Pretending to Be an Untouchable Crime Boss-Chapter 15: A New Beginning.

Half a year ago.

"James, there's a woman who would like to talk to you." Hans said as James sat on the bench in the bright sunshine.

"A woman?" James asked, not even bothering to look at Hans.

Ah, there are even prostitutes in this beautiful park.

"I don't want to..." He said, still sunbathing.

"Well, sir, she's a different kind of woman..." Hans replied.

For the first time, James looked at him, lowering his sunglasses slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"She is Bella Hone. If you remember her—"

"Nice to meet you."

A soft, yet captivating voice came from behind James.

He sat up from the bench, turning around, and was surprised by the sight before him.

The broken woman he had once known now stood tall.

She was gorgeous, with a perfect figure, her face resembling that of a supermodel. Her sleek black hair cascaded down to her shoulders, and she was tall—standing at the same height as James.

He was speechless.

There was a silence as James stared, mesmerized by the sight in front of him. Bella blushed deeply, a little embarrassed by the quiet moment between them.

"How beautiful you are, Bella. It's very nice to see you doing well."

James stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her. Her reaction was priceless—her face turned an even deeper shade of red.

"How are you doing?" James asked as he stepped back.

"I've never been this happy..." She said, her body trembling slightly as she looked down at the ground, clearly flustered.

That's when James noticed something.

Glancing to the side, he saw Hans gripping his gun tightly. A chill ran down his spine.

Something wasn't right.

Fuck. Her gorgeousness tricked me?

James took a slow step back, subtly placing his hand behind his back. But he had no weapon on him—just a bluff, a simple act to make her think he was ready for whatever came next.

"I'm everything... but no danger to you."

She quickly raised her hands, her eyes filled with sincerity. James studied her for a moment, then let out a small smile and relaxed his tense posture.

"What do you mean by 'everything'?" He asked, his gaze locking onto hers.

Bella blushed, immediately turning her head away, avoiding his eyes.

"Well..." She hesitated, her body trembling slightly.

"I want to be on your side... forever." She said, her face flushed, but this time, she met James' gaze with deep determination.

James' eyes widened. For a moment, they stood there in silence.

"I think you know exactly who I am... or what I am." James said slowly, watching her carefully. "The life I live is dangerous for a woman."

"And what if I'm dangerous too?" She asked.

Something in her eyes shifted. The atmosphere around her changed completely.

Hans felt it too—his grip on his gun tightened. James' instincts screamed at him to be cautious.

"What do you mean by that, darling?".

The moment she heard him call her darling, she beamed, her aura once again turning into that of a playful, sweet woman.

"I'm the one who destroyed the human trafficking ring in this city," she said, her voice steady. "You know—Gerard Ferun, Jakob Iljicsek, and Ivan Huller..."

James swallowed hard as he processed what she had just said. He glanced at Hans, who gave a small nod in agreement.

"You're the one..." James asked, stepping closer to her. "The one who was faster than me?"

He moved another step forward, now standing just ahead of Bella. His face was unreadable—no smile, no expression. His piercing gaze bore into her, making Bella tense up. She swallowed hard, her eyes darting everywhere except at James.

"I... I—"

Suddenly, James reached out and patted her head warmly. Bella shivered at the unexpected gesture. Then, gently, he took her hand, pressed it to his cheek, and lifted his head slightly, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"If you want to stay by my side, then do so. But if you ever—"

"My life is yours for eternity!"

James smirked slightly. "Good. Then you're mine now. Work starts tomorrow—Hans will help you get familiar with my family. Be prepared."

Without another word, he turned away.

"Let's go, Hans."

Bella stood there, frozen, watching as James walked off and got into his car. She was happy—too happy. Her entire body trembled with excitement.

Meanwhile, inside the car, James wasn't nearly as pleased.

"Hans... those three guys she mentioned—they were the ones who got eaten by pigs, weren't they?"

Hans exhaled sharply. "That's right, James."

Fuck. Another psychopath.

But I get it—she was a victim of human trafficking... and probably even worse.

Still, she's a beauty...

No. Don't think about it.

"Hans, check her background. I want to know everything she's done up until today. Look at every detail—make sure she's clean and has no ties to other families or organizations."

"I already checked. She's clean. She only has a few people under her, and she has no ties to any other families or organizations. She did it all on her own."

"So she's strong and a genius, huh?" James muttered.

"Yes... but there's one thing." Hans said, glancing into the rearview mirror.

"What?"

"I don't know how to say it right, but she..." Hans hesitated.

"She?"

"She's deeply in love with you," Hans finally said. "She literally worships you after you saved her. And I'm 100% sure that the kiss you gave her... she took it as a sign that you need her in your life."

James looked like he had seen a ghost as Hans spoke.

"I'm sorry—I would've told you earlier, but... I think it's a mental illness or something." Hans admitted.

James ran a hand down his face, exhaling sharply.

"I fucked up back then... this is all my fault."

"But she would be a perfect wife. I mean, she's strong and independent." Hans said with a smirk.

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James sighed. "How old is she?"

"She's older than you—25—but she looks younger."

"Test her a bit, and we'll see what she becomes in the future... maybe my wife." James laughed, leaning back in his seat.

No way... there's no way I'm even going to date her.

Present

I'm going to date her...

James stared deep into the mirror.

That's too much... If she stays close to me and realizes I'm just a regular guy... the pigs...

But his thoughts were shattered by a sudden knock at the door.

"You good, James?" Ferucci's voice came through.

James sighed and opened the door. "Of course I am."

They exchanged small smiles before heading back to the others.

As soon as they entered the room, his mother greeted him with a teasing smile.

"So, when's the wedding?" She asked playfully.

James chuckled but quickly shook his head. "That's far ahead... but we need to talk, Mom."

His expression darkened, his aura shifting to something serious.

Sensing the change, Hector stood up, followed by the others. "We'll be outside."

James' mother looked surprised as they left the house, leaving her alone with her son.

"So, they're the so-called Bellini family?" Her tone shifted from eerily soft to serious.

"Only the boys." James replied.

"I've heard their names before. That Ferucci guy—his name is rare. And they say there's a man whose smile is like the devil's... and, more importantly, someone who is incredibly precise with a knife."

She took a sip of water , then shrugged. "But I don't care about any of that. I only care about you. So, tell me—why are you so serious?"

James leaned forward. "You and Rafael are moving into a new house. Somewhere more secure."

"What?" She looked stunned. "But this house is perfect—"

"Please, just this once, listen to me and do as I say. Please, Mom."

She studied him for a moment before sighing. "Alright... where are we going?"

"Silent Hill."

Her eyes widened before she burst into laughter. "You mean Billionaire Hill? Where the houses start at fifty million?"

She laughed again, but James didn't. His face remained serious, without even a hint of a smile.

"There's a large mansion there with a private driveway and two gates. No neighbors. It's perfect for protection. "There's also a helipad and a tennis court," James continued. "You'll have a personal driver and staff to help around the house."

"And how much is it exactly?" His mother was more confused than ever. What is my boy telling me? A helipad? A tennis court?

"It's 98 million." James said calmly. "And it's already in your name."

Her reality shattered. Slowly, she realized that her son really was the Angel of Death people whispered about. But she said nothing.

"Rafael won't go to school. He'll study at home. I'll get him great teachers until he graduates from high school." James continued. "And about money—don't worry. Soon, I'll give you a card and some cash."

"Wait, wait, wait..." His mother grabbed her head, overwhelmed. "I'm just a retired factory worker. How could I possibly afford a house worth a thousand times more than I've earned in my entire life?"

James exhaled calmly. "Well... you actually have three legitimate companies under your name. You own a forestry business with 498 acres of land, a marketing company and a real estate company.

Her mother's reaction was pure disbelief. She stared at James as if he had just spoken another language.

"You're joking... right?" She finally said, her voice shaky.

James simply shook his head. "No, Mom. It's all real. You legally own everything."

She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. Her hands trembled as she tried to process what she had just heard.

"This... this doesn't make sense," she whispered. "I've never run a business in my life. How—how did this happen?"

James' mother knew something was up. More security? A heavily protected mansion? For what?

But she didn't ask.

She didn't want to know.

Whatever world her son was involved in... it was far beyond her. And maybe, just maybe, it was safer for her not to understand.

"You don't have to worry about that. Just know that you and Rafael are taken care of."

But in truth, all of those were shell companies with only one mission—to launder money through layering transactions.

His mother's wealth was nothing more than a carefully crafted illusion, a facade to keep everything clean on paper. She was the legal owner, but in reality, she had no control over any of it, the control was at James, well not even him because Hector was the one who did all of it.

"Well, that's it. Tomorrow, some people will come to help you pack up, and then you can enjoy a beautiful life." James said with a smile, getting up.

But before he could leave, his mother grabbed his hand tightly.

"Okay, I understand everything... Well, actually, I don't understand anything you're talking about. But there's something more important I need to ask."

She looked up at James, her eyes searching for him.

"One of the bullies who threw Rafael into the river... he drowned. A video of the whole thing was posted online. The police chief's son and another kid were in the water too. So... was it you or not?" She tightened her grip on his hand.

James didn't flinch. "I did nothing, and you know I was at the hospital at the time. I would never do such a thing to a teenager, Mom." He said with a reassuring smile.

His mother exhaled a deep sigh of relief. "Thank God... Well, I love you, James."

"I love you too." He kissed her on the cheek, but as he turned to leave, his mother smirked and added, "And I want a grandchild before I turn 65!"

James waved his hand as he walked out. But as soon as he opened the door and stepped outside, Bella was right in his face.

"How old is your mom?!"

James blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"She just said she wants a grandchild before she turns 65! So how old is she?!"

James sighed, rubbing his temple. "Bella... that's not the point."

But Bella wasn't letting it go. "No, no, that is the point! I need to know how much time I have!"

Hans and the others, standing nearby, stifled a laugh while James just shook his head.

What have I gotten myself into...?