Chapter 378 - 376: Meeting Mr. Alinsky
They were driven into this private estate in the city of Naples.
Two huge gate painted with black and gold stopped them from moving forward.
The gates slowly opened revealing the grand residence behind it.
Asia peeked through the tainted car window and saw that the grand property ahead of them.
A big lawn covered with greens and plants welcomed them together with the two rows of armed men with high powered weapons on their hands.
They immediately made a snappy pose like those statues.
They were very disciplined men. Asia could say that.
Less than a minute after, they pulled over in front of the huge mansion inspired with Baroque Architecture.
The house looked to be a place inhabited by the royals because of how grand it looked from the outside. This was like a Palace.
However, knowing of what kind of person...the identity of the Master of this house, it did fit for him.
The first to got out of the car was Francais. Before he left, he threw a stern warning to Asia.
"Wait for thirty seconds before you came out."
Both Frederick and Asia nodded at him.
"Master, are you going to remind me again? Don't worry, I'll be a good girl." Asia immediately asked after she saw Frederick's sharp gaze at him.
Frederick gave her a cold shoulder and he stepped out of the limo ahead of her.
Asia had no other choice but to continue counting inside her head.
When she finally went out, she saw Frederick by the door waiting for her with a smile on his face.
'You know what, you're handsome. However, I don't like you.' Asia talked to herself.
Asia then grabbed Frederick's hand and held onto it. She also showed her sweet smile to him. She knew that everything was fake. This was part of the acting.
She mumbled a soft "Thank you" to him after both of her feet landed on the ground.
She then retracted her gaze away from him and looked at the people around them.
A line of guards were lining up on both sides to welcome them.
On the stairs, women with white and black housekeepers uniforms were forming two lines until the big main white door outlined with gold.
There was even a red carpet laid out for them to walk on to.
This was their way of welcoming them.
The guards were standing still with their eyes focused on one direction and it's not on her.
The female housekeepers bowed down their heads. They were also afraid to look at any of them in the eye which she had already expected.
With Frederick's help, Asia walked towards on the red carpet and in the middle of those loyal servants and safely entered the portico surrounded by Corinthian columns.
Francais was already inside the house talking to this gray-haired man sitting on his electric wheelchair.
"Oh here she is! Eunji, come!" Francais approached her and Frederick with a warm smile.
Then he grabbed her arm and so she had no other choice but to follow him.
As she got closer to the old man, the latter tried to stand up but was immediately stopped by his nurse.
"Sir! Be careful!"
However, Mr. Alinsky was shrugged him off and instead with his eyes fixed on Asia, he told his nurse, "Jeffrey, I can manage. I just want to hug my granddaughter properly."
Asia was surprised to hear his gentleness.
She really thought that he was actually a cruel old man.
After all, he must have a strong, strict and overbearing attitude to run an entire empire of the underworld. The entire empire of the black market.
But she could tell at first glance that he was this lonely old man whose eyes were laced with regrets and longing for his loved ones.
Asia maintained a poker face while looking at him.
She was just herself. She didn't want to look like she was really excited to meet him.
She was only curious to meet the man finally.
After all, he was the most influential and powerful person in the world of criminals.
Francais's voice snapped her away from her thoughts.
"Sir Alinsky, she's Eunji, Layla's one and only daughter."
She felt a slight nudge on her side and so she smiled sweetly at Mr. Alinsky.
"Hello Sir Alinsky."
"Oh no! Don't call me that. Call me Grandpa. Can you please do that?"
Asia paused for a while before she showed her genuine smile to him.
"If that'll make you happy Grandpa."
Asia could see tears coming out from the old man's eyes. Those tears were not crocodile tears but genuine.
He spread his arms and like a lost child, she immediately ran towards his arms and hugged him.
Mr. Alinsky was surprised that his arms were left hanging in the air.
Asia could not hold back her tears.
Maybe because he was her biological grandfather that's why she could feel this to him.
And also, she felt that all this time, she had misunderstood him and believed on what others had said about him.
In the arms of her grandfather, she could actually feel the warmth thus she tightened her hug to him.
Mr. Alinsky who was surprised to receive such warm hug wrapped his arms around her back and rubbed it awkwardly. It had been years since he tried comforting a woman.
He was expecting to receive a hug from his daughter. But getting a hug from his granddaughter was even better.
Thus, he uttered softly, "Thank you, Eunji."
"You're welcome Grandpa." If her actions before were all fake, this time, she decided to show her real emotions.
However, for Frederick and Francais, everything was just an act. And so they complimented her great acting skills.
They never believed that it's easy for someone to develop such emotional attachment over a short period of time.
Unless if they had met in the past.
But based on their body language, this was actually the first time they'd seen each other. Unless if they're acting, too.
Francais was confident that Asia would never feel pity for Mr. Alinsky and would kill him herself when the time was right.
"Ahem!" Frederick cleared his throat as he impatiently waited for Mr. Alinsky to acknowledge him, too.
And so he smiled widely when Mr. Alinsky finally saw him. "Frederick? You're here, too?"
Asia's ears rang when she heard a subtle displeasure from her grandfather's voice.
She thought that there's more on the table that she didn't know of.
"Yes, Sir. In fact, I have accompanied your lovely daughter in coming here." Then slowly, he walked closer to Asia and gently grabbed her arm and linked it with his.
The old man was not dumb to realize the meaning of his actions. Thus he raised one of his brows and raised his question, "Oh! You two?"
"Yes, Sir. In fact, I come here for two purposes." Frederick was really proud to himself.
He was confident that he would get his blessing, if not, it's up to Anastasia to convince him..
Mr. Alinsky seriously looked at him, "What is it young man?"
Before their discussion would heat up, Francais decided to interfere.
"Ahm, Sir. Frederick, I think we should discuss that in private?" His eyes were also looking at Asia hoping her to interrupt, too.
Asia inwardly rolled her eyes but for the sake of her acting, she smiled to Mr. Alinsky and said, "Uncle Francais is right, Grandpa. We better continue this talk in private."
Mr. Alinsky looked at Asia and then he heaved a sigh, "Okay, since my granddaughter asked for it, then let's go to my study."
He also thought that she was tired from the long trip thus, he called on the head butler of the house.
"Jaime?"
A gray-haired man came forward and stood a few meters beside him.
"Sir!"
"Do show your Young Lady to her chamber so she could have a rest while us three will go to my office." Mr. Alinsky then looked at Asia with a softer gaze and she reciprocated it with a smile.
"Thank you Grandpa. However, I think I should be there with you as I think it concerns me, too?" She then looked at Frederick beside him.
This was not part of the script. If they didn't want her to be there, she'd happily retreat to her room but if these two agreed to her, then, she'd happily join them.
Frederick showed an awkward smile but never dared to look at her fiercely.
Mr. Alinsky was a very sensitive man. He could easily pick up if things were odd in the air.
That's why before coming over, both Francais and Frederick had been warning her to act as natural as she could.
"Sure. If that's this beautiful lady wishes." He then grabbed Anastasia's hand and gently kissed her knuckles.
Asia actually felt repulsed by this ingenuity. She really wanted to jerk her hand off and poured a million liters of sanitizers on it.
However, she reciprocated it with a smile and said, "Thank you."
And then she turned her attention to her grandfather who was studying their actions so seriously.
Francais was right, they better pulled this act together perfectly to make it believable in his eyes.
"Grandpa?" She affectionately softened her voice so her grandfather would allow her to join them.
"Fine. Then follow me."
Asia watched as Mr. Alinsky sat back on his electric wheelchair. His nurse, Jeffrey followed closely behind them.
Going deeper inside the house, Asia was greeted by a colonnade of Corinthian columns as they walked towards the hallway going to his office.
Asia saw from her peripheral vision a peristyle surrounding the main backyard of the house.
There's a small fountain in the middle of the courtyard in contrast to the big one in front.
After walking for two minutes, Mr. Alinsky unlocked the door of his office by his fingerprint and his butler, Jaime opened it for him.
Mr. Alinsky led them inside.
Jaime was the last to enter and waited by the door waiting for any requests from them.
"Eunji, do you need anything?" Mr. Alinsky gently asked her at the same time beckoned everyone to choose their respective seats.
"It's okay Grandpa. I'm good. How about you Uncle? Fred?" Asia turned the question to them.
"A cup of black coffee, please." Francais said his request.
"Same."
"Jaime, ask the servants to bring their requests and a plate of cookies. And a glass of fresh orange juice for her."
"Alright, Sir!" Jaime made a bow and then left.
"Grazie, Grandpa."
"Prego, Eunji."
While they were waiting for the snacks to be served, Mr. Alinsky looked at everyone in the room.
"So, what is it that purpose that you're talking about, Frederick?"
The same subtle tone of displeasure was still there. In fact, she could feel that her grandfather was not fond of Frederick at all.
To express his so called sincerity, Frederick then got up from his seat and kneeled in front of Mr. Alinsky.
"Sir. I'm asking Eunji's hand for marriage."
Asia wanted to give him a round of applause for his superb acting.
However, she decided to study Mr. Alinsky's face instead.
And as expected, her grandfather frowned. But then it was back to being indifferent.
"Tell me Frederick, why should I allow you to marry my granddaughter?"
Then he looked at Asia and said, "If I'm not mistaken, Eunji is Nathan's ex-wife."
***