Francesco spoke " Soon. You would be summoned when the time comes. But first I would like to make this clear, you have a choice not to participate and also leave after commencing. You are not eighteen yet. You have choices but as I always say to you I won't live forever. There are many things that are under my control in life but I have no way of knowing whether I would be around long enough as healthy as I am now to help you through getting to know every aspect of being a Rosario. I might get shot, injured or killed at any moment. Then you would have to learn from the others." He tried to be honest with his sons. He didn't want to pressure them and he wanted them to know the urgency of why they had to stand up like the Rosarios he was raising them to become.

Vincenzo and Viggo were totally silent now as their father's words hit them hard. Gone were the days they his in their father's office and eavesdropped on his conversations. Gone were the days they broke into the cellar and his in a corner to watch as their father worked. Gone were the days they had to plead to their father not to kick them out of his office or the cellar because they were too young. It had been about two years now that their father gave them choices to slowly get involved and be overseeing the activities of their father's employees as well as treating their father's enemies to a dose of well deserved treatments they had seen their father subject those who crossed him.

Now it was time to see a side of matters they hadn't seen before or rather their father hadn't allowed them to be exposed to. They knew there was an underground base under the compound grounds somewhere where their father did classified work that they had never found. Now was the time to see it. They were excited but the last sentences from their father had hit them in a place in their hearts that they couldn't begin to describe. They were loyal to their father and at that moment they knew their father was right unfortunately for them.

Viggo was the one to speak first " Father, we would protect your business. We won't let your enemies touch you. Right Vincenzo." He turned to his elder brother.

Vincenzo nodded to Viggo and turned to his father " But father if you don't give us more chances to prove ourselves we can't do this. How can we protect your business without knowing about everything that you do?"

Francesco nodded " You are correct son. Time is something that's running out for me. Not for you. It's my responsibility if I fail to expose you to everything you should be by the time you are eighteen. But I am talking of possibilities son. It's theoretical. I will continue to give you extended early exposure to my work. To both of you from now on. But I ask you to not hesitate to walk away if you can't endure to see the side to my business you haven't already. You are still too young."

Viggo spoke " But Trent and Tristan O'Neil are getting more access to their father's resources and getting more involved. They told us something was coming that was a great opportunity...."

Vincenzo spoke " Yes father. He is right. Is that why you are choosing to let us into more secrets because the O'Neils are getting there too? You want us not to fall behind our rivals?"

Viggo spoke " Correction Vincenzo. Our rivals who happen to be our allies."

Vincenzo kicked him behind his knee making him lose his balance slightly but he recovered to his position.

Francesco spoke " Vincenzo. You are in my presence. Do I need to teach you again about how to behave in my office?"

Vincenzo turned to his father and spoke quickly but reluctantly " No father. My Apologies. I forgot." Vincenzo knew that tone his father was using this time. He knew he was pushing it with his father. It didn't matter how his father acted. He may have been calm but it didn't mean he wasn't cross with him. He didn't want to be in more trouble than he already was. He had defied his father's orders by upsetting his mother. He surely didn't want to add to his crimes. His father never forgave anyone ..... unless their mother was involved or she interfered in any way. Francesco Rosario was known to change his mind for nothing and no one except for his wife. Vincenzo and Viggo knew that and respected that.

Francesco spoke " Viggo, your brother is right. They are our rivals. They are friendly rivals. But that is how you should view the O'Neils. They are not tied to us by blood so you can't put too much trust in them." He then looked at his eldest son " I wish to proceed with this decision to involve you for many reasons. One reason is, O'Neils sons would be doing the same. But I have my own reasons too. Is that a sufficient response for you son?"

Viggo spoke " Yes father."

Francesco spoke " Good. I think we are done for tonight since I need to have an early night tonight. I have matters to discuss in my bedroom with your mother. I don't wish to be disturbed until tomorrow morning. Viggo you are dismissed but Vincenzo you need to stay. Good night Viggo."

Viggo nodded quickly and walked out of the office closing the door behind him as Vincenzo remained behind looking at his father awaiting his next words.

Francesco got up from his seat and walked around the desk. It made his son turn towards him. Now Francesco was towering over his son looking at him with a hard stare. " Do you have anything you would like to tell me about your treatment of Vienna while I have been gone?"

Vincenzo spoke "What would you like to know father?"

Francesco spoke " Anything you would like to disclose to me, I would like to hear now. What do you think I want to know from you?"

Vincenzo knew what he was supposed to talk about. He had to tell him what he had done wrong. His father's closeness and his hard look would have made anyone else cowering away but not Vincenzo. He looked at his father without wavering standing his ground but he couldn't help swallowing hard. He didn't want his father's wrath to be directed at him. No one did.

Vincenzo spoke " Father. I did as you expected me to. I treated Vienna with respect and taught her to respect herself by methods that mother doesn't approve of."

Francesco spoke " What method would that be?"

Vincenzo spoke " I advised her to stop painting and I threw her latest painting into the mud."

Francesco spoke " Do you think you managed to convince her to stop painting?"

Vincenzo spoke " No father."

Francesco spoke "Why was that?"

Vincenzo explained "I had to take the painting back because mother saw it. I couldn't teach Vienna a lesson because mother confronted me. I try to explain to mother why I did what I did but she refused to listen. Father, I just don't want to see Vienna become a painter on the street. She is a Rosario. Why can't she be in these meetings with me and Viggo. Why is she treated differently by you, father?"

Francesco spoke " That's because your mother wishes for Vienna to be treated this way and you must respect that. Obviously you didn't do a great job of convincing Vienna of the validity of your point of view. Using force and threats doesn't always work. I do not forbid you from trying to talk to Vienna about matters that you feel strongly about. I encourage you to get close to her but to make her trust you, not to terrorise her. By scaring her off, you are not going to make her trust you. Be a more caring big brother to your sister so she can come to you when she needs to. I don't want to see you damaging her paintings again. Is there a problem for you to follow this simple instruction?"

Vincenzo spoke " But father...."

Francesco put his hand on his sons shoulder " Answer my question son."

Vincenzo spoke " I won't damage her paintings again...."

Francesco spoke " Now that we have an understanding, let me tell you, I don't forbid you from committing any actions when you are outside my office towards anyone as long as you don't use methods that worry your mother. Your mother was upset today. I don't care what you do out there son. As long as your mother is not hurting, I wouldn't reprimand you. We have been through this son. Tell me your duties when it comes to the women in your family."

Vincenzo spoke " Protection and respect. It's the role of a man to protect a woman in his household. If a man cant protect the women under his protection, he is not worthy of being called a man. Father, I respect that. I want to save her from making a mistake and throwing her life away."

Francesco pulled away from his son and walked around his desk. He spoke as he sat down behind his desk" But she won't throw her life away. You won't let her. But you will not upset your mother son. That's rule number one and you broke it. Get into position in the middle of the room and give me another twenty. Then you are dismissed."

Vincenzo spoke " Yes father." Vincenzo without argument walked to the middle of the room, faced his father and dropped to the floor. He started his push ups and counted each one loudly. He knew he was being punished not because of his treatment of Vienna and only because his mother was unhappy. But he had no complaints. He didn't mind putting Vienna in her place and taking whatever punishment his father threw his way.

Francesco smiled at his son's form as he got on with checking paper work in his desk. He knew his son was no where near being pushed to his limit with these push ups. Francesco's intention was not to break his son. He just wanted his son to think about his actions and see some sense but who was he kidding? This was Vincenzo, his son. He was as stubborn as he was when he was his age so the chances of getting through to him this easily were almost non-existent.

When Vincenzo finished his push ups, he got up. Francesco spoke "Good night Vincenzo. Take it easy on your sister."

Vincenzo spoke "Good night father." He then walked away towards the door. He knew everything was going to be different one day. When his father stepped aside, Vincenzo was going to change the rules. He vowed to make sure that Vienna was going to learn to obey him like how everyone else was. He was going to be the head of the Rosario business empire when his father stepped aside. He was the one everyone had to take orders from without exception. He was going to ensure that his sister was going to act like a Rosario.

Vincenzo was going to make sure that no one dared to question his authority and everyone followed his rules. He was determined to turn his father's empire into a dictatorship one day. A world where there were even stricter rules and harsher punishments across the board so everyone feared him in a way that he had no enemies left. Vincenzo looked up to his father but he didn't agree with his approach. Obviously his father was going soft somewhere in his business and compromising somewhere otherwise he was not going to fear getting hit. He was going to aim to become more powerful than his father and make him proud. He vowed to make this dream come to reality.