Make Our Family Great Again – Chapter 46

Chasers targeting Dom Solomon.

They stubbornly pursued the boss of the Solomon Family. The coordinated movements of not just one car but several indicated that these were no random amateurs.

“….”

I was supposed to attend the celebration for the Russo Family’s surrender and the victory of the Felini Family… Who would have thought it would come to this?

“Boss, should we turn back?! It seems impossible to get to the hotel.”

“Lu! Turn around right now! Our priority is to return alive!”

Little Dom shouted desperately to the elfin driver who had been around since the days of Big Dom.

The frantic movements of the tiny hamster person in the back seat were unsettling.

“Brother, we’re shaking them off more and more.”

Another hamster person riding next to Little Dom reported urgently.

“Where!”

Upon hearing that, Little Dom checked the back of the car with his subordinate.

They hadn’t given up chasing. But the driver was somehow managing to lose them slowly through skill.

“….”

As the last car’s silhouette began to fade away, Little Dom and his subordinates collectively sighed in relief.

“Boss, we’ll head back for now.”

“Yeah! Do that!”

Thus, Little Dom was unable to partake in the joyous occasion for the Felini Family.

Of course, he could have joined them, but the aftermath would be problematic. They could encounter the thugs again… and who knew if luck would favor them a second time.

Reluctantly, Little Dom returned directly to his territory and shut himself in his safe haven.

“What kind of guys are they…?”

The tension and fear were fleeting. Along with his subordinates, Little Dom couldn’t help but ponder the motives behind this incident.

“Brother, there aren’t many who operate on that scale in this city.”

“Could it be from the Felini Family or the Five Families?”

“Whichever it is, the logic doesn’t add up. Why would anyone want me dead?!”

Little Dom reacted irritably to his subordinates’ opinions.

“I doubt it’s from the Felini side. Do you think they’d make a move like this right after getting the Russo Family to surrender?”

“Not many know you’re heading to the hotel.”

Various opinions were thrown around, but evidence was lacking and only assumptions filled the air. Nevertheless, regardless of what his subordinates said, Little Dom had already resolved his next move.

He decided to summon the bosses of the Five Families tomorrow.

Meanwhile, while Little Dom was making a critical decision in his territory, the banquet on the top floor of the Grand Hebili Hotel continued.

“Luke, do you really like apple pie that much?”

“Not particularly. It just suits my taste that’s all.”

“Isn’t that pretty much the same as liking it?”

Granada interjected into my conversation with Felicita. He happened to be savoring his own slice of apple pie at the same table.

“It’s a bit different. There’s a subtlety to it.”

“…?”

Granada, with a puzzled expression, began to focus back on his apple pie. Meanwhile, Felicita, who had earlier claimed she wasn’t in the mood to eat, joined me in savoring the pie. However, her plate was emptied quicker than I expected, so I cut her another piece.

“No, I’m good now…”

Felicita waved her hand dismissively, but it felt a bit strange.

“Ugh!”

It all happened in an instant. The sound caught the attention of everyone in the restaurant.

“Feli, are you okay?”

I unknowingly panicked and called her by her nickname in front of everyone.

“I’m fine. It’s just that the smell of food suddenly…”

“Sounds like morning sickness.”

“What?”

“As long as you didn’t eat apple pie until you burst… it sounds like morning sickness to me.”

Granada said this nonchalantly and congratulated both of us.

“….”

Felicita and I exchanged glances, speechless. Although it was something we would have to face eventually, it was all too sudden.

“Still… it’s not bad.”

Felicita gently stroked her lower abdomen. As I watched her, a sudden sharp gaze from somewhere made me turn around.

Elena was approaching us, glowering with Salmo beside her.

“What’s going on?”

….

When Felicita and I momentarily fell silent, Granada answered in our stead.

“It seems the princess of the Marinelli Family is pregnant. I imagine Dona Felini must have heard that sound too?”

Salmo tried to congratulate us but decided against it upon seeing Elena’s reaction.

“…Are you sure?”

It was unclear to whom Elena was asking.

“Well?”

Felicita rubbed her lower abdomen again at Elena’s question.

“….”

There were no words of congratulations, but there were none of condemnation either. Instead, Elena left with Salmo, heading towards the Russo Family’s side.

“…Looks like I’m the first to get pregnant.”

“Felicita, congratulations. Still, maybe don’t provoke Elena too much…”

“Luke. That can’t be helped. We’re talking about us and our baby. No need to bring Elena into it.”

Felicita replied firmly, a rare show of determination in front of me.

“…Fine.”

“But still, it’s not definite yet.”

Suddenly, Felicita stood up and kissed me on the cheek.

“Where are you going?”

“Just heading to the hospital for a bit.”

“This late?”

“Don’t worry. Plus, I need to tell the family this good news.”

Sure, it was our child, but… this baby was the grandson of Vito Felini and Vito Marinelli too.

I was curious about how my father-in-law would react, but for now, I spoke to Felicita.

“I’m sorry I can’t go with you.”

“No, it’s fine. You don’t have to feel sorry about that. We’re in this together.”

Felicita told me to focus on my duties as an underboss. Then, she started to leave the place.

Before she completely departed, I called Giovanni over.

“Giovanni.”

“Yes, Brother.”

“Attach some wolves to Felicita on her way back.”

“Will two or three be enough?”

“Make it a bit more.”

I mentioned that she was pregnant with my child. Giovanni didn’t raise any objections and simply complied.

“Brother, congratulations. The Godfather must have been pleased too.”

“…Well, maybe.”

He might throw a punch once he learns I had a child with someone other than Elena. He certainly understood the significance of political marriages with the Marinelli Family.

“By the way, the young lady doesn’t seem to have much reaction.”

“I mean, doesn’t that expression say it all?”

I pointed toward the side where Elena was. Giovanni finally seemed to understand something and muttered an ‘oh’.

“Maybe after this banquet ends, that’s when it will come out.”

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

Giovanni seemed to brush it off as ‘not his business.’

“By the way, the Marinelli side is probably in a festive mood. Their eldest daughter is pregnant.”

“Yeah, that’s probably true. For us, it feels more like a funeral.”

“…The young lady’s reaction will be quite a sight too.”

“Don’t tell Sarina.”

[Better to be hit first.]

“Damn it.”

A clear phrase appeared and then disappeared on the espresso cup next to the meat pie. Come to think of it, it was a proverb I often heard in my old world.

“I think she’s picked up on it already.”

“Then you try to block it. Just dealing with Elena is already overwhelming.”

Giovanni spoke as if he had no choice, but just then, he noticed something and quickly blocked Sarina, who was approaching.

“What’s going on?”

“What? Oh, it’s nothing.”

While Giovanni stuttered, Granada chimed in from beside me.

“Seems your relationship with women is more complicated than expected.”

“It’s not like I wanted it this way.”

“Hahaha! Of course not!”

Granada found it amusing for reasons I couldn’t comprehend.

Meanwhile, as Giovanni forcibly held back Sarina, Elena, having finished talking with the Russo Family, approached.

“Luke, can I see you for a moment?”

“Sure.”

It was nice that she stood up by herself, but afterwards, it felt like I was being dragged away as if I were some kind of criminal.

“Elena, where are we going?”

“Just follow me for now.”

Since this restaurant was located on the top floor of the hotel, there appeared to be some outdoor seating as well.

Since we had reserved the entire top floor, there were no other guests. Hence, all the outdoor seats were vacant.

“….”

Elena stopped at the boundary dividing the restaurant’s indoor and outdoor spaces.

Leaning against a marble pillar at that boundary, she looked down at me.

“Elena, I know you’re mad about Felicita, but….”

“I’m fine.”

“Huh?”

“I’m fine. So what if that girl gets pregnant first?”

Given her previous reactions, that seemed unlikely. But it was reassuring to hear her say that.

Elena leaned against the pillar, crossing her arms. Whether it was due to the white fur coat or a bit of alcohol, she was sweating in several places.

Was it the light reflecting off her sweat? Her body looked more healthy than ever.

In that state, her eyes were solely focused on me.

“I really like you, big brother. Although you probably already know that.”

“….”

I knew that well. She dyed her hair the same color as mine to avoid resembling our father.

“But. It’s unfair for that girl to get pregnant and I don’t.”

“Eh?!”

Of course! Elena suddenly revealed her true nature.

Was she trying to do something here? She settled for merely hugging me.

“When we get back to the hotel, do to me what you did to her.”

“No, I’m not ready for that…”

“Brother, answer me.”

“….”

Elena squeezed even tighter as if waiting for my answer. The tighter she held me, the harder it became to respond.

What a contradictory situation this was. It seemed I had no real choice.

“Alright.”

*

After the banquet at the Grand Hebili Hotel concluded, the attendees had to return to their respective places late into the night.

The next morning, at a restaurant in the western part of the city, the bosses of the Five Families assembled early.

Vito Marinelli of the Marinelli Family, Mikhail Dragovich of the Dragovich Family, Darius Russo of the Russo Family, and Eddie Sanchez, along with the underboss, Gata Melata.

The underboss of the Sanchez Family was a Golem like the boss.

While smaller compared to Sanchez, it was important to consider that Sanchez was conspicuously large among the bosses.

“Russo, I heard your news.”

“…Shut it.”

Dragovich mentioned how the Russo Family was the first to kneel to the wolves, to which Russo responded with a curse.

The four bosses sipped coffee around a large table while members of each family positioned themselves nearby.

Bang—!

The front door of the restaurant burst open roughly.

“Here comes the toddler.”

Gata Melata snapped at Dom Solomon, who approached angrily.

“Little Dom, what’s the meaning of this? Why are you calling the bosses so early?”

“Because I can’t trust any of you!”

Little Dom’s fingers pointed in a circle starting from Vito Marinelli and his son Manfredi Marinelli on the right, all the way to Darius Russo on the left.

“One of you sent someone to take me out! It’s impossible without the bosses’ consent!”

According to Little Dom, there was a rule among the Five Families. If a boss of one family was to be removed for unavoidable reasons, all the bosses had to agree.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Squeak! Squeak! That rat has no fear.”

Ruoso had a puzzled expression while Dragovich reacted with displeasure.

“I dealt with the wolves, and you all just brushed things under the rug! You repay kindness like this?! Call off that hit on me right now!!!”

Little Dom’s voice echoed throughout the restaurant.

Gata Melata reacted with apparent disdain to the little hamster’s outburst.

“Hey, you should have thought twice before messing with Eddie Sanchez’s daughter!”

Before Melata’s words finished, the bosses’ expressions morphed quickly. They emitted clear hostility and a will to kill, unlike their earlier confusion or displeasure.

Except for Vito and Manfredi, that is.

“…What?”

Little Dom replied in disbelief.

“I heard Sanchez was furious.”

“It’s not unreasonable to want you dead.”

As Russo and Dragovich chimed in, Little Dom quietly took his seat. All the bosses of the Five Families and their representatives were present.

“Hey, Little Dom. Listen!”

Melata shouted, and Little Dom belatedly turned to look at him.

“You shouldn’t have touched just any girl!”

“….”

Little Dom had plenty to say. Did they think he had touched Eddie Sanchez’s daughter? That was not true.

She had approached him first, and Little Dom had clearly expressed his refusal. He couldn’t find any allure in a rock like her.

He must have embellished the story for his father after being turned down.

“Melata, listen closely.”

Little Dom could not shake off his old habits from his days under the Sanchez Family. He still reacted to Melata, who had once been his superior but was now beneath him.

“I never touched Eddie’s daughter. I turned her down clearly, and nothing happened between us!”

“Sure, I’m sure that’s what you say. Either way, that’s how this mess happened.”

“Hey, Solomon. We have rules too. But I understand a father’s sentiments.”

Just yesterday, Russo had knelt to two wolves and now he was explaining himself to Solomon.

“So, the bosses ordered you to remove another boss, and you just sat there doing nothing?”

“No, we in the Marinelli family had no idea at all.”

“…What good are the Five Families then! Useless scum!”

Despite Manfredi’s words, Little Dom vented out at everyone.

Then he stood up abruptly and left the restaurant. His elf and hamster human subordinates boldly followed their boss out.

A moment later, Little Dom and the Solomon Family made a monumental decision.

They would leave the Five Families, becoming a subordinate of the Felini Family just like the Russo Family.