Luca sat in the cramped, his mind racing. The cold metal cuffs that had been clamped tightly around his wrists earlier were now gone, but he couldn't shake off the weight of the situation.
He'd been arrested for carrying drugs, a job that was supposed to help his sister, but now it seemed like his whole world was collapsing around him.
He rested his head against the cold, stone wall, with his breath shaky. "This is it," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.
"It's all over." He thought about his sister lying in that hospital bed, and a deep, aching guilt gnawed at him.
"I failed you," he whispered, feeling the burn of tears welling up.
Just as he was about to sink further into despair, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
Luca lifted his head as a police officer came into view, unlocking the door to his cell.
"Get up," the officer barked, swinging the door open. Luca hesitated, confusion crossing his face.
"What now?" Luca muttered, slowly rising to his feet. He had no idea what was happening.
As he stepped out of the cell, Luca came face to face with a familiar man, the very same one who had almost hit him with his car just hours earlier. Luca's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You?" Luca blurted out. "What are you doing here?"
"Come with me." The man said softly.
Luca hesitated for a moment, glancing between the man and the police officers, who surprisingly stepped aside, allowing the man to lead him out of the station.
Luca's mind raced as they made their way through the station's halls and out into the fresh night air. The cool breeze hit his face, snapping him back into reality.
As they stepped onto the street outside the station, Luca stopped in his tracks,
"Wait a minute," he said, turning to face the man. "Who are you? Why did you get me out of there?"
My name is Detective Van," he said. "I'm a top-secret detective working for the La Russo family."
Luca blinked, his brow furrowing. "This is about La Russo family again." He took a step back, shaking his head. "What does that have to do with me?"
"Everything," he replied. "You're their son, Luca. The true heir to the La Russo empire."
Luca froze, his heart pounding in his chest. "What? That doesn't make any sense. You must have the wrong person. I don't know anything about an empire or being their son!"
Vans reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a worn, old photograph. He handed it to Luca. "Look at this," he said.
Luca hesitantly took the photograph, his hands shaking slightly. He looked down at the image, a young boy with the same birthmark on his arm, standing next to a man and a woman he didn't recognize. His breath caught in his throat.
"That's you, Luca," van said quietly. "You were taken from the La Russo family when you were a child. They've been searching for you ever since."
Luca's mind spun as he stared at the photo, trying to make sense of it all. His throat felt dry, and his words came out in a whisper. "This… this can't be real."
"It is real. I've been tasked with finding you, and now that I have, it's time for you to return to your rightful place." Van said, stepping forward.
Luca shook his head, struggling to process everything.
"I don't—" He paused, his voice cracking. "I'm just Luca. I grew up in an orphanage. My life has been nothing but a struggle. How can I be… the heir to some powerful family?"
Van's expression softened. "I know it's a lot to take in, but this is the truth, and the La Russo family needs you. You've been living in the shadows of your own life, but now it's time to step into the light. Come with me, Luca. Let me take you to them."
Luca clenched the photograph in his hand, still unsure of what to believe.
The life he had known, the struggles, the pain, the loss, none of them aligned with the story he was telling him. But at the same time, the birthmark, the photograph… it all gnawed at him.
He looked up at the vans. "And what if I don't want to go? What if I just want to live my life as it is?"
."You can try, Luca, but now that you've been found, there's no going back. The La Russo family will stop at nothing to take you home. And more than that… they need you."
Luca swallowed hard, the weight of Valli's words pressing down on him. He thought about his sister, lying in that hospital bed, and the action he had taken to try and save her. Maybe this, this connection to the La Russo family, was the answer he had been searching for all along.
After a long moment of silence, Luca finally nodded. "Alright. I'll go."
"Good, "Vans said with a smile.
As they walked toward his car, Luca glanced back at the photograph. His eyes remained glued on it until the car pulled up to the grand entrance of the La Russo mansion.
The gates opened slowly, revealing a sprawling estate. Mr van stepped out, and Luca followed him behind, observing the beautiful estate.
A tall, poised woman in a chic black dress approached them with a warm smile.
"Welcome," she said softly. "I'm Erica, Mrs. La Russo's personal assistant. Please, follow me."
Luca followed Eric through the hallways of the mansion, his footsteps echoing on the marble floors.
Finally, they arrived at a large set of double doors, and Erica knocked softly before opening them.
Inside the room, Mrs. May La Russo sat elegantly in an ornate chair.
"Mrs. La Russo," Erica announced, "Detective van has arrived with someone important."
May La Russo's eyes fixed on Luca. She stood up, with her eyes lightening up.
"Detective Vans," she said. "I trust you have good news."
Detective Vans stepped forward.
"Mrs. La Russo, I present to you Luca, your son."
May La Russo's gaze flickered between Luca and Vans. "I hope you're right, Detective. I hope this isn't some mistake like before."
"This isn't a mistake, I can prove it," he said. He carefully lifted Luca's sleeve, revealing the birthmark on his arm.
"This is the mark we've been searching for, Mrs. La Russo