"What was that?" Hector asked Jas as they sat in the car, heading back to the house.
The whole eting had been chaotic, at least from Hector’s viewpoint.
"What do you an?" Jas looked at him while putting on the ring Benjamin had given him.
"All of this. You know I respect you, but what you should have done was shut him down the mont he said he wanted to join. He’s a dog, an agent. He’ll stab you in the back the second he gets the opportunity. Who knows? Maybe the whole story was just fabricated lies to gain your sympathy." Hector shook his head. "And in the underworld, there’s only one rule, don’t make deals with them. That’s the only rule."
"And who is the underworld?" Jas asked as he held out his hand, staring at the ring.
Hector didn’t understand the question at first and also looked at the ring.
"It’s , isn’t it?" Jas asked with a smirk. "The mont I stepped into this world, everyone started fearing like I was the fucking devil himself… and slowly, I beca the one who ruled over all of them. You even said it, Bella did, and Ferrucci too. One day, when people ask who the underworld is, they’re going to use my na as the term. I was a criminal before, but now, I am the underworld itself. ’Bellini’ ans power, ans blood, at least to others. But nobody has ever asked what the na ans to ."
"What does it an to you?" Hector whispered the question.
"It ans nothing anymore," Jas murmured. "The people who gave it aning are already dead. Who am I? Just a man shaped by actions I never wanted to happen… just like Marcello. My na carries weight that makes people afraid. It holds power even the governnt fears.
Bellini beca a na that will never be clean again."
Jas clenched his fist, smiling bitterly as he shook his head.
"When I die, when we die, people will celebrate. Our nas won’t beco history, they’ll be erased from it. There was only one gangster people truly loved…Lauci Gabbin. He knew the nas of everyone in his neighborhood, and asked how they were doing. He bought them food, clothes, and paid their bills. Of course, it was all an act, but the people loved him so much that when he died, hundreds mourned him.
At my funeral, the only people who’ll show up will be gangsters and agents, just to see who else ca."
Hector knew Jas was telling the truth. And for the first ti, he began to understand why Jas had let Benjamin speak.
"I have power, money… yet what have I changed, Hector? Have I done anything good?"
He smiled as he spoke, his gaze returning to the ring, tracing the engraved B with his finger.
"Rafael died. Hans died, leaving his daughter alone forever. I thought that if I just lived this life, it would be okay. But no… I need to finally accept who I am.
I am Jas Bellini, the head of the Bellini family. But more importantly, I don’t want to die as nothing more than a murderer, a drug lord. I want to be like Lauci Gabbin, even if it’s all just an act."
"Jas, if you do that, you’ll just beco more of a target… You need to stay in the shadows, control everything from behind. People will talk about you, and if that happens—"
Jas held up his hand, silencing Hector.
"But where did this idea even co from? Who says I want to stay in the shadows? Why would I need to? I an, I’ve already reached the peak that most people can only dream about. I’m young, I’m a billionaire, I have a child and a girlfriend, I can buy whatever I want… So why keep pushing forward? Who am I proving sothing to?"
He shook his head, laughing bitterly.
"I could easily leave this whole shit behind, fly off with my family to so other country and live a peaceful life. I could have done it before Rafael died. Yet, here I am, still sitting in a bulletproof car….Who do I need to prove sothing to, Hector? And what?"
"To the people who serve and work for you…" Hector whispered.
"Exactly, Hector. Because if I disappear, their lives will turn into hell. Half of them would probably be dead within a month, joining gangs or other families. And not just that, if I vanish from the market, who knows how many people would die? How fast a war would break out between families, all fighting to rule over the capital.
I’m literally the only one holding the peace together, but nobody will ever acknowledge that, not even when I die.
So I need people around , whether from the shadows or standing on the stage."
Hector looked at the ring on Jas’ finger. "Do you accept his loyalty?"
Jas smirked, turning the ring on his finger. "No. But this ring is beautiful, and mafia bosses always have a signet ring, so I just took it." He leaned back in the seat turning to Hector "But what he said is true, and that incident really did happen back in the day. We’re going to work with him. If he proves himself to be trustworthy, then I’ll accept him.
And, well, it’s cheaper than dealing with the slums. Having the Justice Minister, the ISB, and the NSBI Director in our hand just opens more opportunities."
"It sounds like a deep state within the governnt." Hector let out a deep sigh.
"Yeah, that’s exactly what it is. And well, if you really want to smuggle missiles and drones, I can make it happen, but only for countries that aren’t at war."
Hector’s eyes lit up at Jas’s words, but one question still lingered in his mind.
"Then why did you refuse him?"
"Because it was too fast and too much weight on . We need to look into every accusation, what he said, the massacre of his village, the man who ordered it, everything. If it turns out to be true, we’ll have another eting."
"And if he lied?" Hector asked with a grin.
"I have a feeling he didn’t. He knows we’re moving the production into the country, and he spoke lightly about Carter. And his offer ca from the heart, I liked that."
"Yeah, he even shed a tear. But what really caught my attention was his offer, the protection. If it’s true, we could really be untouchable." Hector said.
There’s no such thing as untouchable, Hector... Everyone dies once.
Hector was always so eager, so sure of their power. But Jas knew better. Power was an illusion, one that lasted only as long as no one strong enough ca to take it away.
Even emperors thought they were gods, untouchable yet others empires built on their ruins…this is how life goes.
"I asked Ferucci what he does to relieve stress. He said killing does it just fine for him..." Jas chuckled. "How about you, Hector? You never seem stressed, even though you’re the underboss."
Hector’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, then lit up. Jas had never acknowledged it outright before, but now, hearing him say it so casually, Hector couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.
He stared at Jas for a mont, a slight blush creeping onto his face.
"So...?"
"Uh, well... I don’t know how to say it, to be—"
"Prostitutes?"
"Yeah... but only the ones with papers that prove they’re clean." Hector scratched his chin.
"How much are they?"
"Expensive. That’s why I only do it when I’m really stressed. Like a thousand per session. But let tell you" He smiled. "they know tricks that are... otherworldly, to say the least."
Otherworldly? Jas laughed as he thought about it
"What about white magic? Have you ever tried it?"
"I tried it once or twice, just to make sure it was pure. And yeah, it was. It felt like a portal opened, and I stepped into another dinsion."
Jas raised an eyebrow. "Wait, doesn’t it just give you energy and a good feeling?" He had never tried it himself.
"Yeah, the mixed ones do. But pure white magic? It’s hard to describe. So people just feel a boost, like a surge of energy. But for others…like it’s like stepping into an entirely different world."
Jas thought about it for a second.
"They say once you try it, you beco addicted. What do you think about that?"
Hector nodded slightly. "Yeah, you kinda want to experience that feeling again. But for ? I was out for a whole day after I tried it. Everything hurt, and my head felt like soone was hamring a nail into it." He shook his head. "So, nah, I’m never doing it again. Maybe just to test it, but even then, you don’t have to go all in. You can just take a lick and spit it out, you don’t need to sniff it. The taste tells you everything you need to know."
Well at least I don’t need to worry that he is secretly an addict to it…
"Maybe I need to try it..." Jas muttered as he gazed out the window.
"Yeah, you should. Those girls are crazy….no matter how big your thing is, they—"
"I ant the white magic." Jas interrupted, shaking his head with a laugh.
"Ohh." Hector chuckled. "Well, if you really want to try it, why not? Just say the word, and I’ll bring so."
"Maybe after the funeral we can have a little party with the others…after all this bullshit…"
Hector sat in silence. The funeral was still fresh in his mind, along with the emotions it stirred. He thought about the white magic—maybe if they had a party, he could bring so escorts...
"Yeah, that would be a good idea." He whispered.
Then the two remained silent for the rest of the ride ho.
The only thing Hector didn’t think about was Bella.
The only thing Hector didn’t think about was Bella. His mind was too caught up between Benjamin’s offer and the otherworldly things those won could do.
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