Cast Out as Old-Fashioned, I Watched the Mafia Fall Apart Chapter 05
The room went dead silent, and every eye turned to me.
Without changing expression, I continued.
“I really was cut from the Family. I came today only to deal with a private matter, and I never expected a misunderstanding this serious.
“I apologize for wasting your time, Mr. Grayson.”
Then I turned to look directly at Kelly and Vera beside her. “I am curious who had the nerve to invite you here to negotiate in my name. I will find out and give you a proper explanation.”
Grayson’s face went cold, and open mockery sharpened his voice. “So this is how the Vincent Family negotiates. “You cut the people who built you, trade on their names, and show no basic good faith.
“Every deal between us ends here.”
At that, Vincent and the elders’ faces fell. They hurried forward to explain.
Grayson refused to listen. He raised a hand to stop them and turned away. At the door, he paused, looked back at me, and softened his voice.
“Iris, the Grayson Family will always have a place for you. Name your terms.
I inclined my head. “Thank you.”
The door slammed and the air in the room dropped to freezing.
Colby spun around and drove his cane into the floor, his voice icy. “Vincent, is this the major contract she supposedly landed? Is this the younger generation’s bold new thinking you wanted to show us?
“Bring me whoever handles personnel! I want to know who dared remove one of the Family’s key people!”
Kelly shuddered and took half a step back without thinking.
Vera went white and could barely stand. One look from Colby made her burst into tears.
“It was… it was Kelly’s order. She said… she said it came from the Don, that the old guard was to be cleared out, and that was why we… why we cut Iris!”
“Nonsense!” Vincent cut across her and turned on Kelly in shock. “When did I ever say such a thing?”
Color came and went in Kelly’s face, Tears sprang to her eyes, and she spoke rapidly, sounding aggrieved.
“Uncle! When I asked you before, you said yourself that she had too much standing and needed taking down a peg! I thought that meant you agreed!
“And Grandfather and Grandmother said it was fine and told me to get on with it! How was I supposed to know she mattered this much!”
Aiden shrank back beside her, kept his head down the whole time, and did not dare say a word in anyone’s
defense.
Vincent’s chest heaved with rage. He pointed at her with a shaking hand. “Do you think taking someone down a peg and cutting them loose are the same thing?! Do you have any idea how many of this Family’s lifelines run through her hands? Even I show her deference, and you cut her just like that!
“You stupid girl! Do you understand how much trouble you’ve caused?!”
Colby snorted, his voice full of anger. “Vincent, this Family is not your private home. You don’t get to drag any stray in off the street and put them in charge.
“This so-called reform team, every plan she approved, and every account she touched after taking over all need a full audit!”
Vincent’s expression shifted, but he quickly forced it back under control and tried to smooth things over.
“Mr. Colby, please don’t be angry.
“Kelly has only just taken over and the people underneath have changed, that’s true, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“Morale is high now, and feedback from every branch has been positive.”
He shot Kelly a look and deliberately raised his voice. “Isn’t that right?”
Kelly forced a smile, and even her nod looked stiff.
I stood in the corner with a fingertip against my lips and nearly laughed.
Colby’s expression eased slightly, and he lifted his chin. “If everything is going so well, let’s go downstairs. I want to see what this young reform team actually looks like.”
Kelly instinctively reached out to stop him and Vincent caught her arm.
“If you’ve produced results, you should show them to the elders. What is there to hide?” Forced confidence edged Vincent’s voice, as if he wanted to recover all the dignity he had just lost. “You’ve been competitive since childhood. Why become modest now, when it’s finally time to show what you’ve done?”
Kelly’s lips moved, and in the end she lowered her head and said nothing more.
I followed the group out at my own pace.
The instant the doors opened, every one of them froze.
