Pretending to Be an Untouchable Crime Boss-Chapter 88: Legacy

"What was that?" Hector asked James as they sat in the car, heading back to the house.

The whole meeting had been chaotic, at least from Hector’s viewpoint.

"What do you mean?" James 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 moment 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?" James 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 me, isn’t it?" James asked with a smirk. "The moment I stepped into this world, everyone started fearing me like I was the fucking devil himself… and slowly, I became 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 name as the term. I was a criminal before, but now, I am the underworld itself. ’Bellini’ means power, means blood, at least to others. But nobody has ever asked me what the name means to me."

"What does it mean to you?" Hector whispered the question.

"It means nothing anymore," James murmured. "The people who gave it meaning are already dead. Who am I? Just a man shaped by actions I never wanted to happen… just like Marcello. My name carries weight that makes people afraid. It holds power even the government fears.

Bellini became a name that will never be clean again."

James clenched his fist, smiling bitterly as he shook his head.

"When I die, when we die, people will celebrate. Our names won’t become history, they’ll be erased from it. There was only one gangster people truly loved…Lauci Gabbin. He knew the names 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 came."

Hector knew James was telling the truth. And for the first time, he began to understand why James 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 James 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."

"James, if you do that, you’ll just become more of a target… You need to stay in the shadows, control everything from behind. People will talk about you, and if that happens—"

James held up his hand, silencing Hector.

"But where did this idea even come from? Who says I want to stay in the shadows? Why would I need to? I mean, 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 something to?"

He shook his head, laughing bitterly.

"I could easily leave this whole shit behind, fly off with my family to some 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 something 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 me, whether from the shadows or standing on the stage."

Hector looked at the ring on James’ finger. "Do you accept his loyalty?"

James 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 government." 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 James’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 me. 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 meeting."

"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 came 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 James knew better. Power was an illusion, one that lasted only as long as no one strong enough came 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..." James chuckled. "How about you, Hector? You never seem stressed, even though you’re the underboss."

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

Hector’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, then lit up. James 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 James for a moment, 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 me tell you" He smiled. "they know tricks that are... otherworldly, to say the least."

Otherworldly? James 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 dimension."

James 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. Some people just feel a boost, like a surge of energy. But for others…like me it’s like stepping into an entirely different world."

James thought about it for a second.

"They say once you try it, you become addicted. What do you think about that?"

Hector nodded slightly. "Yeah, you kinda want to experience that feeling again. But for me? I was out for a whole day after I tried it. Everything hurt, and my head felt like someone was hammering 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..." James muttered as he gazed out the window.

"Yeah, you should. Those girls are crazy….no matter how big your thing is, they—"

"I meant the white magic." James 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 some."

"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 some escorts...

"Yeah, that would be a good idea." He whispered.

Then the two remained silent for the rest of the ride home.

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 women could do.