"Well…" Francesca said as she hesitated to explain to her friend.
"Spill." Katerina said in a threatening tone.
"I got into an agency today." Francesca excitedly announced.
"YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU WERE LOOKING FOR AN AGENCY!" Katerina shouted over the phone. "Wait, did you sign with Lights?" Katerina asked as she calmed down.
"No." Francesca answered.
"Wow, really? I personally know the future President of Lights and you didn't come to me?" Katerina asked. "I'm disappointed."
"My brother arranged it with a friend. Ver Industries. It's a small agency." Francesca explained.
"So what about it?" Katerina asked.
"I overheard my brothers talking, Andres said he was doing this so that I would get tired of the industry." Francesca explained.
"Simple, prove him wrong." Katerina said over the phone.
"How?" Francesca asked.
"Acting and modeling have always been your dreams. So slay it." Katerina said with a laugh.
"I will." Francesca said as she sat up on her bed.
"Anyway I have to go. Someone is waking up. Bye." Katerina dropped the call making Francesca's jaw drop.
Francesca always wanted to be more like Katerina, a law unto herself. She didn't conform to the traditional image of what a high society girl should be. When their contemporaries were focused on dresses and make up Katerina was studying and making connections.
While Francesca and her classmates were focused on being shy and demure, Katerina was busy learning how to be a leader and how to stand up to people. Katerina dated while the others waited for the men to approach them.
It also helped that Katerina was from the Sebastian Family and no one would dare say anything bad about them. They and their group were just too powerful and influential to anger.
Francesca curled into a ball as she let sleep takeover.
The next day Francesca, Matteo, and Andres all went out together to look for an appropriate apartment for her.
"I like this one." Francesca said as she walked across the livingroom of a two bedroom apartment. "It's not far from school and it's in the city." She explained.
"It's dangerous." Matteo said as he looked out the window observing the surrounding community.
"It's safe. There are locks and even the lobby security is tight. You need a pass just to enter." Francesca countered her brother.
"I guess we could arrange for some men to take shifts in watching over the building." Andres said as he joined his brother in looking out the window to assess where their men would be stationed.
"People won't know who I am!" Francesca complained.
"Just added security." Matteo said as he nodded at Andres who made a call. "Won't you bring a car?"
"No." Francesca said, crossing her arms.
"So you will take a cab everywhere?" Matteo asked her.
"A cab, a bus, whatever public transportation I need." Francesca said with a shrug.
"Dad will not allow this." Matteo warned.
"Dad can't reach me here." Francesca said proudly.
Matteo laughed at his sister's statement. "Francesca, dad can easily find ways. I'll buy you a cheap one. You can drive anyway, let's go."
At that the siblings went to a local car dealership and purchased the cheapest and simplest car available.
"Are you sure sir?" The manager asked as he looked at the three people who had just arrived in a fancy silver Mercedes C - Class.
"Yes." Matteo answered as he handed over his bank card.
"The white one!" Francesca suddenly said.
"Very well ma'am." The manager said as he processed the papers.
"Can you have it made bullet proof?" Andres asked.
The manager stared at Andres to see if he was joking, he clearly wasn't.
"Of course sir. But it will cost more than the car and you can't get it till a week later." The manager explained.
"I'll pay to have it fast tracked." Matteo said. "Send it to this address." He told the manager as he wrote down Francesca's new address.
"Can I move in now?" Francesca asked.
"Yeah. We had the men bring down your things. We'll just drop you off at the apartment." Andres said with a laugh.
On the drive back Edward suddenly called Francesca.
"Mr. Vernon." Francesca said politely.
"Francesca, I'm supposed to be your suitor, drop the formalities." Edward teased.
"Yes Edward?" Francesca asked without dropping the formality in her tone.
"Your stylist and manager are at the office right now. Do you think you can drop by to meet them?" Edward asked.
"I need to go to Ver Industries. Can you give me my keys and drop me off a block from the office?" Francesca asked her older brothers.
"Not a block away." Matteo said.
"Brother." Francesca said with a glare.
"Fine." Matteo said as he signaled to the driver.
"Alright Edward. I should be there in a while." Francesca said over the phone.
"Great, amazing. You'll love them, I'm sure." Edward said as he dropped the call.
"Francesca, remember not to be so naive. Don't forget that you are a Rocci, don't forget everything you've been taught at home. The entertainment industry is not unlike the mobs, there are many dangers hidden within it." Matteo warned his sister.
"Don't worry brother." Francesca said with a smile. "I'm a Rocci after all."
Matteo and Andres let Francesca down from the car, one block away from the Ver Industries office. As Francesca made her way down the street, she smiled as she thought of the training her parents had given her and her siblings. As part of the Mafia, their lives would always be under threat and people would always try to take advantage of them, as a result the family had begun a tradition of training their children in both martial arts and in weaponry. Francesca herself was quite a good shot and she always kept a gun at her side, Matteo's orders. She was quite confident in her skills and she was sure that those in the entertainment industry wouldn't be able to easily push her around.