At that moment, Theodoro was facing Luciano, who had visited the De Lucia bar.

 

Leaning against the bar table and lifting his on-the-rocks glass, Theodoro didn’t seem very happy to see his brother, despite their relationship. 

 

His voice, as dark and sunken as his complexion, flowed out.

 

“Don Corleone was here earlier. He was looking for you.”

 

“Ah… Gasparo? I should contact him separately. I guess he came by to show his face for the New Year.”

 

“…Were the two of you that close?”

 

Luciano, who was also leaning against the bar table side-by-side, shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

 

“Why wouldn’t we be? It’s the same for both him and me—we have many subordinates under us. People in the same situation stick together.”

“…I see.”

 

The strength in Theodoro’s hand holding the glass increased, making his knuckles stand out prominently.

 

Just a friendship between bosses leading their families… 

 

Yes, he wanted to let it go at that. He wanted to believe there was no other reason. So much so that he wanted to ignore the obvious fact that it wasn’t just that.

Because he felt like he was burning up inside, he roughly gulped down his drink.

 

Did Luciano know how his younger brother felt? 

 

He, looking completely at ease as he watched the stage, spoke again, “Being here like this reminds me of our old days. Back when this place was the Grace Bar, small performances were held on that stage every night. Those were good times, weren’t they?”

 

It felt as if something was stuck in his throat; Theodoro couldn’t answer right away. 

 

Only after pouring another shot of liquor down his throat was he able to force out his voice with difficulty.

 

“That’s right. The good times… I miss them.”

 

“That’s good to hear. I thought my little brother was trying to completely erase the memory of our happy days from his mind.”

“…What?”

 

Theodoro’s eyes instantly turned cold and icy.

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Even at the sharp tone, Luciano remained as composed as ever, taking a sip from his glass to wet his throat.

 

“Or maybe that’s a good thing.”

 

“…”

 

“I hope that’s not the case, I really do.”

 

The tightly pressed line of Theodoro’s lips twitched faintly. 

 

He hopes that’s not the case? Who did he think he was to say that?

 

‘I’m the one who wants to say that more than anyone.’

 

He had been throwing himself wholeheartedly into the family’s work. 

 

Yet Don Benedetti himself was trying to turn him, his own brother no less, into an enemy. He tried hard to deny it, but he knew very well that this was the truth.

 

Secretly joining hands with the boss of another family was usually for business purposes or to eliminate a common enemy. 

 

But if it were the former, he would have undoubtedly discussed it with Vincent—and if it were the latter…

 

Theodoro gently closed his eyes against the wave of helplessness washing over him.

 

“If you had wanted to kill someone from the start… you would have told me without needing to involve Gasparo.”

 

The fact that he didn’t meant there was a high probability that the person he wanted to kill was Theodoro himself.

 

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed with difficulty. 

 

He simply couldn’t understand. He was the same person now as he was in the past, the one who vowed to help his brother and raise the Benedetti family back up.

 

So why?

 

“…Brother.”

 

Theodoro let out a strained voice, his teeth clenched.

 

“All I want is for the organization our father built to survive and remain strong. I have no other purpose.”

 

That was the truth—a sincere truth without an ounce of falsehood.

 

But in Luciano’s pitch-black eyes, so similar to his own, a cold sneer seemed to glint for some reason.

 

“Do you think what I want is so different? It’s the same for me. My greatest wish is to maintain the organization as we have done up until now, just as we will continue to do in the future.”

 

“…”

 

“And for things between us… to remain as they were in the past, when there were no problems at all.”

 

Then what on earth is the problem?

 

Hearing him say this… made me think that the idea of him trying to purge me was just a hasty misjudgment, a misunderstanding.

 

‘If that is your true feelings… then call off the assassination. If nothing happens tonight… then things between us will be no different than before.’

 

He looked at Luciano, but he had already turned his gaze away to look at the stage, his inner thoughts impossible to gauge. 

 

What was he thinking? What future was he envisioning? He couldn’t even tell.

 

Theodoro twisted his lips and grabbed the bottle of liquor. His mind was chaotic with swirling, complicated thoughts—it was to the point where he couldn’t possibly endure without the aid of alcohol.

 

But all his contemplations instantly evaporated, replaced by a question that had suddenly flown into his mind.

 

An unexpected question. 

 

Coincidentally, the song had just ended, making the voice even clearer.

 

“But that young lady. Is she really just a singer?”

 

“…!”

 

Theodoro, who was about to pour whiskey into the empty glass, paused for a moment. He feigned composure and finished pouring the drink, but his eyes were churning like waves on a night sea.

 

“…So?”

 

“Well, I heard a rumor that the two of you are attached at the hip every single day, that’s why I’m asking. I think I saw you together at a party a few days ago, too.”

 

Ah… The moment he heard that, a sense of relief settled in one corner of his heart.

 

He also recalled what Gasparo had told him. 

 

A momentary tension had gripped his entire body, fearing that some talk about her engaging in suspicious activities might surface.

 

As he had told her—that there was nothing to hide—he had already firmly decided to trust her.

 

Should he call it fortunate? 

 

What Luciano brought up wasn’t a shocking story that would shatter that trust, but a predictable suspicion.

 

‘Is that all he’s curious about? Why are we always together, sticking through every little thing?’

 

He had thought that Luciano would become curious someday. He just didn’t know it would be today.

 

Theodoro let out a deep sigh, then turned his body and subtly glanced toward the stage. She had finished her short performance and was putting away the microphone.

 

‘Liliana Moretti… the woman I intend to keep by my side, the one who will stir up our family together.’

 

He couldn’t possibly relay those words to Luciano verbatim. It was abundantly clear that this old-world organization did not accept women as members. 

 

Discussing crucial business matters with a woman? 

 

Sadly, such a thing simply didn’t happen in this world.

 

But if he said he wanted to bring change to the organization with that woman, that he’d even personally held an initiation ceremony for her…

 

‘At my age, I’d be called a pitiful, pathetic little brother, led around by the nose by a woman.’

 

Theodoro chewed on the inside of his cheek as he stared intently at the woman on stage. 

 

Did she feel his piercing, intense gaze?

 

Suddenly, she raised her head, and their eyes locked from across the space.

 

There was no need for deep contemplation. Theodoro gave a slight jerk of his chin.

 

‘It’s better than stringing together a bunch of trivial words…’

 

Yes, he thought, this is nothing more than a simple and certain way to avoid unnecessary suspicion.

 

💫

 

Liliana hadn’t been able to maintain her sobriety since the moment Wayne entered the bar.

 

Her weak legs had brought her to the brink of collapsing several times, and she had endured multiple instances of her vision darkening.

 

While she was singing, Wayne never once took his eyes off her. 

 

It was the same now. She could still feel his gaze pinned on her, and why did Theodoro have to…

 

He stood by the bar, staring at her with a direct gaze. His mouth didn’t even twitch—he just gave a single jerk of his chin, but she knew better than anyone that it was a summons.

 

She didn’t want Wayne to see her with Theodoro. 

 

Perhaps from the moment she had set foot in the De Lucia bar, everything had been doomed to ruin.

 

Liliana forced her reluctant feet to move, walking towards the man waiting for her.

 

Step by step…

 

He grew closer. It was when only a step or two remained between them.

 

“Theodo— Hmph!”

 

A solid arm suddenly wrapped around her waist. Her body was pulled irresistibly close. Before she could even finish saying his name, something warm and soft blocked her mouth.

 

“…!”

 

Shock washed over her eyes, which had been sunk in darkness. Her eyelids flew wide open, as if they might tear, and through her parted, startled lips, his tongue pushed its way in.

 

Instinctively, she pulled her body back, but a grip that was both soft and strong tightly pulled the back of her head and her waist closer. 

 

Thick, fleshy muscle filled her mouth completely, entwining itself around her tongue.

 

Saliva mingled and swirled. 

 

In that sticky mire, Theodoro’s tongue moved smoothly, tracing over the delicate mucosa.

 

As if melting her frozen state, it was intensely gentle and slow.

 

At that moment, she couldn’t think of anything else.

 

What he pushed in was merely a piece of flesh no bigger than two fingers, yet it overwhelmed her with a burdensome, massive presence.

 

The rich, heavy scent of vanilla and musk, densely packed deep into her nostrils. The searing heat radiating from the body of a man who seemed like he wouldn’t bleed even if pierced. 

 

The bitter, pungent aroma of whiskey swirling thickly in her mouth.

 

Everything he contained filled her, preventing even the sounds of the world from reaching her.

 

In her distant mind, she felt the tongue, entwined with saliva, slowly receding. 

 

Just as it had arrived without warning, Theodoro’s lips departed without warning as well.

 

Until then, Liliana remained frozen, unable to even blink.

 

Was it a dream?

 

No, it couldn’t be. As if proving that the unbelievable kiss was not her dream, a lingering warmth remained on her lips.

 

Meeting her confused, turbulent gaze, Theodoro spoke.

 

“Brother, she’s my girlfriend.”