New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

As they walked away from the study, Alfred shook his head, letting out a tired sigh. He was already anticipating the workload for the next few days.

Looking at Alexander, he wasn’t sure how to feel. To his understanding, the young man was fierce when defending his loved ones, but this went to a whole other level.

To many people, the justification here would be that they started it. But it would nonetheless be murder.

Lots of it, too.

Alfred grabbed Alex’s arm, stopping him.

“I have one question for you. Your answer will decide whether I bring you to see the lady and little lady, or if I bring you to the door and kick you out.”

Alex looked at him with intensity.

“What are your motives here? Why are you ready to go to such lengths? You could have accepted Mr. Bellemare’s offer and forget about it. Why are you willing to do this yourself?”

Alex pulled his arm out of Alfred’s grip slowly.

“I would be lying if there wasn’t a part of me that wants revenge, but that isn’t my motivation in this case. When Mr. Bellemare told me the Bianchi family had started looking deeper into the matter, I understood I wasn’t the only one affected anymore.”

Alex sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, anxiously.

“If they dig around, with the means I assume they have, it won’t take long until they have faces and names. The faces and names of everyone I hold dear or consider friends. I may not like looking for a fight, at least outside of New Eden, but I also don’t want my people to get into harm’s way because of me.

“If doing this myself doesn’t make this stupid, prideful family understand I won’t rest until they lay this to rest, then I will keep hunting them until my people are safe. And Violette is part of my people.”

Alfred looked at him with a new sense of respect. The will to risk yourself for others’ safety, and to take responsibility for your actions’ effects, was something that many people lacked in these modern times.

He nodded his head solemnly at Alex and resumed walking, taking him toward the back garden.

When they reached it, Katherine was waiting for them, a third chair already pulled up, with a teacup at the ready. Violette was sitting in a chair, her mischievous attitude gone.

Katherine gestured to Alex to sit down. And so he did, as the head maid poured him a cup of tea.

Katherine spoke up first.

“I’ve been apprised of the situation and will be the one to give you the information you seek. I ask only that you wait for my husband to put together the team that would be your backup.”

Alexander raised an eyebrow, wondering how the news had already reached her ears. Or even how she was the one with the information he wanted.

“Aren’t you going to wait for me to pay first?” he asked, curiously.

Katherine smiled warmly at him.

“I don’t see why I would need such reserves, dear. I know you will pay.”

Alex frowned lightly.

‘How would she know that? Five hundred grand isn’t a small sum…’

“I also have another question.”

“Pray tell,” Katherine responded, her smile ever present.

“Why are you the one with the information, and not your husband? Isn’t he the one who takes care of these things?”

Alex watched as Katherine brought her hand delicately to her mouth before giggling softly.

“Oh, my dear. There are so many things you don’t know about the world. The company doesn’t just belong to my husband. He did not marry me just for my beautiful face and good manners, after all. Ours was a marriage born in business, first and foremost. Love came after.”

Such a weird statement, said with that level of serenity, threw off Alex instantly. Wouldn’t a woman marry only for love in this modern day and age?

‘High society hasn’t developed much, has it?’ he wondered, taking a sip of tea.

Alex wasn’t about to ask for more details, though. It wasn’t his business to pry into their private life.

“Alright, then. But should Violette be here for this?”

Katherine looked at her daughter, her smile warming up a bit more.

“Violette can hear this, as long as we don’t delve into your need and intentions for this intel. The intel itself is benign, at least the part that I will give you now.”

He nodded his head, still unsure whether the little girl should be present at all, in case he slipped up.

But Katherine didn’t send her away before she started speaking.

“The men you are looking for are the Bianchi family, as you are already aware. They are a local branch of a much larger entity, that I assume you can guess the name.”

Astaroth nodded his head knowingly. With the name Bianchi and the kind of people they sent to him, he could guess this was the Italian Mafia.

He was a bit confused as to why a family of such a long-lived organization would suddenly act so stupidly, but that was no longer his concern. The line was already crossed, and consequences were due.

“Their estate is in the richer part of Bois-des-Filion and is well guarded. The specifics of how well, I will have delivered to you on the day of the party. But you can be assured they will be prepared. Here is the exact address,” she said, sliding a paper across the table.

Alexander picked up the paper and glanced at it, before pocketing it. He nodded at Katherine, who sipped on her tea calmly.

Violette turned her head toward Alex, curious about what the discussion was about. She had understood the word party, and her mind was fixated on that.

“Are you going to a party?”

Alex looked at her, her eyes so innocent, and didn’t dare break her illusion.

“Yes, a very big party. It’s a private event, so I can’t bring anyone with me, but it’s going to be a very loud, and very messy party.”

Her little eyes lit up excitedly.

“Will there be clowns?! And fireworks?! Oh, oh! And a pool?!”

Alex smiled at her, nodding his head as he did.

“Yes, to all of those things. I’m just sad I have to go alone. It’s a very closed event, and there won’t be much more people than what your mother mentioned.” ．

He despised himself for lying to her, but he could never tell her the truth. She could never know.