He charged them with willful negligence, inciting unrest, and disrupting the family's business.
But even with men thrown in lockup, the rest still refused to lift a finger.
My side of things was a different story entirely.
Business grew by the day, profits climbing steadily, and I paid the highest wages in all of Kingsport.
The people working for me were terrified of not doing enough.
Emilio seemed to think he'd found the root of the problem.
I was directing my crew to hang the sign above our new front on Mulberry Street when Emilio's men shoved their way forward.
One of them swung and knocked the signboard clean off its hooks.
It hit the ground and split in two.
The leader glanced at the gold bracelet on my temp worker's wrist and sneered:
"So it's true. You're the one corrupting people's hearts with money."
I stared at the shattered signboard. My voice was flat:
"What exactly do you think you're doing?"
"Take your people and get lost! Stop spreading this filth! It's because of money-poisoned vermin like you that everyone's heads are full of nothing but profit!
"You call yourself a Ferraro? Our family is a house of consiglieri! And you drag our name through the mud like this!"
I said nothing.
I just looked past him at the men he'd brought along.
My temp workers could afford gold bracelets.
His men's suits hung off them like they hadn't eaten a full meal in weeks.
His men still had patches sewn onto their trousers.
I clapped my hands together.
"New shop opening! Five cooks, ten clerks, one manager needed! Three silver a month, plus commission! Sign on and get equity shares!"
The men standing behind Emilio visibly froze.
From the moment they'd arrived, their eyes had been drifting over to my people. Every few seconds, a flash of envy crossed their faces.
"Me!"
Someone was the first to throw down his club.
"Me too! Me too!"
"You—!"
One by one, the men around Emilio bolted toward me.
I waved them off with a laugh. "Too many, too many."
"I'm strong! Pick me!"
"I'll work part-time! I don't need the shares!"
Emilio's teeth ground together.
"You worthless dogs! Ungrateful scum!"
I looked up.
"Fine. I'll take all of you. Now, escort the prince consort back to his compound nice and safe. And while you're there, tell your brothers at the house that I'm hiring."
"Yes, sir!"
Emilio was dragged toward the car by his own men. He stared back at me, seething.