MAFIA BOSS CANARY.

CHAPTER 8: Meeting grandpa

The drive lasted nearly four hours. Damien barely spoke the entire journey, keeping his eyes fixed on the winding mountain roads ahead. The farther they traveled from the city, the more restless he became. Rosalie noticed every little detail the tapping fingers against the steering wheel, the occasional glance at his watch, the way his jaw tightened whenever she asked where they were going, is his grandpa that scary? She thought sensing genuine unease from Damien. It made her unexpectedly curious.

The Voss ancestral estate sat high above the mountains like an ancient fortress. Massive iron gates guarded the entrance while armed men patrolled the grounds with military precision. Everything about the place screamed power, it felt suffocating

As soon as their car stopped, servants rushed forward. Before Rosalie could properly take in her surroundings, the grand doors opened and an elderly man emerged. Despite his age, August Voss commanded attention instantly. His silver hair was neatly combed back, his posture remained straight, and his sharp eyes carried enough authority to silence an entire room. The atmosphere shifted the moment he appeared. Guards straightened. Servants lowered their heads. Even Damien stood a little straighter. Then August’s gaze landed on Rosalie.

Silence followed. One second. Two. Three. August stared at her as if evaluating every detail. Rosalie prepared herself for criticism. Instead, the old man’s expression transformed completely.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” he muttered.

The boy wasn’t lying even marrying someone this beautiful.” The room froze.

Damien closed his eyes. Several servants immediately looked away to hide their amusement. August ignored everyone as he marched forward, grabbed Rosalie’s hands, and inspected her from head to toe.

“Too thin,” he declared.

“Are they feeding you?” Rosalie blinked in confusion. Before she could answer, August smacked Damien’s arm with his cane. The c***k echoed through the entrance hall.

“What exactly do you do all day besides cause problems?” Another smack followed.

“Look at this girl. She’s practically starving.” Damien looked entirely unimpressed.

“Good afternoon to you too, Grandfather.” August raised the cane again. Damien wisely stepped back.

But grandpa August huffed rolling his eyes, Rosalie found it amusing, turning back his attention to her. “What would you want to eat girl.” She couldn’t think of anything she hadn’t been a picky eater moreover she was feeling a bit awkward

Grandpa August noticed and just nodded towards the chef. “Make your best dishes i want my daughter in-law looking fat before she leaves here.”

By lunchtime the situation had become ridiculous. August refused to let Rosalie sit anywhere except beside him. Every dish served was personally recommended to her while Damien was treated like an unwanted guest at his own family table. Whenever Rosalie complimented the food, August looked pleased enough to declare a national holiday. Whenever Damien spoke, the old man found fault with something. The servants appeared completely accustomed to the spectacle. At one point Rosalie accidentally laughed after witnessing Damien receive yet another scolding over something trivial. The old man’s eyes immediately brightened.

“There it is,” he announced proudly. “A proper laugh. Do you hear that, boy? That’s the sound of happiness. Try not to ruin it.” Damien stared at his grandfather in disbelief while Rosalie struggled unsuccessfully to stop smiling.

The atmosphere changed later that evening when dinner ended and the household settled into a quieter rhythm. August invited Rosalie and Damien into his private study. Unlike the rest of the estate, the room felt personal. Family photographs lined the shelves. Old books filled every corner. For the first time that day, the old man looked his age. He sat behind his desk for several moments without speaking before finally fixing Damien with a serious stare. “Power is easy to obtain,” he said quietly. “Keeping it costs more than people realize.” Damien remained silent. August then turned toward Rosalie. “And people like her are even rarer.” His voice softened slightly. “A man can survive enemies. He can survive betrayal. But loneliness destroys people in ways bullets never could.” Rosalie noticed something flicker across Damien’s face before disappearing almost instantly. Whatever history existed between grandfather and grandson clearly ran deeper than either man was willing to admit.

When the night finally ended, August stopped them near the staircase. He reached for Rosalie’s hand and squeezed it gently. “If this i***t gives you trouble,” he said while pointing his cane toward Damien, “call me.” Rosalie laughed. “And what exactly will you do?” The old man’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “Remind him that I buried tougher men than him.” Behind her, Damien groaned while several servants fought to hide their smiles. Yet as Rosalie followed her husband upstairs, she couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation in the study.