Chapter 22 The Past of Marco Bianchi, the Mafia Heir

Marco Bianchi's POV:

Elena still couldn't recognize me.

Guess I even messed up her impression of me.

Before she barged into the garden, I was chatting with Albert about branching out the Bianchi family's investments into other industries.

The garden was empty, so we were talking freely. "Haven't the Bianchi family's agents asked you to come back recently?"

"My brothers have caused so much trouble that he's been too busy. He hopes I can stay out of trouble until he sorts things out."

In Chicago, one of my brothers, who had no inheritance rights, got attacked in his apartment.

He made some nasty comments at the previous Bianchi family leader's funeral about the inheritance part of the will, and the old guard killed him.

The Bianchi family stuck to old Italian traditions. The heir had to be Italian. Even though the previous leader had a bunch of illegitimate kids, only four were purebloods.

Each of the four family agents would nominate one candidate, and only one of these four candidates, after securing the leader's position through his own means and gaining the agents' approval, could ultimately become the family leader.

I only found out I was one of the legitimate heirs when I was rescued from the Chicago gangsters.

Since Chicago was a place I had stayed before, if I stayed too close, my brother's remaining subordinates who didn't know the truth about my brother's death might come after me.

At such a critical time, any dangerous connection could cost lives.

I didn't hide these things from Albert. When he agreed to join my faction, he became a part of the Bianchi family.

"Then you can enjoy a few more days of vacation. This is wonderful; maybe you can start a dramatic love story with my sister." Albert teased me.

When I returned to the Garcia family with Albert, I was surprised to see Elena again, and I was shocked to learn that Elena was Albert's biological sister.

When she disappeared from the streets of Chicago, I searched for her for a long time.

At first, I learned from her neighbors about her mother's death.

I felt sorry about that. The police said Elena's stepfather killed her mother. He was angry after losing at the casino and smashed the poor woman's head with a bottle when he got home. It happened the night Elena saved me again.

I was shocked. I knew how much Elena loved her mother and I couldn't imagine her expression when she found out the truth.

During my time wandering the streets, I had also encountered that kind-hearted lady several times. She and Elena always helped me, even though they never remembered me.

Since I was indeed in a bad state back then. After my mother died, I wandered around, living a lonely life that made me distrust everyone and targeted by the street thugs.

To avoid those thugs, I had no extra energy to take care of myself every day, but it was quite convenient as I secretly took a brick to teach Andrew a lesson multiple times, he never realized it was me.

I thought Elena had chosen to leave the neighborhood, but then I heard someone say the casino manager took her and her stepfather away.

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"No, what if those gangsters target me? I don't need to take that risk. Even if I called the police, that bastard Andrew might come after me for my good deed. Although Elena is a good girl, her father's a scoundrel."

"Andrew owed them too much money. They might sell her organs, and if Elena is lucky, they might just make her a prostitute."

Hearing their words, I just felt sad and angry. I still remember Elena's expression when she wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with a handkerchief. She was gentle and kind. She didn't deserve such a fate.

I went to the casino manager, San. It might have been a dumb move, but all I could think about was saving Elena.

People stuck in the muck always yearn for the sunlight they once had, and for me, Elena was that sunlight.

Of course, it didn't go well.

But when San pointed a gun at my head, he got a message.

"Bastard, you better kill me, or I'll find a chance to cut off your head and feed it to the stray dogs," I spat on San's face.

But he just smiled. "Don't be so tense. From now on, you're our honored guest. As an apology, how about I tell you the girl's whereabouts?" He looked at me with a weirdly friendly smile. "She was taken by her real family. Don't get excited. I'm not lying. I can't give you more details, but I can tell you her family is from Los Angeles, and their last name is Garcia. Maybe one day you'll meet her in Los Angeles."

I started to hesitate.

San's behavior puzzled me. He could have killed me right there and didn't need to tell me anything.

But later, when someone claiming to be from the Bianchi family found me, I got why San changed his tune.

The Bianchi family, a gang even street thugs knew about, mostly consisted of people with Italian blood. Their territory spanned most of the U.S., with businesses in gambling, drugs, and the sex industry.

The agent who came to get me, Francesco, told me my mom was a mistress who betrayed my dad. She was spared because she was pregnant and vowed to take care of me, who had the bloodline, but she broke her promise.

The Bianchi family should have found me when she abandoned me. I was only fourteen, thrown onto the streets.

But the leader refused. "If he can't survive among a pack of greedy hyenas, he deserves to die like a worthless piece of trash."

So I had to struggle on my own to stay alive.

Luckily, I survived until the leader's death.

But now, I have to fight to become the sole heir to stay alive.

According to family tradition, the new leader must kill his brothers for family stability, even if they renounce their inheritance rights.

I had no choice.

Francesco admired the ruthlessness in me. "Wolves are pack animals, so they ultimately depend on the pack to live. But you're different, Marco; you're a true lone wolf."

"Maybe I'll bite through your throat first."

"That would be my honor."

My threat was nothing to Francesco, a man who thrived in the darkness, just the barking of a small dog.

After taking me back to the family and teaching me for a while, Francesco recommended some candidates and told me I needed people to help manage the family's business.

Among those recommended was Albert.

When I picked up Albert's file, Francesco introduced him to me. "Albert Garcia, an interesting guy who loves challenges. His father, James Garcia, managed funds for a small family. After that family was destroyed, he was summoned by the police, so there's a scandal of suspected betrayal.

If you choose him, you'll probably face some doubts."

Albert's resume was the best among the candidates. Even without the Garcia surname, I couldn't find a reason to refuse.

Francesco immediately contacted Albert for me, and Albert lived up to Francesco's evaluation. He found joining the Bianchi family and managing funds quite challenging and agreed almost without hesitation.

He also invited me to Los Angeles with him. "My parents found my biological sister, who had been lost for years. I want to see her."

With a hint of anticipation, I asked for his sister's name.

"Elena, I forgot her last name, but it doesn't matter. After the banquet, she'll change it to Garcia."

Elena!

I could hardly control the surprise on my face.