How Lilies turn Black

West Peal, managed by Antonio.

 

It used to be the territory of the Aiken family’s goth gang. I don’t remember exactly, but sometime in the 50s, their boss Luciano ordered them to take over the area.

 

So Antonio drove the gangs out and set up a bunch of brothels in West Peal. So it was obvious that was where he wanted Lilia to work.

 “I appreciate the offer, but… no thanks.” “Why, you said you wanted to sing. I’ll let you sing as much as you want. Don’t you want to?” 

Antonio grinned lasciviously and squeezed the tip of Lilia’s chin. His dark eyes turned to her, a glint of unbridled, unrelenting madness in them.

 “Look at these sassy eyes. You’re looking at me with those eyes, wanting and demanding a different life than the one you have now.” “…” “Trust me. Every city councilman and every entrepreneur will grovel at your feet and worship you like a queen.” 

It made me uncomfortable. The words, the man’s insistence on pushing her against her will.

Worst of all, she couldn’t think of a good reason to turn down the offer and still work at this bar.

 

‘Should I… give up today?’

 

Lilia stiffened, avoiding Antonio’s gaze. Maurizio, the bartender who had been watching the whole time, reluctantly stepped in and said.

 “I think we should let her go.” 

Antonio’s jovial face suddenly turned cold.

 “Don’t interrupt me when I’m talking. Go get wasted in your stifling old age.” 

His voice had changed from the last time he’d spoken so casually, as if he had a second personality.

 “Ah, Mr. Antonio. What do you get from a naive girl who doesn’t know what she’s doing, somebody who’s been around the block could use some help.” 

Maurizio smiled amiably and waved him off, while simultaneously tugging Lilia away. She was grateful, but she couldn’t help but stumble.

 

‘Haha, if I just turn around and go back, my plan will be ruined…’ 

 

Things were in a tight spot. What should I do?

 

The two men were still arguing, while Lilia squinted nervously.

 “Do you think she’ll listen to you, unless she needs a very large sum of money–” “That’s a matter between the lady and I, Maurizio. The virtue of a bartender is to shut up and listen to the story, not to ramble on uselessly.” 

Just then, the door to the entrance opened.

 Bam— 

All eyes in the bar turned to the doorway, including the three tangled figures, and there was silence.

 Thud, Thud— 

Heavy footsteps echoed over the wooden floor, followed by several more members of the organization.

 “…You’re here.” 

Maurizio lowered his gaze and bent at the waist. The first to enter brushed past him without a glance, walked to a table and sat down.

 

The sight of him seemed so arrogant and yet so natural to this place.

 

The table was set quickly and without a fuss, and the song changed at the man’s first glance. This was possible because he was the second head of the Benedetti family.

 

‘Theodoro Benedetti…’

 

Since his entrance, the atmosphere has changed completely. 

 

The space had gone from laid-back to military-style rigidity, and the conflict of seconds before had dissipated like cold water.

 

Lilia’s palms were covered in thick sweat.

 

She silently clenched her fists and swallowed her fear and anger, intense emotions that had taken over her body from the moment he’d walked through the door.

 

‘Finally!’

 

She waited.

 

‘It’s enough.’ 

 

I had come here for Theodoro, and for no other reason, only to face him, to work for him.

 

It was the prelude to a revenge that could only begin then.

 

By 1970, everyone in the Benedetti family organization knew this. Luciano was extremely wary of Theodoro.

 

Perhaps it was to be expected.

 

For a long time, Luciano had been inexplicably distrustful of third parties, insisting on a business centered around blood ties, while Theodoro was more open-minded.

 

As times changed and the world expanded, the members of the organization naturally aligned themselves with Theodoro’s ideas. It was only a matter of time before he was tacitly recognized as the boss.

 

Although Theodoro himself has kept a close eye on things…

 

‘Luciano, you never know when you’re going to get stabbed in the back by your brother.’ 

 

And by 1968, Luciano’s control had reached a breaking point, and something catastrophic happened. It was a bloody purge.

 

‘Dozens of members of the organization were questionably named, all of whom had supported Theodoro and pushed him to become the next head of the organization.’

 

Theodoro’s loyalty and friendship to his brother was remarkable, as he stood by Luciano even afterward… Luciano’s was, in Lilia’s view, shallow.

 

‘This is good for me.’

 

She planned to use that shallow brotherhood to destroy the organization.

 

To side with Theodoro, to increase his power, and to keep Luciano in check, so that he could finally declare all-out war.

 

So that the two men would be torn apart and tear each other down… until they lost both their brethren and their organization.

 

That’s why I couldn’t leave here today. Nor could I do anything under Antonio that I was unwilling to do.

 

‘The man I’ve been waiting for is here, and the game is up

.’ 

 

As long as Theodoro has his eye on me, working here won’t be a problem.

 

With Lilia gone, Maurizio and Antonio’s attention had long since been diverted from her.

 

Maurizio was busy dealing with the arrival of a group of goons, and Antonio was giving Theodoro a smug look of acquaintance.

 

Taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to her, Lilia spoke up.

 “I said I was looking for a job here.” 

Her voice broke into the room full of men. The chatter was cut short, and eyes snapped to the source of the voice.

 

Standing there, Lilia felt like a monkey in a zoo for a moment.

 

No one answered; they stared at her, the perfect spectators. Theodoro, lifting his glass to his lips, did not turn his head from his brimmed hat.

 

Antonio was the only one who responded to her words, while Maurizio stared back in disbelief.

 “What, she’s still not gone?” 

He walked up beside Theodoro and grabbed Lilia’s chin.

 “Brother, look at her. She’s so pretty, so fair, so angelic. Look at her, how she’s working, and wouldn’t she make a great sign for Laura’s Club?” 

Only then did Theodoro’s eyes shift and lock on Lilia’s. 

 

As always, they were tinted with a deep dark exhaustion, the kind of eyes that don’t know what they’re looking at.

 

In a flash, the last scene from her last life resurfaced. When he had pressed the muzzle of his gun to her forehead and stared down at her wordlessly.

 “…phew.” 

Her breath caught in her throat. She felt like he was going to point the gun at her at any moment.

 

Lilia clenched her fists so tightly that her white palms were beaded with blood.

 

‘No, no. Not like this already.’ 

 

There were countless days ahead, and she couldn’t afford to ruin the beginning.

 

Enduring the tremors radiating from her legs, she opened her mouth again. Only to Theodoro, directed at him.

 “Please let me sing a song, at least.” “ …” 

A piercing silence swept through the bar, as if she hadn’t spoken.

 “…Mmm.” 

Then, from somewhere, a barely contained chuckle escaped.

 

That was the beginning. The members began to roar with laughter as the sinking bar began to float.

 “Ha, ha, ha! We’re going to play the wind chimes!” “Maurizio, give the microphone too. Ha ha!” 

Maurizio wiped his forehead and shook his head. He glanced over in Lilia’s direction, feeling sorry for her plight.

 

Lilia kept her eyes on Theodoro, withstanding the humiliation in the crowded hall.

 

It didn’t matter who laughed at her, it was only Theodoro she needed to win over.

 

‘All you have to do is say the word to try. Just tell me to do it… or not… or whatever it is you want to do, come on.’ 

 

But there was not the slightest hint of interest in his dull expression.

Theodoro turned away again and raised his glass, as if he had heard nothing, seen nothing.

 “Ah…” 

Not that I expected to be pleased that he’d been right, but I didn’t expect him to be indifferent from start and finish.

 

Hope and despair are one step apart, and it only took a moment for the hope she had built up to crumble.

 

Still, a handful of hope remained, and Lilia couldn’t take her eyes off Theodoro.

 

By then, she had been reduced to a laughingstock, and Antonio had seized her, ravaging her under his fetid breath.

 “Lady, did you want to work among the creeps, I wonder. Yes, you can start working for me today. I’ll make you sing a lot. I told you. You’re about to get pretty hot, real hot.” 

A strong hand stroked a lock of jet-black hair.

 “Let’s put this messy hair up or cut it off.” 

His eyes scanned her with a quizzical glint, and she felt a rush of shame, as if she’d bared her skin despite her clothes.

 

She glanced around quickly, but there was no one on her side.

 “Why is your skirt so long? It’s not like you’re wearing your grandmother’s clothes.” 

The next words were greeted by a chorus of bystanders, who burst out laughing.

 

Antonio raised the corner of his lips and slyly licked them. He called out to the back.

 “Hey, Lorenzo, throw me a knife!”