will be your new King I expect you to serve him just like you did for me. Otherwise, I am looking for good compost for my vineyards." Lorenzo said while taking out his gun.

"Yes sir Yes, we will serve The Grace till our last." All those members who became Edmondson's so-called council turned their backs on him and hastily said while nodding their heads like puppies. Edmondson glared at them but they didn't bother because they didn't want to become the compost for the vineyard.

Lorenzo looked at Samuel who smirked at Edmondson's council's act. Lorenzo asked in his gruff voice,

"What is your decision, Mr Romeo?"

"My answer is in your favour, I am accepting your offer," Samuel answered while the corners of his lips turned up slightly.

"Very well then, I held this meeting to tell you that with the new King will be a new advisor (consigliere). Congratulations Mr Romeo Romano." Lorenzo said while smiling very lightly and ordered a man who went to Edmondson and asked for his ring. Edmondson removed his ring and gave it to the man, he gave it to Lorenzo and Lorenzo himself honourably to Samuel. Samuel wore it, it was a black ring made with a lion's face on top of it.

"Congratulations Mr Romeo." Mr Mario Giovanni was the first to congratulate Samuel.

"Congratulations." A member of Edmondson's supporters came and hurriedly kissed Samuel's ring.

"Congratulations." People congratulated coming one by one to Samuel getting up from their seats and kissing his lion ring and then touching his hand on their forehead as a gesture of respect. Samuel's expression was very subtle and Edward was smiling but someone was burning with jealousy who just got the taste of betrayal. That was none other than Edmondson.

"What? How can he be the consigliere when I am still alive?" Edmondson revolted.

"Do you have any problem? "Lorenzo said while pointing his gun towards Edmondson.

"I am not afraid of death okay? Show your gun to someone else." Edmondson shrugged away Lorenzo and Lorenzo's men came from behind to capture Edmondson but Lorenzo stopped them.

"I think you have forgotten your place former consigliere," Lorenzo said while he seemed very calm from the outside but inside a volcano was about to erupt with anger.

"No I haven't-" Edmondson resisted.

"I don't think I would like to see you as the compost of the vineyard," Samuel said while averting his gaze towards Edmondson's furious face.

"What do you think you are huh?" Edmondson said in an extremely angered tone.

"You just came here two weeks ago and you're starting to think you will leave everyone behind and succeed," Edmondson said while clenching his fist, his face turned red and a vein popped out from his forehead in rage.

" What you see in others is a reflection of your own," Samuel said while staring right into Edmondson's eyes.

"What do you mean?" Lorenzo asked abruptly in a questioning tone.

"Sir! Sir!" A guard came from behind and rushed inside the meeting room.

"What? " Lorenzo asked in a raised voice, while a cross expression was on his face but he kept sitting.

"Mr Richard is arrested." The man replied in a worried way, sweat was on his forehead and his colour became pale.