Genevieve's breath caught in her throat.
"How is that possible?! Did my parents offend them?" she exclaimed.
Rick let out a humorless chuckle. "Even a spotless doormat, placed on a table to be used as a tablecloth, will still be despised... no matter how harmless it is. Power works the same way. The moment someone gains it, they automatically gain enemies. Resentment doesn't always stem from their actions but from their position."
Genevieve studied him, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "You talk like you already know exactly who orchestrated the attack…" Her voice trailed off, her expression darkening.
Rick shook his head.
''That would be going too far. The most I can say is I have an inkling on who it is and their motive.''
"Who?" Genevieve demanded.
"The Cosa Nostra," he answered without hesitation. "Master and Madam rarely ever agreed to their proposals. Given their line of work, it's obvious those proposals weren't anything good."
"But is that really enough reason to stage an attack like that?" Anna interjected, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Did my sister and brother-in-law always agree with the others? Like you said, did they always 'nod' to whatever the others said?"
"No, they didn't always agree," Rick replied. "But that's not the only reason I know the Cosa Nostra was responsible. I was there that day; Young Miss' 16th birthday, and I recognized some of the attackers. Master did, too. That's how he knew there would be no negotiations, only death. If the others had been behind it, there might have been room for discussion."
Genevieve frowned at that. "Aren't you contradicting yourself? Earlier, you said you didn't really know who the culprit was. Now you're saying you saw them?"
"I did." Rick said, unfazed. "I saw one of the guards, recognized him as someone who worked with the Mafia. But the Cosa Nostra isn't a single entity. It has multiple factions, each with its own leadership. The ones who attend those meetings are the heads, but I don't know which faction exactly ordered the attack. That's why I said I don't know who exactly is responsible. The guards and weapons used that day belonged to one particular faction, but I can't pinpoint which one."
He met Genevieve's gaze, his tone grave as he continued, "I wouldn't want to give you false information when the wrong step could cost you your life, Young Miss."
Eyes brimming with appreciation, Anna nodded slowly.
''I'm sure my niece understands your concern, Mr Rick. She's just a bit agitated, right, Genevieve?''
''Right,'' Genevieve nodded in agreement. ''So the one behind what happened to my family is the Mafia. To take revenge, I have to know which faction it is exactly.''
Rick hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Yes. But I think you should really think this through, Young Miss. If revenge was truly possible, don't you think the other factions, Mafia or not, would have already punished the ones responsible? If no one has thought of doing that in the past two years, doesn't that mean they can't take down that group? And if people as powerful as that can't, do you really think you can?"
Genevieve's lips curled into a tight smile. "Like you said earlier, Mr. Rick, not everyone takes action, but everyone resents the one in power. Why would they punish someone who eliminated a mutual enemy? I think it's more likely they applauded that faction for having the guts to infiltrate our family... using their stupid daughter A.K.A me, useless birthday party as the perfect opportunity," she stated, pausing to steady her breath before continuing, her voice unwavering. "And as for revenge? I'll give it my all. What's the point of living if I can't help my parents and brother rest in peace?"
Her eyes locked onto his. "Now, can I have the name of the man you recognized?"
Rick exhaled, already seeing the determination in her gaze. There was no stopping her now. "Ken Black," he answered. A quick glance at his watch, then he added, "He is tall, about 6'1. Has a scar running from below his eye down to his chin. He brags about it a lot, so I doubt he's had it removed. He was the only guard I recognized from the massacre that day. If you find him, there must be a way to make him lead you to the real enemies."
With that, he rose to his feet, his part in the conversation complete.
Joining him on his feet, Genevieve appreciated, "Thanks for that description, Mr Rick. It was nice meeting you again. Seems it's time for you to leave.''
''Yeah, he has less than an hour and half to spare,'' Anna affirmed. "And he still has to get to the airport early enough so as not to miss his flight."
Rick smiled, ''I am sorry I have to leave so early, and Young Miss, I'm also glad I got to meet you today. The others will be glad when I tell them—"
''How about you don't tell them?'' Genevieve interjected.