Francesco pulled away with a victorious smile " Wouldn't I? I take personal insults very seriously. If anyone else verbally insulted me I would ....." He then stopped as he was seeing the worried look in Adele's eyes.

Adele spoke " What would you do? Would you kill them?"

Francesco sighed " It's better if you don't know. There aren't many people who have ever verbally insulted me in my life. The last incident occurred a few months ago. So I don't think it matters what I do to such offenders. But you should worry about yourself tonight sweetheart. You might choose the ice bath. But again you can't since we may not go home tonight. We are invited to stay at the hotel where the Hollywood ball is held like all other guests. When the night finishes I am going to ask what you like to do. If you prefer the hotel for the night then we will stay there otherwise we will return to the compound. As you can see I am not a Neanderthal. I do ask about how you feel when it comes to our personal life. This refers only to affairs that are nothing to do with my business of course. Now I think we should go. I want to take you to see a play."

Adele didn't protest further as she was lead out of the ice cream parlour to the car. The theatre where they were going to see a play wasn't far. It was just down the road. Once they got off the car, Adele gasped at the sight. There was a badly injured man laying on the pavement and groaning. She instinctively walked to his direction. She wanted to help him. It was her job. But Francesco pulled her hand roughly and growled " Don't even think about it sweetheart. You are not allowed to touch the injured. I forbid it. You are my woman now. Your life as a doctor is over. The only job I let you carry out if you insist on having a career would be managing a hospital or managing any other business of your choice. Make sure it's the last time I catch you running to cure the sick." He then forcefully pulled Adele towards the theatre steps but she was resisting him.

Francesco was fuming now. He turned around and grabbed Adele's chin tilting her face upwards making her look at him " Sweetheart. I am warning you. Don't defy me in public. You either come with me inside without protest or I would force you. It's your choice darling."

Adele knew she was defeated then. Francesco could easily carry her inside or blackmail her to behave. So she nodded weakly "Ok."

Francesco grabbed her hand with more force than necessary and took heavy steps towards the theatre. They walked through a side door in silence and a man came to greet them. He bowed in front of Francesco and kissed his hand. He then straightened up " Sir. Thank you for coming. Please follow me upstairs to your private suite with the best view in the theatre. The president is also in the other suite and will be watching tonight. But may I ask sir, do you expect any other guests tonight? You asked for a booking for yourself, your lady and ten guards. Any more seats you wish me to provide for you."

Francesco spoke bitterly " No. Show us the seats."

The man jumped at Francesco's tone and vowed again and kissed Francesco's hand again while whispering "Please forgive me for asking."

Francesco spoke firmly " Move it. Will you?"

The man swallowed hard and straightened up " Yes sir." He then lead the way up the stairs to their seats.

Adele was mesmerised at what she saw. The whole theatre was at their feet. They were given seats on one of the balcony suites. She now understood what he meant by a suite. It had river urging in that balcony. There were a variety of drinks, a variety of good layed out nicely on tables, there were even card games and a bed.

Francesco called Adele " Sweetheart. Come here. Take a seat next to me."

Adele walked upto Francesco and sat next to him. Francesco looked calmer now but he looked at Adele with a scowl on his face. Adele looked away at the stage that was still getting prepared to distract herself. The show hadn't started yet and half the spectators hadn't arrived yet."

Francesco spoke " Look at me sweetheart?."

Adele didn't want to hold Francesco's heavy stare. She knew he was going to confront her about what had happened outside and she wasn't looking forward to it at all. She slowly turned around and bit her lip " Yes Francesco." She knew saying his name was going to give her an advantage. He liked her saying his name.

Francesco sighed and spoke with a hard expression " I am going to give you one chance Adele to explain to me what happened out there. What possessed you to act so defiant."

Adele spoke carefully " I am sorry .... about what happened outside. But that man needed help. It didn't look like anyone had called the ambulance. I saw no one was doing anything. He could die. That's why I walked to him."

Francesco laughed bitterly " I see. You cant control it. It must be your code of ethics that made you do it. I believe you that you weren't trying to deliberately defy me. I forgive you since you didn't know what you were doing and how it looked to me. But don't do it again....... But I am also glad you noticed no one was doing anything. Why do you think that was sweetheart?"

Adele shrugged " I don't know.... Maybe because the man had no relatives to help him out."

Francesco shook his head " You are Wrong sweetheart. That mans family were across the street watching him and they were doing nothing."

Adele spoke " I don't understand. Why? How do you know this?"

Francesco spoke " Because sweetheart.... I ordered for him to be beaten to a bloody form that made him unrecognisable. I ordered my men to beat than man down to a point that he couldn't move. I deliberately I asked my men to carry this in public in front of this theatre to serve as a lesson to those who refuse me their services. He is a famous singer actually. He refused to accept to star in a film I am investing in so I ordered for him to be hurt in public to send out a message. He was threatened that no one was allowed to help him. If anyone did, they were going to have the same faith as him. I asked him and his band members to be dealt with this way. They are all across town beaten in front of famous theatres and cinemas to send a message to Hollywood. If I want something, it can't be refused. I bet this man you saw can't play his guitar or hold the microphone any longer for a while. So there would be no income to help with his hospital bills."

Adele was looking at Francesco with disbelief and shock. She couldn't believe what she had seen was the work of Francesco. She couldn't even speak from the shock.

Francesco wrapped one arm around her waist and rubbed circles in her back " I am so sorry you saw that sweetheart. I thought he was gone by the time we arrived. I asked my men to call him an ambulance at noon. So he should be picked up now. Maybe if we had arrived a few minutes later he was gone but ambulances take long to arrive."

Adele choked " Exactly how long was that man out there?"

Francesco looked thoughtful " I think since last night around 8.00 pm. If you are wondering why he was left here for so long it's because I had threatened him not to accept help and also I own the police departments and emergency services in the areas under my control unofficially. If I tell them to ignore a part of town or a person they will without questions asked."

Adele couldn't get head around it " You own the police and .... emergency services? How is that possible?"

Francesco spoke " I don't own all of such services in the country sweetheart. I only own the ones in areas I control in each state. That's it unfortunately. I wish I had control over the whole country but other mobs control other parts and some parts have too much protection from FBI agents and governors that can't be bribed or controlled. I will get there one day. I hope that I can own and buy any influence or government service that I wish in this country in near future. One can dream. Or you never know sweetheart. Our sons maybe able to become that influential when they take over from me in this business."

Adele was feeling numb. She was feeling devastated. Luckily the lights went off and the play started so Francesco couldn't see the tears that were running down Adele's cheeks.