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2025-01-30 12:23:48
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The Mafia's Nanny 159
159Matteo’s POVThere comes a point when you realize you’ve done all you can.That was the thought rattling around in my head as I watched Gianna from across the conference room. She was presenting a summary of the latest numbers to the client, her voice steady, her confidence unmistakable.She was brilliant.She was also driving me insane.For weeks now, I’d been patient. Careful. I’d pulled back when she seemed overwhelmed, pushed gently when she seemed open, and kept myself in check when all I wanted to do was shake some sense into her.But tonight, I’d had enough. I needed to talk to her. I needed to know one last time if this was ever going to work or if I was chasing after something impossible.I found myself marching to her office. Everyone else had left by seven, leaving the floor quiet. She and I were the only ones remaining here, except for the security who made their rounds every now and then.Gianna was in her office, her desk lamp casting a warm glow over her as she pore
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-31The Mafia's Nanny 160
160Matteo’s POVThere’s something liberating about surrendering to a decision you don’t entirely agree with. I’d told Gianna I wouldn’t push her, and now I had no choice but to honor that promise.So, I shifted my focus to work. Full steam ahead.Monday morning came with a mountain of emails and back-to-back meetings. Perfect. It gave me something to concentrate on that wasn’t her.That decision lasted all of two hours.By the time the coffee run became unavoidable, I knew I was in trouble. Not because I wanted coffee—I needed it—but because her order was already in my head before I’d even reached the counter.Black coffee, two sugars. It wasn’t difficult to remember, but the fact that I couldn’t forget it was the problem.When I returned to the office, I placed her cup on the edge of her desk without a word.Gianna glanced up, startled. “What’s this?”“Coffee,” I replied, already walking away.“Matteo,” she called after me, her tone suspicious.I turned back. “Yes?”She squinted at
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-31The Mafia's Nanny 161
161Gianna’s POVI was still reeling from the meeting with our new client when I found myself sitting across from Claire, my mentor and the one person whose advice I always trusted, even when I didn’t want to.Her office smelled like lavender and freshly brewed tea. A stranger would be surprised her office felt homely, due to the corporate and professional vibes it gave off from outside. Claire had been instrumental in shaping my career. She was older than me by a lot, but we still had a very great friendly vibes.“I’ve been hearing things,” she said, folding her hands on the desk.“Things?” I repeated, pretending not to know what she meant.She sighed, tilting her head in that way she always did when she knew I was being intentionally dense. “About you and Matteo.”I stiffened. “How do you know about Matteo?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. And then I scoffed when I remembered that Claire used to work in the office and she still had eyes and ears in it. “I swear to God, Claire, the da
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-01The Mafia's Nanny 162
162Matteo’s POVThe tension between Gianna and me was suffocating as fuck. Every clipped response, every sidelong glance, every excuse to avoid being alone with me—it was like she’d built a wall overnight, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break through. It was driving me through the edge. It was driving me through the breaking point.I wasn’t blind. I knew why she was pulling away. Her ambition. Her fear. Whatever internal battle she was waging, it was clear I’d been labeled the enemy.But I wasn’t about to accept that. Not when I knew what we had was real.Most of the office had cleared out, the faint hum of printers and distant voices dwindling into silence. Gianna was still at her desk, her brow furrowed as she stared at her laptop.I got up from my desk and walked over to her office, determined to talk to her today.I leaned against the doorway to her office, crossing my arms. “You planning on sleeping here tonight?”She didn’t look up. “I have a few things to finish.”
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-01The Mafia's Nanny 163
163Gianna’s POVI couldn’t get his voice out of my head.“I’m in love with you.”The words had hit me like a sucker punch, leaving me breathless and unsteady. Hours later, I was still sitting at my desk, staring blankly at the screen as if sheer willpower could force my brain to focus on the numbers in front of me. But it was no use. My mind was a battlefield, and Matteo’s words were winning every skirmish.What scared me the most wasn’t that he said it. It wasn’t even the raw, unflinching way he’d looked at me when he did. No, what terrified me was the fact that some part of me wanted to believe him. That part of me wanted to convince me that he was telling the truth. That he does love me. And I was fighting that part with every fibre of my being.I pushed my chair back with a sigh, rubbing at my temples. The office was empty now, save for the cleaning crew somewhere down the hall. The stillness should have been comforting, but it only amplified the chaos in my head.I’d spent my en
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-02The Mafia's Nanny 164
164Matteo’s POVI’d just sunk into my chair after back-to-back meetings when Gianna’s voice sliced through the air, sharp and commanding.“Matteo, in my office. Now.”No preamble, no softening. Just an order. I frowned, wondering what the hell she wanted that couldn’t wait. God. I almost cursed as I sat up straight.The room went quiet as heads turned toward me. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the spectacle and instead stood, smoothing my tie as I made my way to her door.Gianna was already behind her desk when I walked in, her focus razor-sharp on the documents scattered across the polished wood. She didn’t look up immediately, but I could see the way her shoulders were stiff and I could have sworn there was an electric charge in the air.“Close the door,” she said curtly, still not meeting my gaze.I complied, folding my arms as I leaned against the frame. “What’s the emergency?”She finally looked up, her eyes blazing with equal parts determination and frustration. “There’s a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-02The Mafia's Nanny 165
165Matteo’s POVI wasn’t sure why she’d said yes to dinner this time.We’d been circling each other for weeks now, an unspoken tension and awareness building every time we were in the same room. When I’d asked if she wanted to grab a drink after work, I half-expected her to shut me down, sharp and decisive, like she always did when things got too personal.But this time, she surprised me. She had hesitated for a moment before nodding, her eyes guarded.Now, we were sitting in the corner of a dimly lit bar, far enough from the rest of the after-work crowd that it felt like our own little world. Gianna nursed her glass of red wine, her fingers tracing the rim absently, while I sipped a whiskey neat, watching her.She was quiet tonight. Not the composed, commanding quiet she carried at work, but a softer kind—almost vulnerable.“You’re not regretting this already, are you?” I asked, breaking the silence.Her lips twitched, but the smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Not yet. But give it
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-03The Mafia's Nanny 166
166Gianna’s POVI thought space would help. I really really thought it would.When I noticed Matteo was keeping his distance again, I told myself it was what I needed. Time to clear my head, to focus on work, to push aside the ridiculous feelings that had been creeping in no matter how much I fought them. It was easier to breathe when he wasn’t hovering nearby, his presence a constant reminder of everything I wasn’t ready to deal with.But space didn’t help.Instead, it felt like something vital had been ripped away.I didn’t notice it right away. The first day, I told myself it was a relief when he didn’t come by my office with his usual wry remarks about my overpacked schedule. The second day, I convinced myself it was just coincidence that he hadn’t found a reason to stop by my desk.By the end of the week, I couldn’t deny it anymore. Matteo was pulling back.And I hated it.It wasn’t obvious, not to anyone else. He was still professional, still efficient, still the Matteo who cou
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-03
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
