The Alpha Mafia King
Chapter 25

Taleela had expected to see a look of anger and frustration on Alonso’s face when he returned, but he was smiling up at her. Although he was smiling, he did not engage her in a conversation; instead, he followed Mazza inside the library. She waited for them to come out as time transcended from seconds to minutes and finally hours.

What the hell were they both of them discussing? There was one sure way to replace out, but she wondered if the AI housekeeper would let her in on the secret. Tired of waiting, she wandered off into the gym.

“Welcome, Miss Taleela,” said the AI voice. “I’m happy to announce to you that my physical body will be ready for use in a week.”

Taleela let out a yelping sound and said, “That’s so awesome! Did they speed up the process or what?”

“Something like that.”

“Nice!”

“You do not seem like you are ready to workout, and this is not your workout hour.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Taleela said hesitantly. “I’m just inquisitive! Alonso has been with Mazza in the library for two hours since he returned. What are they discussing?”

“The library is off-limits even for me. I cannot hear or see anything happening there. They must be talking about recent events, though.”

“No problem, I’ll just wait for them to finish here.”

Taleela wondered if computers could tell lies. Anyway, her mind drifted to Lady Tanya, who had gone to visit her child in the hospital. Bianco and Vincenzo had gone on a search mission. She could not believe that Juno was the one who had set up Alonso.

They, too, had been feeling that he was being set up, although she had first thought Eureka was the one setting him up. She reprimanded herself for being too quick to judge. She sat on a bench.

“Taleela!” the voice chimed, startling her. “What will you do if you replace your real family, or perhaps they replace you?”

She had not thought of that very much. She had not given enough spotlight to that particular aspect of her life since Alonso had stolen all that shine. It was as if, deep down, she did not want anyone to replace her. She loved it here, but then there was always that thirst to know who she had been.

“Well, if they are the kind of people I have imagined them to be, then I’ll welcome them with open hands!” Taleela said. She picked up a dumbbell and started doing a dumbbell bicep curl.

“And if they are not?”

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to see how far off the mark they are from my expectations.”

“What are your expectations?”

“Honestly, I think this place just grew on me. I want my family to be something like this.”

“Can you explain what you mean?”

“I wish I were related to a Mafia family who was as wealthy as the Marcovic family,” said Taleela, who was feeling stunned by her response.

“It is just a speculative guess. Let’s say you are true of Russian descent and your family was a powerful Mafia, and then you would be the daughter of Ivan Makarov.”

Taleela looked blank. “I think you’ve mentioned that name before. The man looked for his daughter before he died, but I didn’t know him. However, if he was anything like Mazza and he is my father, then I’ll cherish his memory.”

Taleela had questions, but she asked them in her mind: ‘How was Ivan searching for his daughter on the dark web without a picture or a name?’

‘How did Ivan die?’

Meanwhile, Mazza’s head was swelling in the library. After Alonso got back, he spoke to Mazza about how Mariyanna was the daughter of Ivan. He had a feeling that Taleela might be too. They argued, and then Alonso revealed the secret AI watching the house.

Mazza was surprised that the automated gym instructor was watching every nook and cranny of the mansion. The computer had befriended Taleela, and she confided in it more than anyone, so they put her to the test. They knew she would get curious or bored and go to the gym after waiting several minutes. It shocked them that their plan had to reach two hours before it was set in motion.

“You see, she doesn’t know who Ivan is,” Mazza argued defensively.

“Wait, they are still talking!” Alonso cut in. His gaze was affixed to Taleela, watching for any slight behavior change. He would know if she was lying.

Taleela kept on answering the questions thinking she was having a mere conversation with a friendly AI robot. Unbeknownst to her, Mazza and Alonso were testing her to know if she was acting or remembered something from her past she had failed to mention.

“Ivan has two daughters, and one of them is called Mariyanna Makarov,” the AI pressed for a reaction, but Taleela just continued with her workout. She began to take the exercise more seriously as she engaged more in conversing with the unseen robot.

“And the second one is the missing girl? Maybe she has been found.” Taleela said, hoping she was not the one. Somehow it made her hurt to think that if Ivan was her father, then that would mean he was dead.

“Yes, and the second one is missing to date!”

“Oh, that’s sad. I guess there’s still no picture or name of her.”

“I have not been able to see anything on the internet.”

Taleela let out a sigh of relief. “I hope that I’m not her.”

“Why?”

Taleela explained that she did not know how to deal with knowing her father was dead. Mainly if he was somebody like Mazza. Talking about dead fathers, she had recently learned the truth in Alonso’s absence that his father had died when he was only a boy.

—

Alonso was almost convinced that Taleela was indeed ignorant about who she was. After Mariyanna had opened up to be Ivan’s daughter, it was only fitting for him to take specific new precautionary measures with Taleela.

The mysterious identities of Ivan’s daughter could mean that any Russian girl was his. Mariyanna did not look like Taleela, and she did not precisely have her thick Russian accent. She almost sounded Italian, but he knew she was not.

There was one thing left to do to be sure Taleela was not playing undercover for Ivan or Mariyanna if she was her sister. He decided that he would invite Mariyanna over to his house.

Alonso arrived at the office the following day, accompanied by his bodyguards. His secretary had left him a dozen missed calls and text messages over the week. As soon as he stepped out of the car, there were men and women of the media houses trying to get his attention. He caught sight of the media team struggling with security men around him and halted them.

“Mr. Alonso!” a female reporter thrust a mic to his face. “Do you have any involvement in the shooting of Eureka Oriano?”

“Next!” Alonso said, and another reporter jumped at the opportunity. He was a young male and had brown eyes.

“It doesn’t add up,” the man said. “How can Eureka get shot at, her dad disappears, and now she is saying someone is trying to set you up.”

Alonso paused. “Of course, it adds up. Eureka and I are friends, and she only said about my company because we had minor differences, not even for the gain of her father’s company. Eureka doesn’t even work for Dorado’s chemical anymore. Someone wants to aggravate the things she said.”

“So you have nothing to do with her father’s disappearance?” the reporter asked, looking dumbstruck.

“Like I’ll admit it even if I was guilty? You’re all just looking for something to tell!”

“I don’t!” said Alonso. Cameras flashlights attacked him, and he gritted his teeth.

Thankfully, the security men had led him safely into the office, and he sat down with an exasperated sigh. He checked his watch, and it was eight twenty a:m. He had about ten more minutes before Mariyanna would be there to see him.

Mariyanna was precisely on time, and she walked right into the office at eight-thirty. She had a faint smile spread across her lips. The door was shut behind her tightly. She put on a black mini skirt that clung to her accentuating her h**s and butt. Her legs were long and perfectly shaped.

Alonso took his gaze upwards. She had a bright red lipstick applied just in the right proportion. She looked nothing like a Don, and she looked like a seductress! He wondered why women were out to get him.

“I guess now that we are fully acquainted, I can call you Don?” Mariyanna asked, taking her seat like she owned the office.

“You can call me that,” said Alonso. “Why are you dressed like a slut to my office?”

“How I chose to look is my business.”

“Noted, so you are calling the attack on your father and that of my casino even?”

“I didn’t care much for the man. I mean, he literally put my sister second to none, but she’s dead now, and so is he. I have bigger goals than to be frolicking with revenge. That’s why I’ll reiterate that my consigliere acted on his own accord, and that should end there.”

“Very well then, but I can’t say I trust you yet, but I’ll maintain the peace for now.”

“Same, if you want peace, I’m game, and if you’re interested in starting a war with me, I’m game too. You should know that I don’t scare easily. I mean, I’m here right after the attack on your casino. No guards accompany me.”

Alonso chuckled lightly. “How did your sister die? I thought she was missing.”

Mariyanna had a forlorn gaze on her face. Why did Alonso sound suspicious? She knew Alyona was dead, and she murdered her with her own hands. Everyone who thinks she is missing does not realize that she is beneath the ocean.

“I’m just assuming she’s dead because it’s been almost a Year of fruitless searching.”

Alonso wondered what if Taleela was indeed the lost sheep. His plan to invite home the shepherd would expose her. After they discussed a bit more about other things, he decided to make a play for his plan.

“Mariyanna, I’m inviting you over to my house for dinner and business talk.”

“Is this how often you invite sluts into your home?” Mariyanna said, rising. “If I have the chance to attend, then I’ll show up.”

***

Bianco and Vincenzo had been searching high and low for Juno. Eventually, they found the beat-up car that he drove regularly. It was abandoned next to a warehouse. The door was opened, and they went to look inside.

Immediately, Vincenzo felt something knock him on his head and collapsed on the floor. Bianco spun around in time to catch the wood that was aiming for his skull. He punched their attacker and refrained from beating him up some more when he saw that it was Lucian. The man ran away, seeing that he stood no chance against Bianco. Vincenzo g*****d in pain on the floor, which was why Bianco did not go after Lucian.

“What the hell? I think my head is broken!” Vincenzo said, and Bianco snorted, trying to stifle a laugh.

“You’re a weakling!” he said.

“I’m not as strong as you’re. You’ve supernatural strength and healing.”

“Quit complaining and get up already! We need to call this in now!” Bianco said, looking towards the direction Lucian ran to.

Bianco inspected the place and was sure it had been used to hold Lucian captive. He wondered how the man had freed himself.

Moreover, he asked why he had not gotten away since he had the chance. Why did he wait for them? It did not add up. Well, he was going to leave the critical thinking to his boss.