Mistakenly Yours: Contract Marriage With The Billionaire-Chapter 143: The golden boy

The following morning, after dropping Sara off at her office, Luca drove directly to the syndicate’s headquarters. The guards stationed outside the imposing marble villa snapped to attention, bowing in silent respect as he climbed the stairs and disappeared inside.

He headed straight for the study, finding Remo mid-conversation on a line.

"I’ll call you back," Remo said shortly, ending the call the moment Luca entered.

Luca unbuttoned his blazer and sank into a heavy leather armchair, swiveling it to face his friend. "I spoke with Lucius. We have a location on Martin," he began. "He’s living at the Port of Calebriee. The place is a cesspool, crawling with low-level gangs and fragmented mafia cells."

Remo leaned back against the edge of the mahogany desk, his brow furrowed. "That’s hostile territory. How do you plan on flushing him out of a rat hole like that?"

"By using the same playbook he used to drag me all the way to Italy," Luca replied.

Remo’s eyes narrowed. "What are you suggesting? You want to send a hit squad to stir the nest?"

"Exactly. It’s the only way to signal to Martin that his cover is blown," Luca declared. "I know how he operates. He used to bait my grandfather constantly, poking at his pride until the old man lost his temper. Martin only moves when he’s been provoked; once he feels the sting, he’ll emerge with his entire crew to retaliate."

"It’s a dangerous gamble, Luca," Remo countered, his expression darkening. "Poking a man like that on his own turf... Especially for you, it’s a massive risk."

"I’m not afraid of risks, Remo. Are you?" Luca asked, arching a dark eyebrow in a silent challenge.

"I’m not," Remo countered, his voice steady despite the tension. "But Martin isn’t just looking for a fight; he’s looking for leverage. He might target Sara. He already knows exactly where to strike to make you bleed."

"Sara is not a weakness," Luca asserted, a sharp frown deepening the lines on his forehead. "And it was my own failure that allowed this to happen. My fault for not confirming that Martin actually died on that island. I won’t make the same mistake twice."

Remo let out a long breath. "Alright. If your mind is set, let’s move forward with the plan."

"One more thing," Luca added, leaning back. "The police need to know he’s surfaced. Once we’ve triggered him and forced him out, we’ll involve the authorities. Martin needs to end up behind bars."

Remo shook his head, his expression grim. "That will only increase his influence, Luca. In prison, a man like him will just recruit a new army of those who have nothing left to lose. He’ll turn a cell block into a throne room, and his first order of business will be your head."

A predatory grin spread across Luca’s face. "What makes you think I’ll let him breathe easy in there? You think I’d just hand him over and walk away? No. He needs to experience true terror within those four walls. He needs to see the shadow of death every time he closes his eyes. But that’s for later," he asserted, his eyes flashing with confidence. "First, I’m sending my best fighter to his base to deliver the opening blow."

"Hmm." Remo stared at Luca for longer than he intended, his eyes searching for something beneath the surface of his friend’s icy resolve.

"What do you have in mind?" Luca asked, reading the shift in Remo’s expression. "You think I’m going easy on Martin by playing this game of cat and mouse instead of just storming his base?"

"No," Remo replied, shaking his head slowly. "I know you’re not going easy on him. I’ve just been wondering... How did you actually convince Sara to go along with all of this? She isn’t exactly the type to embrace a war."

Remo paused, his voice dropping to a more personal tone. "And there’s something else, Luca. I’ve been by your side for years, but I’ve never truly understood your motive for staying in this life. For me, it’s about my family, legacy and survival. But your family never wanted this for you. Your grandfather didn’t want this either. That’s why he bypassed your father and left the entire De Augustino Group directly in your name. He gave you a way out, a clean path. Why stay in the mud?"

Luca’s expression didn’t flicker. He looked down at his hands, the hands of a man who could run a multi-billion dollar corporation or end a life with equal precision.

"You loved what your grandfather did, but I also know that Grandpa never wanted you to be a mafia. You may not say it, but I know. I’ve known him for years too," Remo stated, his voice softening with a rare sincerity. "So, whatever you’ve been holding inside, you should share it. Your life is precious, Luca."

"Don’t lecture me," Luca snapped, the edge in his voice warning Remo that he was treading on thin ice.

"Seriously?" Remo rolled his eyes, refusing to be intimidated. "Seven years ago, you were surrounded by mafias and your family was in danger. Thankfully, my father and I were there to help you. You were not made for any of this. You were the golden boy, the one with the clean hands. Yet, you threw yourself into the fire. Why?"

Luca stood up abruptly, buttoning his blazer with sharp, jerky movements. "Remo, we are done here. I’ll tell you whom I’ll be sending via message," he stated, shutting down the conversation entirely before turning on his heel and walking out of the study.

Remo watched him go, a dry chuckle escaping his lips as he tilted his head to look at the empty doorway. "What’s he hiding?" he murmured to himself. He knew Luca’s silence wasn’t just about pride, it was about a debt or a secret that went deeper than the De Augustino business.

~~~~~

Sara looked up at the towering facade of Falcone Industries before stepping into the lobby. The familiar receptionist greeted her warmly, and Sara returned a soft smile before heading toward the elevators.

When the doors opened at the executive floor, she stepped out, clutching a thick leather-bound file to her chest. She walked with purpose toward the chairman’s office and pushed the heavy oak doors open.

"Dad," Sara said, her voice filled with a tentative warmth.

Adam, who had hurried to the office from home the moment she called him, looked up sharply. He quickly set his water glass down on the mahogany desk and stood to meet her.

"Sara? Why are you here?" Adam asked, his face a mixture of confusion and fatherly concern.

Sara stood directly in front of him with her heart racing. Without a word, she extended the heavy file with both hands, offering it to him.

"What is this, Sara?" Adam asked, his brow furrowing as he took the documents from her.

"See for yourself," she replied simply, locking her hands behind her back to hide the slight tremor in her fingers.

Adam flipped the cover open. As he scanned the documents inside, the air seemed to leave his lungs. His eyes widened, darting across the legal seals and the signature of Luca De Augustino. He looked up at his daughter, his voice failing him.

"Sara, this is—" He trailed off, peering into her eyes with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"The company is yours again, Dad. The Falcone legacy hasn’t fallen after all," Sara stated, steadying her voice. "Luca told me he no longer wished to hold the ownership. To my surprise, he had already prepared this entire legal contract in secret. Fabio delivered it to me earlier this morning. You are free to lead Falcone Industries however you see fit."

She paused, her expression softening into one of deep regret. "And I want to apologize again... For being so blind to the chaos surrounding us. I should have seen what was happening sooner," she said, her gaze dropping to the floor as a wave of guilt washed over her.

"Sara, you took the right decision in the most difficult time. But I wonder why Luca returned it to me? I mean... Is it because of you? I thought you didn’t love him and married him purely for business," Adam muttered.

"He loves me," Sara said. "It’s a long story, Dad. Just start the operations according to you in the company," she added.

Suddenly, the phone in her pocket rang and she asked her father to wait for a moment. She thought it was a call from Luca, but to her surprise it was an unknown number. She chose to ignore it but then the phone again rang.

"I think I’ve to take this call," Sara murmured and brought the device to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Am I talking to Sara De Augustino?" A deep voice came from the other side.

"Yes. But who are you?" Sara inquired, knitting her brows together.