Learn From the Best
Learn From the Best
"I had brought with me our written agreement," said Hanxi as he took out their contract and gave it to Alfred. "Of course, he did not know that I had money."
Alfred then read the contract out loud before saying, "Now, who do you think is the scum here? Is it my godson or this man here named Manuel Lombardi?"
There was no doubting the words of Alfred Davies. Even if he was wrong, no one would dare go against him. No one had the courage to read the written agreement themselves. They all turned their disgusting glare at Manuel and Alice.
When the meeting was over, the Lombardi siblings rushed outside the Bank, hoping to avoid Hanxi and Alfred. The moment they found their vehicle, they sped to the road and went around in circles arguing, blaming each other.
It was already late in the afternoon they finally came home to the Lombardi residence. Alice and Manuel were still giving each other hurtful words when they walked inside. They were met by their mother, whose eyes were swollen red.
"Mom? What happened?" Alice asked as she came closer to Silvia Lombardi, but before she could hug her mother, a loud slap went across her face.
"Ahhh! Mom?" The shock on her face was evident. Alice tried to step away, but she received another slap on the other cheek.
Manuel was startled. He went to stop his mother from doing any further harm when he heard his father call out his name. "M-a-n-u-el!!!!!!! Come here right this instant!!!"
Federico Lombardi's angry voice instantly sent shivers down his spine.
He had seen his father angry in the past, and he swore to never provoke him again. He felt his foot take heavy steps, so heavy that he could barely carry his weight. He wondered what made his father agitated this way.
When he saw Alfred and Hanxi sitting on their living room couch, he felt his heart beating faster. He knew it only meant his father took their side.
Federico stood up, holding two important documents. He instructed, "Sign this!"
He took the documents and quickly scanned them, but before he could object, his father repeated himself, "Sign!!!!"
Federico said it with his loudest scream, showing that his patience had run out.
Manuel studied his father's expression and their occupied living room. He saw four other armed men in black uniforms. He could tell they were Alfred's men by the way they were standing behind him.
Manuel was left with no choice. He signed away the remaining 3% shares he had with The Bank of Trust Italy, returning it to his father. The other document was an agreement, stipulating that he could not ask any financial aid from his parents indefinitely.
After putting his signature on the paper, he was told that he must leave the house.
Alice, who witnessed everything, cried in panic, but just as she thought she was not part of the sanction. She heard her father say, "Alice! You have three days to surrender your penthouse. For now, leave your car… as well as your credit cards and bank accounts."
"No! No- daddy! I did not mean it! It was Manuel who forced me!" Alice tried to put the blame on her brother, but Federico would not budge. She had no choice but to give what was asked of her.
"Both of you! You have shamed me today. Leave Now!" Yelled Federico.
Hanxi felt sorry for Alice and Manuel, but he knew he had to toughen up. He had to fight his own battles soon, and he had to learn from the best of the best.
Seeing the siblings leave, Alfred spoke, "I am a little satisfied. Federico. You have to make sure that your children will no longer create trouble for the Ricci's and to Hanxi. If I ever find out that they are causing problems again, I will personally put them in prison. I can easily pin a crime against them. Name it and I will make it happen!"
Alfred saw that Federico was determined to teach his children and lesson and thus he stood up and pat him on the back. He said, "It's a good thing you can be reasoned with." Turning to Hanxi, he added, "We too shall be on our way now."
That day, Federico abandoned his son and daughter, but he knew worst would happen if he went against Alfred.
The words of Alfred Davies constantly repeated in his head. He said, "I think you had failed as a father. Their upbringing must be very terrible that they result in scheming and intentionally harming others… You must remove their money, their power, and their influence… If you continue to help them… I will include you in their suffering... Punish them... or I will."
The day came when Alfred was at the Ricci residence, having a picnic. He met Isabella's parents and her relatives. He was happy for Hanxi and was especially fond of Matteo. It reminded him of Andrea's twins. He also hoped that Gabriel will find someone he would truly cherish, that their home would not be so lonely.
Alfred took a picture of Hanxi and Isabella while holding Matteo. He then sent it to Gabriel, saying, "See how happy can a man be to have a family? A wife or girlfriend brings joy and so is a child."
Gabriel was still in France, wrapping up work with Lu Fang when he received the picture message. He shook his head, knowing what his father meant. He told himself in silence, 'What can I do? I lost a good woman and I'm still trying to find one.'
Gabriel had tried dating over the past year, but he just did not find himself connecting with any of the women. As he pondered, his eyes stayed with Lu Fang. Out of the blue, he asked, "How did you know that Andy was the right one?"
The man frowned and said, "Don't even think about going after my wife again or I swear, I will forget you are uncle's son."
He scoffed before saying, "Lu Fang, I am done with that... I am seriously asking you - I - I have dated so many women, but - "
"I finally understand why you lost my wife but yet again, I am thankful you did," he said, realizing that Gabriel could not recognize it when he truly valued someone. Recalling how he tried to go after Andrea, he only did so when she was already with him.
"Gabe, you feel it in you. You want to constantly be with her, and want to protect her. Sometimes you can't explain it but your actions do the telling," said Lu Fang.
The man went back to reviewing the document in front of him when an idea crept into his head. He looked up to Gabriel and said, "You know… The same way you are strangely overprotective over Lanying!"