Then Bring It On

According to the other party's instructions, I should stay hidden on the fourth floor until everything calms down.

But as is often the case, some unexpected events disrupted their plans.

"You don't need to apologize, and you haven't done anything wrong." Madam Sicily continued, breastfeeding her child while her back was to Maria. "What surprises me is that your behavior just now was indeed like that of an aristocrat... Could it be that you really are a member of one of those two families from Victoria?"

"...I don't know what kind of family you're talking about, but as I told you before, I've never met Victoria. As for the manners and bearing I learned..." Maria said, lowering her head slightly, "They were just things taught to me by some down-on-their-luck, pedantic fellows."

"They've been swept into the dustbin of history by me."

"... Is that so?" Madam Sicily ignored the bloodshed in Maria's words, and simply let out a long sigh after watching her child fall asleep once again.

ねDonkeycongshusi

"It may be presumptuous of us, but our plans may need to be slightly altered."

"Now that you've already shown yourself to the Siracusa Family's representatives, you'll likely have to attend the banquet tonight... This important banquet is one that nobility from Victoria can afford to miss. Will this cause you any trouble?"

Maria shook her head. She wasn't troubled by anything, but the problem was...

"If I attend the banquet, that child..."

"Don't worry about the child."

Madam Sicily shook her head.

"The other family members in Columbia don't know I have a child, and my only worry, Uncle Soro of Siracusa, clearly believes our lies, so he would never dare to harm the child."

"The child is safe now, and I will arrange for trusted people to protect her tonight."

"Next, we need to focus all our attention on the banquet."

Madam Sicily sighed as she finished speaking, and silently pulled up her collar.

After a moment of silence, Maria quietly stepped forward.

A fair hand gently rested on the woman's shoulder, causing her body to stiffen slightly.

"So... how are the banquet arrangements going?"

In the dimly lit room, Maria gently straightened his disheveled clothes.

"So far, everything is looking good... The only concern is whether the head of the Texas Family will arrive as scheduled."

"While I believe he is a man of his word, and I certainly had no intention of harming him, Texas's family may not think so."

Madam Sicily blushed slightly, but still did not reject Maria's somewhat intimate gesture.

"So?"

Maria gradually walked to face Madam Sicily, her cool hand brushing across the other's face, tucking her hair back behind her ear.

"So, for now, all we can do is wait... If we can handle the others, that would be the best outcome; if not..."

Madam Sicily pursed her lips and closed her eyes.

Clearly, she had already made some kind of preparation.

Maria was not in a position to comment on these things.

Because she knew clearly what stood in Madam Sicily's way, and what was holding her back.

As for Maria, she had nothing that could restrain her, and nothing that could stop her.

The two sides are on completely different levels in terms of capabilities and problems, and any attempt to offer comfort would be extremely ineffective.

Sicily could not help Maria solve her problem, and Madam Sicily would find it difficult to accept Maria's solution.

At that moment, she simply stood silently beside him.

But soon, both of them composed themselves.

Maria continued to ask questions.

"So what do you plan to do if the Texas Family doesn't come?"

"... If the Texas Family doesn't come, then what he'll be facing is an 'accident'."

Madam Sicily remained silent, then let out another long sigh.

"If he's willing to come here, I can still choose to take back Poporo Winery through more subtle means... even if it costs a little money, I don't mind."

"But if he doesn't come, then he's trying to take over the Poporo Winery for himself... It's a huge pie, but clearly, the Texas Family doesn't have the ability to devour it all at once without being coveted by other families."

"Perhaps given that visionary boy some time, he can do it, but no one will watch him develop."

Madam Sicily did not mean anything by targeting the Texas Family, but that is the fact.

When a person possesses wealth that is not due to their own abilities, it will eventually be devoured by others.

So-called wealth is more like a bomb that could explode at any moment.

But what intrigued Madam Sicily was that Maria frowned slightly at this moment.

"What's wrong, Ms. Maria?" Madam Sicily looked at Maria. "Do you... know anyone in the Texas Family?"

"... I can't explain this to you; it's difficult to explain."

Maria shook her head.

From the moment she heard about the Texas Family, the image of the girl named Texas kept flashing through her mind.

If nothing unexpected happens, then she should be from the Texas Family.

Her attitude towards herself also indicates that she had considerable interaction with the Texas Family in the future.

I wouldn't say they're friendly, but at least they're not hostile.

But given the current situation, Maria really couldn't imagine under what circumstances she would have contacted the other party.

Maria didn't want to make any deliberate statements about being guided by fate.

But the truth is, she couldn't understand what would happen to her next.

Will the future truly be the future I previously perceived?

Maria had a headache.

Meanwhile, Madam Sicily smiled and shook her head.

"If you're still unsure, I recommend you take a look at the Texas Family. Although our relationship is a bit delicate right now, I admit that the Texas Family is indeed one of the most free-spirited families. They don't reject anyone and treat their friends and guests well."

"If you have friends there, you will receive a warm welcome from them."

"...I hope so." Maria shook her head, saying nothing more.

But before she could ask Madam Sicily for more details about the banquet, she was already in the middle of the conversation.

A peculiar aura slowly wafted from the doorway...

That is...

The scent of a wolf!

Chapter 105 Let's Go!

The banquet started promptly at 6 p. m.

Inside the Sicilia Mansion, all the luxurious decorations were brought out, and the silks that would cost a family their entire savings were merely used as embellishments.

Exquisite artworks, crystal chandeliers, and silver candlesticks alternately emit a warm yellow light.

A clean white tablecloth covered the long banquet table, with simple appetizers laid out on it.

Hired waiters weaved through the crowd, while a band dressed in black tuxedos played classic pieces in a corner of the stage.

The familiar scene gave Maria a fleeting illusion... as if she were still in the Cainhurst family, attending one boring and tedious banquet after another.

This annoyed her... yet it felt strangely familiar.

Gently, her fingers tapped on the wooden railing as she stood on the second floor, looking down at the people attending the banquet.

For the older generation, this is a meeting place for conversation, but for the younger generation, the banquet is just that—a banquet.

They went looking for their targets and then invited each other to dance in the center of the ball to a tune that Maria was not familiar with.

Most of them were dressed smartly, twirling around under the most prominent spotlight.

Those who are truly in charge, however, remain discreetly hidden in the shadows, quietly discussing certain matters.

With her excellent hearing, Maria could tell that the conversation mainly revolved around the purpose of the Sicily Family's sudden invitation.

However, Maria only listened for a few words before losing interest and continuing to look around.

Meanwhile, Madam Sicily slowly walked out from the side.

She stood beside Maria, as exquisite as some kind of work of art.

"The Texas Family... still hasn't arrived."

Madam Sicily spoke, her voice somewhat somber.

She couldn't believe that the young man she had such high hopes for had actually broken his promise.

The banquet has been going on for an hour, and we're about to start the meal, but the other party still hasn't arrived...

If that's the case, why agree in the first place?

Maria turned her head and looked at Madam Sicily.

"It's a bit strange to ask now, but... which Texas leader do you think is the best?"

"It's less about being optimistic and more about appreciating."

Madam Sicily shook her head.

"The founder of the Texas Family was a man named Salvadore Texas."

"He's unique... at least in terms of his behavior, he can no longer be considered a Siracusa, but he still insists that he comes from Siracusa and harbors what I find somewhat subtle fantasies about Siracusa."

"Even so, these things still don't affect his astonishing vision and awareness. His own abilities aren't particularly outstanding, but he has gathered around him many young people that I've tried to recruit and cultivate... Yes, Texas is a very young family. Even the oldest among them is only in his early thirties, which is surprisingly immature compared to other families."

"And it was among these young people, whom none of us had any faith in, that they rose from a group of thugs who could only be called a gang to where they are today... Although they are still weak, they have the right to call themselves a family."

"I have no doubt that, given more time, he can continue to expand the Texas Family, and perhaps even reach the level of the twenty-four families of Siracusa in his lifetime."

Madam Sicily spoke with a touch of emotion.

Maria could also tell that she was satisfied with the young man from Salvadore.

Clearly, given the opportunity, Madam Sicily would never refuse to bring him into her family.

However, these are all just hypotheticals.

People who already have their own families are not so easily willing to submit to others.

After exchanging a few more words, Madam Sicily politely declined several young men who were trying to invite her to dance, and then looked at Maria with a hint of helplessness.

"Young people these days are getting bolder and bolder... Back when I was in Siracusa, my family would never have held a banquet to socialize with other families, let alone ask an elder from another family to dance."

"Is this rare?" Maria asked curiously.

"It's so rare that I haven't been able to adapt to life here like these young people... I'm still maintaining the rhythm I had in Siracusa."

Madam Sicily was somewhat helpless.

Columbia is indeed a vibrant place, but in her opinion, that vibrancy can sometimes be a bit too annoying.

It was supposed to be a dance, but in reality, these young people were so open that she, a conservative person, found it somewhat unacceptable.

"Is that so..."

Maria didn't catch the hidden meaning in Madam Sicily's words. She simply lowered her head slightly and continued to look around.

"Completely adapting to a new environment is never easy for anyone."

"Really."

Madam Sicily expressed unparalleled agreement with Maria's words.

The two of them silently observed their surroundings.

Their intimate conversation was quickly noticed by the other invited family members.

They exchanged glances and cautiously inquired about the identity of this strange woman.

Unfortunately, no one knew who this person was.