Taken By The Mafia Lord

697 Bring Shame To This Family

“What can I offer you and in exchange, my brother can go free?” Eric told Marcel.

He has gone through the evidence and honestly, there was no loophole. Even if he were to find one, it would only aggravate the situation. Just what was Elijah thinking?! If he hasn’t shown his face in the camera and claimed responsibility for the accident, then they wouldn’t be having this conversation. Eric had no idea what to do.

He went on to say, “I hope to reach an amicable agreement that doesn’t involve war. You benefit from it and my brother goes free.” Eric enticed him like the head of the commission he was. He couldn’t afford a war, it would jeopardize his position as the leader.

Marcel knew that because he said,” If that is the case, then I would have to get back to my – ”

“Elijah has to stand trial,” Daniel announced to Eric, cutting Marcel off with a frown. He said to his son pointedly, “There is no communicating with the family members again. They have spoken already and you have to hand your brother over to us.”

The instant Eric heard the demand, his brows drew together in a furrow immediately. He asked, “What do you mean by Elijah would stand trial?”

Daniel smirked as he said, “It’s a family tradition. You can think of it as a courtesy gesture extended to a high-profile enemy and in your case, to an opposite organization. Your brother would be given the chance to defend himself, however, he would be judged by us according to the charges against him and then, judgment would be passed on him, ” He added, “You’re free to come to watch the whole procession if you want to.”

While Eric was dumbfounded, Marcel pinched the space between his brows. He had this under control! Why does he just come and ruin everything?

“You are going to judge my brother on what account? Who gave you the right? Who made you a judge?” Eric was furious and disgusted at the thought of his brother being messed around like some sort of culprit by a family of villains. It was hypocrisy at its finest and he would not sit down and watch his family being turned into a laughing stock.

.....

It was not going to happen.

“That’s not going to happen,” Eric told him resolutely, “If you want to make a joke of my family, just go ahead and do that rather than using this fake, pretentious method.” He hinted that Daniel was doing this on purpose.

But Daniel said to him, “You make it sound as if I have something against you?”

Eric laughed sarcastically, “Oh really, don’t you?”

Both men stared each other down, the tension in the air thickening as they unleashed their imposing auras. It was like watching the fight of the titans and it would have been comical to Marcel except that this was a serious matter and his father has a knack for escalating matters. They can’t fight here, else there was no more room for negotiation.

“You don’t believe anything he says, I’m the Don of the family and I believe there can be some sort of adjustment to his punishment,” Marcel said, and only then did Eric take his eyes off Daniel, but not without one long last look.

Eric told him, “I feel you don’t want a war between our families just as I don’t want a war either. Elijah is extremely remorseful for what he did and now, if only justice can be tempered with mercy. I know that nothing can make up for the lives lost, but I believe there can be many windows of opportunities for our family, even in the future.”

When Marcel and Eric looked at each other for far too long, a mutual acknowledgement passing between the both of them, Daniel grabbed his arm and turned him, ” Don’t tell me, you are seriously considering otherwise. ”

When Marcel didn’t answer him except for the clenching of his jaw, he got his answer. Daniel’s expression changed, and he poked Marcel in his chest with his finger, “Elijah took the lives of five of our men! Five of them!” He emphasized the numbers in case he had forgotten, “If that doesn’t seem like blatant disrespect to you and our family, it does to me.”

“What is done is done and in the past. If you’re so concerned about the disrespect to our family, we can especially look into that one, and perhaps an official apology with him on his knees, bowing to the graves of those he murdered would be enough. Or whatever else you want that doesn’t even involve Elijah being murdered as vengeance. ”

Marcel came closer and whispered to him, “Violence is not always the answer and we stand nothing to win in this war anyway. Think of all the good things we can achieve with an alliance with the Draven family... with the head of the commission.”

He wanted Daniel to not just think about now, but the future as well. The fact that Eric honored the invitation and humbly wanted to make amends was enough. A war would profit them nothing and they weren’t even sure of winning.

For once, Marcel honestly prayed that his father laid aside his selfish interest and myopic thinking and looked at the bigger picture. However, when he saw the man shake his head with mock pity in his eyes, he knew it was for nothing.

“I thought you were weak, but I was wrong. You are a prostitute, easily bought away by the enemy and I would not sit here and watch you bring shame to this family.” Daniel was about to move when Marcel stood in his way and commanded him in an authoritative voice

“You would do nothing! I am the Don of this family and you would do exactly as I said! ”

Daniel was stunned, his feet stuck to the ground. It was the first time Marcel was using such a domineering tone on him and he was struck by the strength in it. His eyes narrowed immediately, his son was getting out of control.

“Perhaps, it would be better if we meet again. Perhaps by that time, we would have come up with an amicable term,” Victor dismissed the meeting when he saw the apprehension. Eric has seen enough to know there was an internal crisis and can’t know more.

“If that’s the case then,” Eric said and turned to leave with his people.

However, Daniel shouted out of nowhere, “Say hi to Natalie for me.”

Eric halted in his steps.