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2025-03-22 12:11:28
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The Mafia's Nanny 246
246Emilia’s POVThe phone buzzed over and over again, its incessant vibration making my stomach tighten. I glanced at the screen—“Alonso Cruz” flashed ominously in the dim light. For a moment, I debated ignoring it. I didn’t want to hear more from him, especially not after everything that had happened. But the curiosity, or perhaps a fleeting hope, got the better of me. I swiped to answer.“Hello?”“Emilia,” Alonso’s voice slid through the phone, smooth and calm, like he was speaking from a distant, controlled place. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”I sat up straighter. “No, it’s fine. What’s going on?”“I’d like to invite you and Alaric to dinner,” he said, almost too casually.I froze. Dinner? With Alonso? The man who seemed to be the very embodiment of everything Alaric despised? The man who’d caused so much turmoil in our lives? It felt like a trap. But the calm in Alonso’s voice—measured, even cordial—gave me pause.“Dinner?” I repeated, buying myself a moment to think.“
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-22The Mafia's Nanny 247
247Alaric’s POVThe moment Emilia walked my office with that innocent look she always had whenever she was about to request for something I wouldn’t like, I instantly knew what she wanted to talk about.Alonso.“We’ve been through this before Emilia. And my answer remains the same.” I said flatly, cutting her off before she could say anything at all. “No.”Her brows knit together, her lips pressing into a thin line. “You didn’t even hear me out.”“I don’t need to,” I said, pushing back from the table and standing. “Anything involving Alonso is a bad idea. The man’s a snake. End of discussion.”“Alaric, please,” Emilia said, following me as I paced toward the window. “He wants to meet for dinner. To talk. That’s all.”I turned sharply, facing her. “And you believe him? After everything he’s done?”Her gaze didn’t waver, her stubbornness shining through like it always did when she thought she was right. “I think it’s worth a try. If there’s even a chance we can stop all this fighting,
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-23The Mafia's Nanny 248
248Emilia’s POVThe restaurant was beautiful in a way that felt calculated. Warm golden lights spilled across polished wood tables, soft music hummed in the background, and the aroma of roasted herbs and garlic drifted through the air. But none of it could mask the suffocating tension hanging over our table.Alonso Cruz, my father, sat across from me, his smile too polite, his manner too smooth. He wore his charm like armor, but I wasn’t fooled. He was watching us closely, waiting for cracks to show. Beside me, Alaric was a coil wound so tight I worried he’d snap at the slightest provocation.“Alessandra,” Alonso began.“Emili,” Alaric growled, his eyes narrowed at Alonso. I held his hand, rubbing it in slow circles.I forced a polite smile, though my stomach churned. “Let’s just go straight to the point,” I murmured.Alonso leaned back in his chair, studying me with an air of practiced ease. “You know, I’ve always admired people who can keep their heads in chaotic situations. It’s a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-23The Mafia's Nanny 249
249Alaric’s POVThe moment Alonso let his smile fade, I knew the conversation was about to turn. His charm was thin, like the slick veneer on cheap furniture, cracking at the first sign of pressure. And I had no interest in giving him the satisfaction of thinking he could control the room.I knew he knew Emilia and I were engaged. Word travels fast in the mafia world. I was just waiting for when he’d mention it. But Emilia beat him to it.He swirled his glass of red wine, watching the liquid as though it held the secrets of the universe. “You know, Emilia,” he continued, his voice smooth as silk, “there are certain… expectations for someone in your position. Responsibilities.”I felt Emilia stiffen beside me, her back straightening as her fingers hovered near her glass. I knew that tone of his. The carefully crafted words designed to put her on edge.“Responsibilities?” she echoed, keeping her voice polite. Always the peacemaker. I wondered how she was able to keep up with the façade
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-24The Mafia's Nanny 250
250Emilia’s POVThe tension in the room was like a noose tightening with every word. I felt like I was suffocating, and I felt even more stupid for convincing Alaric to come with me to this stupid dinner in the first place.Everytime I felt like we were finally edging towards peace, Alonso always drags us right back to square one. And Alaric doesn’t seem to mind, as far as he gets the chance to accuse Alonso of anything he could put his mind on.“I’m afraid I didn’t order something strong enough for this conversation,” I joked weakly, holding up my half-empty glass of wine in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood.Alonso’s lip curled into a faint smirk. “Wine won’t save you from poor decisions, Emilia.”Alaric’s hand gripped the edge of the table so hard I thought the wood might crack. “If you have something to say, Alonso, stop hiding behind your smug little comments and say it.”“Alaric,” I said quietly, placing a hand on his arm, but he shook me off.Alonso tilted his head, his
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-24The Mafia's Nanny 251
251Alaric’s POVThe door of our room closed behind us with a soft click. I could feel the anger radiating off Emilia in waves. I shrugged off my jacket and tossed it onto the nearest chair, already bracing for what I knew was coming.“You couldn’t even try, could you?” Emilia’s voice was sharp, cutting through the quietness like a blade.I turned to face her, arms crossed. “Try what? To sit there and let him insult me? To pretend I don’t know exactly what kind of man he is?”She stepped closer, her eyes blazing with anger. “To be civil, Alaric. That’s all I wanted. Civil. But you couldn’t even give me that.”“Did you hear the things he said to me?” I shot back, my voice rising. “To us? He doesn’t respect me, Emilia, and he sure as hell doesn’t respect you if he thinks he can dictate your life.”Emilia threw up her hands in frustration. “This wasn’t about respect, Alaric! It was about finding some kind of middle ground, about trying to stop this constant fighting.”“Middle ground?” I
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-25The Mafia's Nanny 252
252Alaric’s POV“I’m not dealing with this tonight,” I grumbled, walking past her and out of the room. I stormed to the kitchen to get something cold for myself.“You will, Alaric. Answer my fucking question,” she snapped, coming after me.“No. Okay? It’s not about Francesca’s mother. So drop the damn topic. And just know that I don’t want you around Alonso ever again,” I replied icily.She scoffed, shooting me a look of disbelief. I leaned against the edge of the kitchen counter, arms folded across my chest, as Emilia paced back and forth in front of me.“Do you even hear yourself, Alaric?” she demanded, spinning around to face me. “You can’t just decide to shut Alonso out forever. He’s my family.”“Family doesn’t have you kidnapped,” I shot back, my voice low but sharp. “Family doesn’t manipulate and guilt-trip you into questioning your own choices.”“That’s not the point,” she argued, her tone sounding more like desperation right now. “We can’t live like this—constantly at war wit
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-25The Mafia's Nanny 253
253Emilia’s POVThe house was quiet, save for the faint ticking of the clock on the wall. Alaric had retreated to his office after our argument, leaving me alone in the living room to stew in my thoughts. I sat on the edge of the couch, my knees pulled up to my chest, staring at nothing in particular. Everything that had happened today —the dinner, the argument, my father’s words—pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket.How had it come to this?I pressed my palms to my temples, willing myself to think clearly. The truth was, I felt torn in two. On one side was Alaric, unwavering in his conviction that my father was a threat, a man undeserving of forgiveness. On the other was my father, whose disapproval of Alaric hung over us like a storm cloud. I couldn’t deny the pain in his eyes when he’d told me Alaric would only bring danger into my life. It wasn’t just disapproval; it was fear.But fear of what?I’d spent the better part of my life believing Alonso Cruz was untouchable—a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26
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
