Chapter 28: Meeting the Mafia Queen

Something wet was disrupting Rauf’s sleep. He waved his hand over his face, but whatever it was didn’t seem concerned about it. As the wet thing came for his face again, he finally opened his eyes slowly, only to come face-to-face with the dog he had picked up last night.

The dog barked in his face, and Rauf let out a groan, like he would want nothing more than to continue his sleep.

Yet, he stood up and lifted the dog in his hand. "Good morning." He glanced towards its leg. "Hope you’re feeling better this morning?"

The dog’s response was another sound of barking.

Now fully awake, Rauf ordered his breakfast.

When the food was brought in, he poured a little of it into a plate for the dog, who lapped up the food so fast as if it had been starving.

"I should have bought you food and a plate at that vet shop," he said aloud to himself.

A knock on the door interrupted his chat with the dog before Henson let himself in.

"What’s wrong?" Rauf asked.

"Sir, Samir is here with Miss Amie."

Rauf glanced at the clock. It was still very early in the morning.

"Bring them in."

"Okay, sir."

During those few minutes, Rauf put on a more suitable shirt and trousers. He placed the dog on the floor and settled himself in the chair.

By the time Henson came back, he was fully dressed and ready. Henson came in first, followed by Samir and finally Amie.

As soon as Amie came into the room, she threw herself right at him.

"Darling..." Then, before he could stop her, she started planting kisses on his face. "I missed you so much."

Rauf moved back, pulling her softly away from him. He didn’t say he missed her too. Instead, his eyes danced over her body, trying to find any resemblance to Serena, but it was hard.

Samir watched him before clearing his throat. "I thought there was no point in wasting more time. Mother and daughter have missed enough time in each other’s lives. So, I decided to bring her as early as possible." He finished with a grin.

Rauf nodded. "It’s okay. You can have your seat while I get prepared. What do you like to eat?"

Rauf had only asked out of courtesy, and he expected them to decline, but Samir started listing food.

He ignored that and asked for the available food to be brought to the room.

While Samir occupied himself with eating, Rauf excused himself to send a message to Chris.

The last time he had gone to the Mafia Queen’s house, he had exchanged numbers with Chris in case anything came up and he needed to ask him some questions.

I found your mother’s ex-husband and your sister.

He stared at the message before sending it. It was short and straight to the point.

He nodded.

Then he shrugged out of his shirt to change into something more suitable to wear to the Mafia Queen’s house. But as soon as the shirt dropped from his body, he felt a hand on his back.

He didn’t have to look back to know who it was. A frown etched on his face, and he slowly shrugged her hand off his body.

Rauf turned towards her, the frown now replaced with a forced smile. "I need to get dressed, so we can leave soon."

Again, Amie moved her hand to his body. "But I missed you so much, darling. Can’t we have a quickie?"

Rauf’s eyes widened. "Do you want me so badly, or do you want your mother so badly?"

For a split second, Amie remained silent, as if she was thinking of what could be the right answer. But there was no real answer. Rauf just wanted to test if she really missed the mother she was so eager to find.

After a while, Amie scoffed. "This isn’t fair, darling. You know how much I missed you. But I also want to meet my mother."

Just then, Rauf’s phone beeped. He looked down to see a message from Chris.

Not wanting Amie to see the message, he excused himself while picking up a new shirt.

He opened it.

"Are you sure she’s my sister? Bring her over."

"Coming."

Thankfully, when Rauf returned inside, Amie had returned to her seat.

Samir was on the last dish in front of him.

"We have to leave right now."

Samir forced another spoonful of food into his mouth.

Then the three of them got out.

This time, Henson was the designated driver. The ride from the hotel to the Mafia Queen’s mansion was just as short as Rauf remembered it.

The guard at the door came to ask for the access card again.

Rauf frowned at him. "I have an appointment with Mr. Chris."

The guy talked into some sort of walkie-talkie again before they opened the gate for them to drive in.

A maid was waiting for them as soon as they parked the car.

Rauf saw Amie’s gaze move around. His mansion in Kansas was big, but it wasn’t as big as this place.

"All this belongs to Serena..." Samir kept his mouth shut, remembering how Rauf had kicked him twice just for mentioning her name.

But it was unbelievable that the same woman he had once met, broke and helpless, was the same woman Rauf was talking about.

They followed the maid through a long path. Rauf noticed it was different from the way the maid had led him the previous day.

But he kept quiet.

Soon, they were stopping in front of a door.

The maid knocked twice.

"Come in," a deep voice said from inside.

The maid opened the door while asking them to wait.

But as soon as she opened the door, Rauf followed her in.

Chris was seated behind a huge desk with different folders on his table. The walls were surrounded by bookshelves that were filled with books.

When Chris saw Rauf, he stood up, pushing what he was working on forward, and came out to join him.

His eyes moved behind Rauf and widened.

"Is that her?"

Rauf nodded. "The man beside her was your mother’s ex-husband."

But Chris decided to ignore that part. "Mother will be so happy to meet her after all these years."

As he stepped around Rauf to greet them, Rauf whispered in his ear. "I think you should get a DNA test done before introducing her to the Mafia Queen."

Chris nodded, stopping right in front of Amie.

He stared at her for a while, his gaze stopping at her neck.

Amie had placed the necklace on the locket and wore it firmly around her neck.

As soon as Chris’s eyes stopped at the locket, he narrowed his gaze at it and then suddenly pulled Amie closer for a hug.

"Sister."

His voice cracked as if he never thought he was going to say the word to anyone.

Amie let herself be hugged as she placed her hand softly on his back.

This was June’s brother.

And everything she had been looking at from the moment they arrived all belonged to June.

June didn’t deserve half of it.

She did.

At that thought, she forced a tear out of her eyes and choked on the word.

"Brother."

When Chris pulled back to take a better look at her, she was now crying.

"I never thought I would have a brother in this world. It has always been just me."

Again, Chris pulled her closer. "You don’t have to worry about a single thing. I promise. Your big brother here will protect you to the best of his ability."

Amie nodded, using the back of her hand to wipe away some of the tears from her eyes.

"I’m just glad to finally have a brother."

Her hand moved over the locket, and Chris nodded.

Rauf and Samir watched them both. Neither was willing to interrupt the moment.

Samir seemed to find it difficult to stand still as he kept bouncing on his feet. Even though it was just a little bit, Chris noticed it.

Then Amie asked, "Where’s Mother?"

Chris moved a bit from her. "I haven’t told Mother you’re coming. But I am sure she will be very glad to see you."

Soon, they were all leaving Chris’s office. Rauf and Chris were in front while Samir and Amie moved directly behind them.

Rauf didn’t say a word as he followed Chris. He just hoped Chris would follow his advice before doing anything.

They stopped at the familiar living room where he had met her the previous time.

She was seated in the chair, wearing a long blue dress while her eyes were slightly closed, as if she had been sleeping for a while.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open as if she could sense the presence of people coming in.

Samir’s eyes dropped at her, and his eyes widened. She looked nothing like the woman he had abandoned. She was more beautiful and looked as if she was used to being in authority.

"Chris, is that you?" she asked.

Chris chuckled. "Yes, Mother. I brought someone to meet you."

Serena didn’t ask who.

Yet, Chris placed his hand at the back of Amie, pushing her forward until she was in front of Serena.

Then he moved Serena’s hand, stopping it right on the locket around her neck.

For a second, the room dropped into icy silence as Chris moved her hand around the locket.

As the realization hit her, Serena suddenly stood up.

"My daughter."