BETROTHED TO A MAFIA HEIR

CHAPTER EIGHT

Arnold had never felt the love of his parents. It was like a myth to him. When he was born, his parents Eric and Helena Giovanni weren't ready to have a child. It was absurd because one day, they would eventually bear an heir to the Giovanni empire. But Arnold was like a black stain on their clothes.

Helena was an actress and was just at the peak of her career when she got pregnant. She had considered removing it, but Richard Giovanni was against it. So she kept the baby and birthed him, Richard was satisfied that she bore a son, and then he named him Arnold.

Growing up, Arnold never really saw his parents. His father was busy running the company alongside his grandfather, and his mom was always traveling for fashion shows and designing people. He kept track of his parents through newspapers and magazines, and they had not bothered him at all.

One day, his grandfather came to visit their villa in Miami. Arnold was left in the house all alone except for his nanny, who was attending to other things around the house. Young Arnold sat alone by the pool playing Monopoly by himself. Richard sat with the little boy, and they played together. He liked Arnold because he was smart for a six-year-old. He blamed himself for being too busy to have time for his grandson, who would one day take his seat. And so he began visiting frequently, once every week and then twice a week, and sometimes, he took Arnold to the Giovanni estate where the mansion was.

Arnold felt wanted again. He had never felt like anyone had truly seen him, but his grandfather had made him gain a little self-confidence. His grandfather had taught him a lot of things, had taken him to see the company, and sat through meetings with him. Richard was a strict man, but he loved Arnold in his way.

When Arnold turned seven, he mistakenly slipped and fell into the pool. He thought that would be the end of his life because there was no one in the villa, and it would take ages for someone to hear him there no matter how much he screamed. It was a really big house, and the security was out front.

Luckily for him, it was one of those days when Richard came to spend time with him. He woke up sometime around midnight. He could hear arguments coming from outside his room. There was a line attached to him, but he managed to get up and move towards the door. His grandfather’s voice was the loudest.

“I would never tolerate negligence. I could have you both arrested for this. The boy could've died because you both are incompetent fools who can not multitask.” Richard said to both Eric and Helena. He made sure they flew back in from wherever they were.

“You made me give birth to him after telling you I couldn't handle having a child right now.” That was his mother Helena speaking. Arnold had always felt unwanted, but hearing her say this broke his heart into tiny pieces.

“And that's why you've left the boy to die?” Richard asked. His parents were silent, their silence was like they couldn't care less whatever happened to Arnold.

“If you care about him so darn much Richard, why don't you have him,” Helena replied.

“Honey what…” Eric began, but Richard cut him off.

“I will have him. I'll have the lawyer come with the documents tomorrow. Sign over your parental rights to me so he has become my son now.” Richard said.

Eric scoffed. Was he seriously going to take Arnold? But then again, he knew the kind of person his father was, so he nodded.

“We'll need compensation for damages. He’s ours after all, and well, I gave birth to him; I'll need compensation for that.” Helena said. Arnold couldn't believe his ears. It was like they were bargaining for a property to be sold. He had never felt so worthless in his life.

“Whatever the cost, write it,” Richard said, then he opened the door and saw Arnold standing by it.

He looked at the boy, his face was pale, his lips blue and his eyes red. Richard didn't pity people, so he patted the boy on the back.

“Would I still live here?” Arnold asked in tears.

“The mansion has more appeal, don't you think? Now stop those tears. As a Giovanni, nothing is worth your tears. You have to face things head-on with strength and no sign of weakness. Understood?” Richard said, and Arnold nodded in agreement.

Arnold had gone with Richard that night, his parents didn’t bother to see them off, and that was how their relationship was severed. The next day, Arnold was taught how to swim.

Richard trained Arnold to be stronger and made him master so many skills. He taught him how to ride a bike and how to play chess, although Arnold could never beat him. He made sure Arnold did most sports, swimming, car racing, horseback riding, soccer, tennis, golf, rock climbing, and so on. At the age of ten, Arnold already knew how to shoot a gun.

Arnold had dedicated his whole life to making sure he was enough for his grandfather. At the age of fifteen, Richard retired and put Arnold in his position as the leader of the empire and the CEO and owner of the real estate firm. Arnold's father, Eric, had been furious at this decision because the seat was his.

His father Richard had given everything that was supposed to be his to Arnold, and it was a hit on his ego.

There was a time when Arnold was twelve, his parents had come to visit and told Richard they wanted him back. He couldn't believe it, and there was a little part of him that was secretly happy. But they only wanted him back because Eric, his father, was running for mayor, and he wanted to seem like a traditional family man in the eyes of the public.

They just wanted to use him to get what they wanted. They didn't come because they felt the need to connect with their son. From that point on, Arnold disregarded them as his parents and moved on. They, too, didn't deserve him because he was too good for them. Eric lost the election, and part of it was Arnold's doing.

“You should have never been born.” His mother told him when they visited the mansion three years after Richard made him in charge.

Arnold was already past the point of caring. He was eighteen now, and he could see how gullible his parents were. They had asked him to step down for his father, and he had dismissed the idea. It was Richard's wish that Arnold remained at the top, and that was exactly how it was going to be.

Arnold had become more famous each day, newspapers, magazines, and all sorts of media featured him. He had grown up to be exactly like his grandfather, just more cold and ruthless. Many people had also tried to have him killed because he had so much power at a young age. As a result, jealousy and hatred spread. It wouldn't surprise him if his parents were part of the people who wanted him dead. He would not put it past them.

His father still held shares in the company and was a member of the board. Most times, Eric sabotaged his deals and took clients away from the company just to sabotage him. But Arnold was too smart to be played. He hired someone who bought his father's shares for a very tempting amount of money. His father fell for it, and that was how Arnold bought his father's seat on the board.

The last time Arnold had a conversation with his grandfather, they had played a game of chess, and this time, Arnold finally won. Richard smiled, very content, and he was satisfied with Arnold, and later that night, he passed.

For days, Arnold stayed in the mansion and mourned the death of his hero. That was how Arnold saw his grandfather. He could only pray to be half the man Richard Jim Giovanni was. He had never experienced such a loss as deep as losing the only person who had believed in him and loved him genuinely in his way. Although Richard was strict and never smiled, Arnold never felt less with him.

His father, Eric, and Helena, his wife, had not bothered to come to the funeral. Arnold felt like it was for the best because Richard deserved to go in peace. After the burial, the will was read, and everything Richard ever owned was now Arnold's.

It had been years since he last saw his parents and all of a sudden his father wanted to have dinner. He would be a fool to fall for his schemes.

Arnold sent for Eugene and Mark. He had to find out what exactly his father had planned. It was like a game of cards with his father, and he wasn't prepared to lose.

“He was in India last week and a few other times this year. I suppose he had business there.” Mark said, looking up from his laptop.

“India?” Arnold asked rhetorically. “What business could he possibly have in India? In all the years we've kept track of him, this should be the most frequent visit to India.”

Mark shrugged, really something was not adding up. Maybe there was a new ploy that Arnold didn't know about, and it unsettled him.

“Ever keep tabs on your mom? Perhaps if you could track her movements, it might lead you somewhere.” Eugene said. Arnold never bothered about his mother because she was solely into her work, it was from one fashion show to another and red carpet to another when he used to keep tabs on her, he just stopped altogether.

“Well it seems like your mom has been to India just as frequently, but now she's currently in Germany,” Mark said.

“That's something. I want you to follow up on that, I need to know what's happening in India. Get in touch with friends we have on that side.” Arnold replied, and Mark nodded.

“I need to go make some calls then,” Mark said, standing up and heading out of the study.

“Well, you have business in Germany. You can use the branch in Germany as camouflage and find out what's going on since your mom is there.” Eugene said.

Arnold thought about it. He could fly down to Germany himself, but he also knew his father kept tabs on him, so it might be safer to let one of the men do the job.

“Mark might be the one to go,” Arnold replied. “I need everything to be in order and the security tight.”

“Sure, I will do that.”

“There's no need for security for the girls. I don't want my father to suspect anything. He should know about the McCarthy's, but I don't want him to find out more.”

“Okay, I'll get to it and also check on Kenna and Keira.” And then Eugene left, leaving Arnold to his thoughts.

An hour later, Eugene barged into the study, eyes wide and frantic.

“Keira’s gone.” He said.

“What do you me….” Before he could finish his sentence, Mark came in.

“Your father's here,” Mark said, looking between them.

Now he had to choose, go and look at the situation with Keira or sit and play Russian roulette with his father.

He needed to know what Eugene was talking about. He knew he couldn't sit with his father without knowing what had happened, so he told Mark to take his father to the dining room, and he went with Eugene to Keira’s room.

He opened the door to her room.

It was just as Eugene had said,

Keira was gone.