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2025-01-14 11:30:37
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The Mafia's Nanny 127
127Matteo’s POV I laid on my bed, ignoring the fact that I had to be at work in about an hour and thirty minutes, and my boss wouldn’t take it easy on me if I come in even a minute late.Resting my legs on the wall, I picked up my phone and began dialing my big sister. While I waited for it to ring, I got up from the bed, slid my legs into my shoes and walked to the kitchen. The phone rang twice before Emilia picked up, her voice sharp and worried. “What’s going on, Matteo?”“Hello to you too, Em,” I said, leaning against the kitchen counter. My apartment was quiet, the kind of quiet that reminded me I lived alone and worked too much these days. “Can’t I just call my big sister to check in?”She snorted, loud enough for me to hear over the line. “Check in? You? You’re either calling because you’re bored or you need something. Which is it?”I smiled despite myself. She knew me too well. “You wound me. I was just calling to say hello.”“Sure, you were,” she said, dry as ever. “Alright
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-15The Mafia's Nanny 128
128Gianna’s POVThe conference room was too quiet. The kind of quiet that didn’t suit Matteo Abramo. Normally, he’d be cracking a joke by now, leaning back in his chair as if the weight of the world—or the company’s reputation—was something he could charm his way out of.But this morning? Silence. It made me uneasy.I scanned the table where my team was seated. Reports spread out like a battlefield, coffee cups half-empty, and a faint tension lingering in the air. Matteo sat at the far end, fidgeting with his pen. He caught my glance and gave me a grin that was almost disarming. Almost.“Alright,” I said, clasping my hands together. “Let’s get started. Matteo, do you have the client brief ready?”He straightened up, pushing the pen aside, and reached for his laptop. “Yep. It’s all here.”“Good.” I didn’t miss the slight edge of uncertainty in his voice. “Let’s see it.”He projected his screen onto the conference room wall, and I stood, moving closer to the screen as he began his pres
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-15The Mafia's Nanny 129
129Matteo’s POV. The train rocked gently as it sped through the countryside, the rhythmic clatter of the wheels against the tracks almost soothing. Almost. If it weren’t for the looming pressure of the deal we were chasing, I might have actually enjoyed the ride.Gianna Lorenzo sat across from me, her laptop open, her eyes flicking between the screen and the papers she’d spread out like a fortress around her. She hadn’t said more than a handful of words since we boarded, and those were all business-related.I shifted in my seat, clearing my throat. “You know, I’ve read that working too hard can cause premature wrinkles.”Her eyes didn’t leave the screen. “I’ll take my chances, thanks.”I grinned, leaning back in my seat. “I’m just saying, a little small talk never hurt anyone. We’re going to be stuck together for two weeks. Might as well get comfortable.”Now she looked up, arching an eyebrow. “Comfortable? We’re not on a vacation, Matteo. This trip is about closing deals, not bondi
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-16The Mafia's Nanny 130
130Gianna’s POVBy the time we reached out hostel in Cleveland, I was more than ready to collapse. The day had been a whirlwind of planes, calls, and emails, and Matteo’s constant stream of chatter had frayed my patience. He wasn’t unpleasant, exactly. He just had this way of filling every silence with a comment, a joke, or a question. Charming, sure, but exhausting.The front desk was brightly lit, staffed by a young woman with a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Matteo lingered a step behind me, looking around the lobby as if he’d never seen one before.I approached the desk, pulling out my phone. “Hi, checking in. Reservation under Lorenzo.”The receptionist’s fingers clattered across the keyboard. “Lorenzo… let me see here.” Her smile faltered.“Something wrong?” I asked, already dreading her answer.“It seems there’s been a mistake,” she said hesitantly. “We only have one room available under your reservation. A single king bed.”I blinked. “What?”“I’m so sorry. Th
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-16The Mafia's Nanny 131
131Matteo’s POVWe walked into the hotel Gianna had booked for us here in Cleveland. It wasn’t particularly grand, but it was okay at least. Gianna looked obviously worn out, like she was about to faint or something like that. I stood next to her, leaning against the counter and looking around.The front desk was brightly lit, staffed by a young woman with a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.“Hi, checking in. Reservation under Lorenzo.” Gianna pulled out her phone, not bothering to even smile at the woman.The receptionist’s fingers clattered across the keyboard. “Lorenzo… let me see here.” Her smile faltered.“Something wrong?” Gianna asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.“It seems there’s been a mistake,” the receptionist said hesitantly. “We only have one room available under your reservation. A single king bed.”I scoffed.“What?” Gianna screeched.“I’m so sorry. The booking system must have—”“Fix it,” Gianna interrupted, her tone sharp. “We need two rooms.”“I unders
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-17The Mafia's Nanny 132
132Gianna’s POVThe first meeting of the day was supposed to be straightforward—key word: supposed. I’d reviewed the client file twice this morning, ensuring we were prepared for every potential question or snag. But as usual, things weren’t going as planned.“Ms. Lorenzo, I don’t think this partnership benefits us as much as it does you,” Mr. Caldwell, the regional director of our potential partner, said, leaning back in his chair. His tone was smug, almost amused, as if he’d been waiting to drop that line since we walked in.I resisted the urge to sigh. Of course, he wanted to play hardball. “Mr. Caldwell, I understand your concerns,” I said evenly. “But if you’ll review the projections we’ve provided, you’ll see that the growth opportunity is mutual. Our infrastructure would support your expansion plans—at no additional cost to you.”He glanced at the papers in front of him, not even bothering to hide his disinterest. “Projections are just numbers, Ms. Lorenzo. Numbers can be… man
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-17The Mafia's Nanny 133
133Matteo’s POVI leaned against the armrest of the couch in our hotel room, flipping through my phone without really paying attention to the screen. Gianna was at the desk, typing away on her laptop like the day hadn’t been a marathon of negotiations and mental gymnastics.I didn’t know how she did it. Most people would be sprawled out on the bed, face-planted into a pillow, or binge-watching a mindless show after the day we’d had. But Gianna? She was a machine. She hadn’t so much as kicked off her heels.“You ever stop working?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light.She didn’t look up. “You ever stop talking?”I smirked. “Touché. But seriously, Gianna, it’s nine at night. Don’t you think you’ve earned a break?”“I’ll take a break when the work is done,” she said, her fingers not pausing for a second.I let out a low whistle. “You’re going to burn out at this rate.”“No one ever got ahead by taking it easy,” she shot back, her voice clipped but not harsh.I watched her for a moment
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-18The Mafia's Nanny 134
134Gianna’s POVThe day had been exhausting. Every meeting had been a test of patience and diplomacy, and the last client of the evening had pushed my composure to the brink with his endless demands and passive-aggressive remarks. By the time Matteo and I returned to the hotel, all I wanted was silence and a good glass of wine.I set my bag down on the desk with a heavy sigh, kicking off my heels. My toes throbbed in relief as I sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing the back of my neck. Matteo, as usual, looked infuriatingly unfazed by the day. He leaned casually against the doorway, his tie slightly loosened but still in place, and his hair somehow managing to look better disheveled than it did neatly styled.“Tough crowd,” he said, his tone light but not mocking.“That’s one way to put it,” I replied, not looking up.He walked further into the room, his footsteps quiet on the carpet. “You’ve been carrying that tension all day. When’s the last time you had a real break?”I gave him a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-18
Bab terbaru
The Mafia's Nanny 314
314Matteo’s POV I wasn’t dumb enough to think flowers would fix everything.But I figured they wouldn’t hurt.Today was day fifteen, and I had a bouquet of her favorites—white lilies, blue hydrangeas, and those little yellow flowers she once told me the name of but I immediately forgot—delivered to her office. No big romantic gestures, no grand declarations, just something simple.And a note.Gianna, I meant what I said. I’m sorry. For everything. —MatteoShort. To the point. No extra fluff.I spent the next hour pretending I wasn’t thinking about it. Kept my head down, answered emails, even managed to sit through an entire meeting without checking my phone.Then my office door opened.I looked up, my pulse kicking up a notch, only to find Gianna standing there, holding the bouquet like it was a package she hadn’t ordered.“They’re nice,” she said.I waited, but that was it. No smile. No softening around the edges. Just a factual statement.“Glad you think so.” I tried for a smirk
The Mafia's Nanny 313
313Matteo’s POV I should’ve seen this coming. I should have known that this would happened ever since she disappeared for two months without saying anything.The coldness. The distance. The way Gianna looked at me like I was a stranger, like I hadn’t once known exactly how she liked her coffee, how she twisted the rings on her fingers when she was overthinking, how she sighed my name when I kissed the spot just below her ear.I should have know this would happened. I should’ve been prepared for all of it.But I wasn’t.So instead, I did what any rational man in my position would do—I tortured myself by replaying every single moment we’d ever shared, as if overanalyzing the past would somehow change the present.There were the small things. The way she used to roll her eyes at me but smile anyway. The way she’d call me an idiot, but then pull me closer like she didn’t really mean it. The way she’d lean into me when she was tired, like it was the most natural thing in the world.Then
The Mafia's Nanny 312
312Matteo’s POV Today was day five of trying to win her back. I waited until the end of the day.Not because I was scared, obviously. I just figured if I caught Gianna when she was about to leave, she’d have fewer escape routes.That was the plan. But, like most things involving Gianna lately, it didn’t go how I expected.She was already packing up when I walked into her office.“No knocking now?” she asked, barely sparing me a glance.I ignored that. “We need to talk.”She clicked her laptop shut and slipped it into her bag. “No, we don’t.”I exhaled. “Gianna.”She finally looked up, arms crossed, expression unreadable. “Matteo.”There was a time when her saying my name like that would’ve meant something else. Something teasing, warm, familiar. Now, it was nothing more than acknowledgment. And I hated it.I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “I just want to apologize.”She blinked. “For what?”That threw me off for a second. “For everything.”Her lips pressed together like she was
The Mafia's Nanny 311
311Matteo’s POV I am nothing if not persistent.Or maybe just stupid.Either way, I wasn’t going to let Gianna’s newfound ice-queen routine scare me off. Not yet.So, this next morning, I tried again. Showed up at her office with another coffee—because I’m thoughtful like that—and set it on her desk without a word. I figured a silent approach might work better this time. Less room for her to verbally rip me apart.She didn’t even blink. Didn’t look up, didn’t say thanks, didn’t acknowledge me at all. Just kept typing like I wasn’t even there.Alright then.I leaned against the edge of her desk. “Before you tell me you already have one, I checked. Your cup is empty.”Still nothing. But I saw the slight pause in her typing. A crack in the armor.Progress.“And before you say you don’t want it, this one isn’t coffee.” I nudged the cup closer. “It’s tea. Herbal. The kind you used to drink when you worked late.”That got her. The tiniest flicker of hesitation in her expression. Then, jus
The Mafia's Nanny 310
310Matteo’s POVI waited until lunch.Not because I was nervous. Definitely not. I just figured if I approached her too early, it would seem desperate. And I wasn’t desperate.But as I walked toward her office, a coffee in one hand, a file in the other — a completely real, work-related file, by the way — I felt something tighten in my chest. Like I was heading into enemy territory without armor.Gianna’s door was open. She was at her desk, typing something with the kind of focus that made it clear she had no interest in interruptions. Or people. Or, possibly, happiness in general.I knocked on the doorframe anyway. “Boss.”She barely looked up. “Matteo.”Not Matt. Not Teo. Not even an annoyed sigh. Just my full government name like I was any other employee who needed something from her.Okay. Cool. Professional. I could be professional.I stepped inside, setting the coffee on her desk. “Thought you could use this. Since, you know, you used to actually enjoy caffeine before you left.”
The Mafia's Nanny 309
309Matteo’s POV The office was buzzing the moment Gianna walked in.Not the kind of buzz that came with excitement. No. This was a different kind—muted whispers, stolen glances, people suddenly remembering they had work to do when she passed by. The kind of buzz that meant no one had expected her to show up today. Hell, I hadn’t expected her to show up today.And yet, there she was.Gianna Lorenzo, back in her corner office like she’d never left.Only, she wasn’t the same.I watched from my desk as she strode across the floor, her heels clicking against the tiles in sharp, deliberate beats. The last time I saw her, she was different. Softer, warmer, laughing at my stupid jokes even when she rolled her eyes. This version of her didn’t even glance at anyone. Didn’t offer a single smile. Just walked straight to her office, shut the door, and stayed there.Like a ghost returning to haunt its own life.“She’s… different,” Leo muttered beside me, tapping his pen against his desk.I didn’t
The Mafia's Nanny 308
308Rosa’s POV The morning light streamed through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the apartment. I sat on the couch, nursing a cup of coffee, my fingers drumming against the ceramic. I’d come back to the states three days ago to finally pack up and move back to Italy. Across from me, Emilia stared, her lips pursed like she was trying to figure out how to respond to what I’d just told her.“You’re leaving,” she finally said, and it wasn’t a question.I nodded. “Yeah. I think it’s time.”She exhaled, leaning back against the couch. “Time for what? To run away? To bury yourself in business deals and pretend like you don’t care?”I rolled my eyes. “I’m not running away.”Emilia shot me a pointed look. “Rosa, please.”I sighed, setting my cup down. “I need a break. And I need to be there for my father. He’s been handling everything on his own for too long. It’s about time I stepped up.”She folded her arms. “And Allesio?”My stomach clenched at the mention of his name. I forced mys
The Mafia's Nanny 307
307Allesio’s POV The whiskey burned on the way down, but it wasn’t enough to numb the ache in my chest. Nothing was. The dimly lit bar around me hummed with the usual noise—clinking glasses, quiet chatter, the occasional burst of laughter that grated on my nerves. It was ironic how the world kept spinning, people kept living, and I was stuck in this endless loop of regret and self-destruction.I swirled the amber liquid in my glass, staring at it like it held the answers to my misery. Maybe if I drank enough, I’d finally stop seeing her face every time I closed my eyes. Maybe I’d stop hearing her voice in my head, the way she told me to stop chasing her like I was nothing more than an annoying shadow she couldn’t shake off.The bar stool next to me scraped against the floor, but I didn’t look up. I already knew who it was. Only one person would be stupid enough to come find me when I clearly wanted to be alone.Alaric sighed, loud and unimpressed. “How long are you going to do this?
The Mafia's Nanny 306
306Rosa’s POV The jet lag hadn’t hit me yet, but I was already very exhausted and felt done for the day.Italy looked the same as it always did—beautiful, timeless, like it existed in a different universe from the chaos I had left behind. I inhaled the crisp evening air as I stepped out of the sleek black car, the grand estate standing wide in front of me. The Smith family mansion. My father’s empire.The guards stationed outside barely blinked at my arrival, nodding respectfully as I walked past them. I had never lived here full-time, but it was still home in some ways. A piece of me, whether I wanted to admit it or not.The grand doors opened before I could even knock, and there he was—Romano Smith. The infamous Don. My father. He looked the same, even though it seemed he had grown older since the last time I saw him. He was dressed in his usual crisp three-piece suit, his silver hair combed back, his sharp eyes studying me the way they always did, like he was seeing everything I
