Massimo slammed his hand on the long oak conference table, the sharp crack echoing through the room. The men seated before him flinched, their gazes fixed on the polished wood, too afraid to meet his furious glare.
"This is what happens all the time! I am tired of hearing your excuses," Massimo thundered, his voice a low growl that promised no mercy.
At the other end of the table, Alexzander leaned back in his chair, flipping through the stack of papers in front of him. His calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere.
"Dad, take it easy," he said, his tone steady and measured. "We can handle this. Let me take care of it."
Massimo's glare snapped to Alexzander. "You take careâ" he began, but stopped mid-sentence as his phone buzzed in his pocket. The sound, sharp and intrusive, cut through the charged silence.
Frowning, Massimo pulled out his phone, his expression softening slightly when he saw Isabella's name on the screen. No matter how heated the meeting, he was never too busy for his family. He answered immediately.
"Hello?" His tone shifted, calmer now.
"Hun, please come home quickly. We need to discuss something," Isabella said, her voice tense, laced with an urgency that set his instincts on high alert.
Massimo straightened in his chair, his brow furrowing. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice now sharper with concern.
"Just come home," she replied, her words clipped but unmistakably worried. "We'll talk then."
"Yes, love. I'll be there soon," he assured her, already rising. His movements were swift, his focus entirely on the urgency in her voice. He didn't wait another second before gesturing to Alexzander.
Alexzander pushed back his chair and rose to follow. "What's going on, Dad?" he asked, falling into step beside him.
"I'm not sure," Massimo replied, his voice tight with unease. "But your mother sounded worried."
Callum, who had been standing near the door, immediately noticed their urgency. "Is everything alright?" he asked, stepping forward.
"I don't know yet," Massimo said as they exited the room. He paused only to shoot a glance at the remaining men. "Callum, wrap this up."
Callum nodded sharply, but his concern was evident. He addressed the men, excusing them with polite but firm instructions, before jogging to catch up with his father and brother.
The drive home was heavy with silence, broken only by the faint hum of the engine. Massimo gripped the wheel tightly, his knuckles white against the leather. Alexzander sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed, his sharp eyes watching his father.
"What do you think it's about?" Alexzander asked finally, his voice calm but curious.
Massimo shook his head, exhaling sharply. "I don't know," he admitted. "But when your mom sounds like that, it's never good."
Callum, seated in the back, leaned forward slightly. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together," he said with quiet conviction. His voice carried the confidence of someone who had faced countless storms alongside his family.
Massimo gave a small nod, his jaw clenched. "We always do."
Meanwhile, Angelo was deep in work, flipping through a mountain of paperwork that had piled up in his office. As head of the French mafia, endless responsibilities weighed on him, but the shrill buzz of his phone immediately caught his attention.
"Hello, Mom?" he answered, balancing the phone between his shoulder and ear.
"Come home, dear. Bring Eva with you," Isabella said, her tone sharp with urgency.
Angelo froze mid-motion, his instincts flaring. "Yes, Mom, but what's going on? You sound panicked," he asked, already rising from his seat.
"Just come home as soon as you can," she replied firmly, not leaving any room for questions before hanging up.
Angelo lowered the phone, his brows knitting together. Something was wrong. He grabbed his jacket and strode to the door, gesturing to Alex, his second-in-command.
"Take care of everything here. I need to go," Angelo said briskly.
Alex raised an eyebrow but nodded without hesitation. "Go. I've got thisâdon't worry," he reassured his boss.
Angelo wasted no time. Hopping onto his black sports bike, he sped through the city streets, his focus laser-sharp. The familiar 15-minute route to the Lotus Association headquarters blurred as he pushed the engine to its limit, reaching the building in just eight minutes.
Parking haphazardly in his urgency, Angelo sprinted inside and took the elevator to the top floor. The moment the doors opened, he strode into Evangeline's office, his expression already serious.
"Gelo, what are you doing here?" Eva asked, standing from her chair in surprise. Her sharp gaze softened at the sight of her twin, and she quickly moved around the desk to embrace him.
"Sorry, no time for small talk," Angelo said, returning the hug but pulling back swiftly. "Mom called. She sounded panicked and wants us homeânow."
Eva's warm expression vanished, replaced by the same sharp urgency that mirrored his own. "Panicked? Did she say what's wrong?"
Angelo shook his head. "She wouldn't say. Just told me to get you and head home."
Eva grabbed her jacket without hesitation. "Then let's go."
The two left the office together, their movements perfectly in sync, a testament to their unbreakable bond. Once on the road, Angelo glanced at Eva.
"Whatever it is, we'll handle it," he said, his tone steady despite the knot of worry forming in his chest.
Eva nodded, her jaw tight. "Always, Gelo. You and me."
As the twins reached the main gate of their family estate, they noticed three familiar cars pulling into the garage alongside them.
"Looks like we're not the only ones Mom called," Angelo murmured, glancing at Eva as he parked the car.
"Something big must be happening," Eva replied, already unbuckling her seatbelt and stepping out, her sharp eyes scanning the scene.
From the first car, Massimo emerged, his commanding presence impossible to miss. Alexzander and Callum followed closely behind, their expressions equally focused, though Callum shot a curious glance toward the twins.
From the second car, Xander and Xavier stepped out. Xavier, ever the energetic one, looked puzzled. "Mom called all of us?" he asked, running a hand through his hair as he glanced around. "That's... unusual."
"I was thinking the same," Xander added, his brow furrowed in thought.
The third car pulled in smoothly, and Austin and Greyson exited, their faces a mix of curiosity and concern. Greyson's usual quiet demeanor seemed even more subdued, while Austin adjusted his glasses, a thoughtful frown on his face.
The entire family converged near the front steps, their combined presence filling the space with an air of authority and power. Angelo glanced at Eva, and she nodded, stepping forward alongside him to address the group.
"Did Mom call everyone here?" Eva asked, her voice calm but tinged with curiosity.
"She didn't say much," Massimo admitted, his tone clipped as he looked at his children. "Just that it was important."
"What could be so urgent that she called the entire family?" Callum asked, exchanging a look with Alexzander.
Xavier shrugged, his usual lightheartedness unable to mask the tension. "I mean, it's Mom. When she gets serious, you don't question itâyou just show up."
"Agreed," Angelo said, his expression mirroring Eva's. "Let's get inside and figure out what's going on."
Massimo nodded, leading the way to the front door with long, purposeful strides. The others followed in silence, their collective anticipation hanging heavy in the air.