2. Becoming The Predator's Target

Diego froze on his place for a moment, while watching the woman who just came from God knew where. Behind that woman, there was a girl who looked far younger than her. Both of them rushed to approach Laura, who welcomed them to her embrace. The younger girl directly threw herself into her mother's embrace and looked at Diego with horror in her eyes. Meanwhile, the woman who spoke loudly before came closer to her father, who was being seized by Diego's henchmen. 'Release my father at once! Or I will contact the police to arrest all of you!" she said while pointing at Diego's subordinates with the phone in her hand. Diego tried his best to hold his laughter back to hear that woman's threat. It had been way too long time since he was threatened that way. 'Relax, Missy. I have an important affair with your father. No need to cry to the police, they already have their hands full with other stuffs," said Diego, pretending to persuade her. 'If you guys really have something to do with my father, then sit down and talk it out like a gentlemen. This is not the way it's supposed to be! Come, let my father go! I'm not playing around, I will call the police if you're not listening to me!" exclaimed that woman again. Diego chuckled slowly. The woman before him was indeed courageous. She was not hesitant to face four men who could easily seize her. 'Stellina, I'm okay. Just take Patrizia and your mother to the room. I will come there too after I finish talking with our guests," said Enrico softly. Diego was baffled. It was not only her face and intonation which resembled her wife, even her name was also similar to Vellina. 'But father...," Stellina cut her father's statement, albeit in doubt. 'Trust me, I can solve all of this. Just go upstairs with your mother and sister. Wait for me there," said Enrico again in the middle of the coughings he couldn't hold back. Stellina glared at Diego as if warning that man not to harm her father. Diego winked while smiling at Stellina to sneer at that lady's guts. When finally those three women left the living room, Diego and Enrico could speak seriously regarding their issue. 'Why did you refuse to return the money plat which belongs to Pacnozzi clan?" asked Diego straight to the point. 'It was Mr. Eston who gave that plate as the proof of our cooperation. You can't take it away just like that," answered Enrico. Diego gritted his teeth to hear the name of his father in law being mentioned. He couldn't believe this old man would play his card like this. 'It was only a matter of time for the Pacnozzi Boss to know that your performance is going down. Do you think he would keep hiring a person who is no longer useful?" asked Diego. Enrico wheezed. 'After my health improved, I would not only fix my performance, but I would also increase it even further in order to cover the loss you face, so have patience," answered Enrico calmly. 'Three months have been enough to stay patiently waiting. I have found another printing company I can rely on, so return that plate," urged Diego. Enrico coughed again, even louder this time. 'No can do. If I return that plate, it equals to cut the income of my printing company. Haven't businessmen like you known that our main income isn't from the conventional printing business, but from the fake money distribution we've been doing up until now?" Enrico struggled to answer with his hypothetical question. 'Don't be greedy! Just return that plate then enjoy your retirement with your family in a faraway place!" yelled Diego rudely. 'You know I can take that plate by force, right? It's a piece of cake for me to search the entire printing building, even this house as well!" he continued. 'I'm still being generous to ask you politely, to return it voluntarily instead of transforming you into a corpse for refusing to give it back," said Diego again while getting his face closer to the ear of his conversation partner. When Diego returned to his seat, he could see the change in Enrico's face, which started to grow pale. Obviously, for a stubborn person like Enrico, the most effective way was to make the life of that old man on the line. Diego's phone rang, giving the chance for Enrico to breath a sigh of relief, because Diego decided to pick up the call. Of course Diego answered it, that call was from Fabian's number. Diego who had been curious of his wife's location wasted no time in picking the phone up. 'How is it?" asked Diego immediately. Fabian's answer was drowning in the loud raindrops in his side. 'Talk louder, I can't hear you!" said Diego, almost yelling. 'Boss, I couldn't find Madam Vellina," answered Fabian with a shout from the other side of the phone. Diego scoffed. 'What have you been doing? How couldn't you locate a single woman?" scolded Diego in fury. 'No, it's not like that, Boss. I've found Madam's position, but I was unable to pinpoint her," explained Fabian. 'What do you mean?" asked Diego, trying to comprehend Fabian's convoluted statement. 'Boss, Madam's car had an accident in Scaligero Bridge. The car sank in Oglio River. I couldn't find Madam because the river current was so swift," answered Fabian, offering a more detailed explanation. Diego swore he could feel his heart stopped beating for a while. How could Vellina be involved in that kind of accident? The noise from the rain still floded his ears although their conversation went silent. Diego still couldn't accept the fact that Vellina, his wife, was possibly a goner. 'Have you confirmed it? Is it true that...," Diego fell on his bottom on the couch; his words were hung in doubt. 'I've checked carefully before reporting to you. I'm truly certain, that this is Madam's car and there were some people who witnessed Madam being thrown to the river when her car collided with the bridge's edge, and crashed into the river," answered Fabian full of conviction. Diego wiped his face, annoyed. When he blinked, he regained his focus and calmed himself. 'Alright, if you're really certain, come here, to Pezcatores residence, I need you here," responded Diego with a flat tone before he finally ended his call. Diego stared straight at Enrico who seemed like he wanted to take advantage of this situation to free himself from Diego's demand. Unfortunately, no matter what happened, Diego must obtain back that money-printing plate, no matter what it takes. Diego pondered, wringing his brain in order to solve the situation he was facing now. He mustn't fall into the abyss of despair. Actually, Diego didn't love Vellina at all, so no wonder he didn't feel sorrow nor the loss of his soulmate even though Vellina had passed away in that accident. His reason to marry Vellina was obviously to be the inheritor of Pacnozzi clan. That's the only way for him, who was nobody at that time, to conquer Naples. Eston Pacnozzi only had a daughter, who of course couldn't be the leader of the clan. Automatically, Diego as Vellina's husband, was the one who would be the successor. But if Vellina's death was known by other clan officials, obviously Diego's position as the Underboss in this clan is threatened. Not to mention the popularity of Matteo, Eston's nephew, which was rising lately thanks to his achievement of selling huge amount of firearms. Compared to him who just lost Vellina, the only factor which strengthened his status in Pacnozzi clan, obviously he would lose big time if he had to stand head-to-head with Matteo who had Pacnozzi blood in him. He hadn't finished the issue about money-printing plate, now he had to deal with another problem which could wobble his position. In this situation, he mustn't be panicked. He mustn't allow everything to be thrown into mess. Just another step, and he would inherit Pacnozzi clan. Just one year from now, on Eston's 80th birthday, when he would announce to whom Mafiosso ring would be entrusted next. That ring's owner would earn absolute loyalty from the entire clan members, as well as other privileges related to the incomes from their businesses and assets belonged to the Godfather himself. Enrico couldn't hold his cough anymore thanks to the pressure filling that room. The sound of footsteps running down the stairs, stole the attention of everyone who went silent up until now. Stellina came with a glass of water in her hand, which seemed almost half of it had been spilled because she was so in a rush to go down from the upper floor. 'Stellina...," said Enrico with his hoarse voice. 'Have a drink first," interrupted Stellina briefly. She ignored the presence of the four guests in that house. Diligently she helped her father to gulp down the water in the glass which she just brought. 'You've been talking for a while, just let my father rest now," pleaded Stellina to Diego. Diego was flabbergasted on his comfy couch. He had been struggling just now, squeezing out his brain in order to find the solution from his problem, when the way out was exactly in front of his own eyes. Diego rose from the couch and walked towards Stellina. He gazed at that woman from head to toe. Her face and figure were really the same with his wife who just passed away. The only different thing was only the haircut. His wife was having a short bob haircut while the hair of the woman before him was let down to her waist. Stellina noticed Diego staring at her, as if observing her entire look. For a moment, she regretted her decision to go down here with her night gown, a little bit thin here and open there, displaying her smooth, snow-white thigh and her full, bountiful cleavage. By reflex, Stellina pulled her night gown down and attempted to cover her cleavage with both of her hands, crossed in front of her chest and hugging her own shoulders. Unpredictably, Diego reached at Stellina's chin and examined her face contour carefully. Diego was no longer surprised, to find the similarities between Stellina and her late wife. Enrico who saw how Diego looked at his daughter, suddenly went mental. 'Stellina, go upstairs, and don't come back here again," asked Enrico with his trembling voice. Stellina nodded quickly, but she didn't even have the time to leave, Diego had gripped Stellina's arm, making that girl scream in pain. 'Please, let my daughter go! I will tell you where I keep that plate, I will return it to you!" requested Enrico with a desperate tone. Diego grinned. Just like killing two birds with one stone. He just found a solution for his two problems he was facing right now. 'Tell me where!" said Diego without turning his eyes away from Stellina who in turn looked at him nervously. Enrico told him the location of the plate he was hiding. Diego nodded in approval for knowing where the place that Enrico was talking about. 'Now let my daughter go! We will pack our things and leave tonight!" said Enrico, upset. 'Yeah, all of you will pack and leave tonight, but not with this woman. She's going nowhere," decided Diego while smiling; his cunning eyes were gleaming. Stellina gulped nervously. She couldn't look away from Diego, who stared at her wildly.