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Huling Na-update:
2024-12-06 12:29:08
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The Mafia's Nanny 41
41Emilia’s POV I walked out of the room, a frown forming on my face as I made my way to the stairs. Irene had called my phone a few minutes ago. She’d asked me to meet her in the main living room. Her tone had been light casual but it had seemed like she was holding back a smile.Finally, I got to the living room and halted, my eyes going wide. The room was filled with people I didn’t know, men and women. At least a dozen. And they were all dressed in crisp uniforms, standing in a neat line. I hesistated. They were not part of Alaric’s men that were always in the shadows of the house.Irene caught my eye and waved me over, her face warm with a welcoming smile. “Come on in, Emilia,” she said, gesturing for me to stand beside her. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet—or rather, someones.”I stepped closer, almost shrinking under the dozen curious eyes on me. It was strange; I had been living here for weeks now and had never seen any of these people before. I recognized the occasional
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-07The Mafia's Nanny 42
42Alaric’s POV I sighed a document and pushed it to the side, wanting to dive straight into another document when my phone vibrated with a tone that I had set specifically for Allesio’s texts.“Meet me at the hideout. Now.”I read it once again before dropping my pen and puttimg my phone into my pants pocket as I got up from my chair. I didn’t waste time I heading out of the house at all.I got to Allesio’s hideout barely thirty minutes later. It was a small building tucking into a quiet, dark part of the city. It wasn’t the sort of place anyone would think to look for me, which was the point. Stepping inside, the faint smell of dust and old leather filled my nose and clouded over my senses. Allesio was standing before a table, a grim look on his face as he stared at the stack of papers spread across the table.“Boss,” he greeted, nodding as I approached. “I’ve been following Ferraro as you requested, and I’ve got everything here. And what I have here…I think it’s evidence enough. W
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-07The Mafia's Nanny 43
43Emilia’s POV I walked up the steps to Matteo’s new apartment building, clutching a paper bag filled with pastries from a café I’d passed on my way over. It was a breezy morning, the kind of weather that should make you feel light and hopeful, but my stomach was knotted with nerves. I hadn’t seen Matteo since the day he moved in, and while we’d exchanged a few texts, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d been neglecting him, wrapped up in my own mess.The elevator ride was short, but it felt like forever. I tried to steady my breath, thinking about what I’d say. I wanted to apologize for not visiting sooner, for not being there when he was discharged. But I knew Matteo. He’d brush it off like it was nothing, make some joke to put me at ease. It was just his way.I knocked twice on his door, a quick rap of knuckles against the wood, then took a step back. The door swung open almost immediately, like he’d been standing there waiting.“Emilia!” Matteo’s face lit up in a wide grin, and
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-08The Mafia's Nanny 44
44Alaric’s POV The room was dimly lit, casting shadows over the faces of the gathered men, but that was intentional. I wanted the tension thick, the stakes apparent to everyone seated around the long, polished table. The neutral meeting location, an old mansion off the beaten path, was chosen to ensure no one could claim an advantage of home turf. Guiseppe sat near the head of the table, his expression stormy as he scanned the faces of everyone gathered. Key allies lined the sides, watching in uneasy silence as we prepared to lay bare the betrayal that had snaked its way into our circle.I caught Ferraro’s gaze briefly as I walked in, noting the way he held himself. Confident, almost smug—he didn’t know yet. The traitorous family sat closest to the door, as if they had someplace to be. Good. I wanted them thinking about exits because, by the end of this meeting, they wouldn’t have many left.“Gentlemen,” I said, taking my seat across from Guiseppe, who gave me a nod of acknowledgmen
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-08The Mafia's Nanny 45
45Emilia’s POV The mall was busy for a weekday morning, but I had promised myself a little bit of shopping. I needed a distraction—something to clear my head and make me feel a tad bit normal. I’d finally received my first paycheck as Francesca’s nanny, and while it wasn’t a lot, it was mine. I felt a strange sense of pride as I held the crisp bills in my wallet, like I had achieved something tangible on my own.I pushed open the glass doors of the mall and stepped inside, the cool blast of air conditioning a welcome relief from the heat outside. It felt good to be out here, on my own, away from the constant watchful eyes in Alaric’s mansion. I loved Francesca, but there was something freeing about moving through a crowd anonymously, blending in with the regular people going about their everyday lives.I headed straight for the clothing section of my favorite store, losing myself among racks of jeans and dresses. It had been a while since I’d shopped for myself without feeling guilt
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-09The Mafia's Nanny 46
46Alaric’s POV I leaned back in my chair, staring at the sea of spreadsheets on my laptop screen, barely paying attention as Allesio rattled off a list of last-minute details for the event. In theory, this charity gathering should be simple: a few speeches, a good meal, a little wine, and a lot of handshaking. But when you mix mafia families into the equation, even a simple charity event becomes a delicate balancing act.The irony wasn’t lost on me. Here we were, a room full of criminals, putting on our best smiles for the sake of charity. It wasn’t all smoke and mirrors, though. Despite our reputations, the money raised tonight would go straight to St. Catherine’s Orphanage, a place that had done good work for decades. I’d seen those kids before—lost, scared, desperate for a chance. Giving them that chance was something I could live with, a way to clean a bit of the blood off my hands, even if only symbolically.“Alaric?” Allesio’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Did you hear me?”
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-09The Mafia's Nanny 47
47Emilia’s POV I had gotten used to sorting through the endless parade of correspondence addressed to Alaric and his associates—party invitations, business proposals, invoices from expensive vendors. Since everyone was busy with Alaric’s party preparations, I had decided to do it today again.I sat in the living room, sorting all of them out. Most of them were glossy pamphlets and bills.There was a plain white envelope I was about to toss to another side but paused, turning the envelope around. There was no return address, just my name written on the front in thin, spidery handwriting.My name. Not Alaric’s. Not Francesca’s. Mine.I should’ve ignored it. I should’ve set it aside with the rest of the envelopes for the staff to sort through. But something made me pause. Maybe it was the way my name looked, spelled out in ink, as if the writer knew me, had thought carefully about what they were going to say.I took the letter and slipped it into the back pocket of my jeans, telling my
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-10The Mafia's Nanny 48
48Alaric’s POV The morning started quietly enough, but it didn’t last. It never does. I should have known better than to hope for a quiet day in this world of mine.My phone buzzed, the vibration sharp against the mahogany. I glanced at the screen and saw Allesio’s name flashing on it.“Tell me it’s good news,” I answered, leaning back in my chair. I could hear the noise of the city in the background on his end—traffic, honking, people shouting.“Not quite,” Allesio replied, his voice tight. “We’ve got a problem. A new group stirring things up in the city.”The words hit like a punch to the gut. Problems were nothing new—we were always dealing with something—but a new group? That was different. Unpredictable. I sat up, the tension coiling in my chest like a live wire.“Who are they?” I demanded. “Which family?”“That’s the thing,” Allesio said. “The details are vague. Nobody knows who they are, but they’re making moves—pushing into our territory, hitting a few of our smaller busines
Huling Na-update : 2024-12-10
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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
The Mafia's Nanny 305
305Allesio’s POV I couldn’t live without her.Not just in the poetic, tortured way people talk about when they lose someone they love. No, this was worse. This was physical, a gnawing emptiness in my chest that only got worse with each passing day. I had tried everything to forget her—drinking, fighting, drowning myself in work. But nothing helped. Nothing came close to filling the void she left behind.I had been a coward. A liar. A manipulative bastard. And now, I was paying the price for it.“Are you even listening to me?” Alaric’s voice cut through my thoughts, his irritation clear.I looked up from my drink, barely focusing on him. “Not really.”Alaric sighed, rubbing his temples. “I said, let her go.”I scoffed. “Like you ever let Emilia go?”His jaw tightened. “That’s different.”“Is it?” I leaned forward. “Because I remember a time when she hated your guts too. When she wanted nothing to do with you.”“And I gave her time,” he shot back. “I didn’t chase her down like a despe
The Mafia's Nanny 304
304Rosa’s POV The moment I stepped out of the ballroom, I knew I should have just stayed in tonight. I should have ignored Emilia’s gentle nudging, should have turned off my phone, should have stayed curled up in bed with a book I wasn’t really reading. Because now, standing in the grand foyer of this ridiculous charity event, I felt like an idiot.I walked away from Allesio like he was nothing. Like seeing him after all this time didn’t shake me down to my bones. Like the way he said my name didn’t make my throat tight. But I did it. I walked away.And I should have kept walking. Should have gotten into a car and gone home. But no. I needed a damn drink first.I made my way to the bar, ordering a glass of champagne, something crisp and dry that wouldn’t sit too heavy on my tongue. Something to remind me that I was fine. I was moving on.And then I saw her.Tall. Elegant. Brunette. Draped in a silk gown that screamed old money and good taste. She laughed at something he said, her pe
The Mafia's Nanny 303
303Allesio’s POV The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the grand hotel, its towering glass windows reflecting the golden glow of the city lights. I adjusted my cufflinks, barely listening to Alaric giving instructions to one of his men over the phone. Another pointless charity event, another night pretending to care about something other than the mess I’d made of my life.Inside, the ballroom was dripping in luxury—crystal chandeliers, waiters in crisp uniforms weaving through the crowd with silver trays, and the endless murmur of people pretending they weren’t all rotten beneath their polished exteriors. I grabbed a glass of whiskey from a passing waiter and took a slow sip, scanning the room with idle disinterest.And then I saw her.Rosa.My grip on the glass tightened. For a second, I thought I was seeing things, some cruel trick my exhausted mind was playing on me. But no, it was her. The curve of her jaw, the way her dress hugged her figure like it was made for her. Her
The Mafia's Nanny 302
302Allesio’s POV The whiskey burned its way down my throat, but the ache in my chest didn’t ease. It never did, no matter how many glasses I downed, no matter how many fists I threw at nameless men in dark alleyways. I was becoming reckless, but I didn’t give a damn. Maybe if I pushed hard enough, if I destroyed myself enough, the guilt would stop gnawing at me.It never did.“You look like shit,” Alaric said, dropping into the seat across from me in the dimly lit bar. “And you smell worse.”I smirked, lifting my glass in a mock toast. “Cheers to that.”His jaw ticked. “This is getting pathetic.”“What’s pathetic is you tracking me down like a goddamn babysitter.” I tossed back another drink and signaled for another. The bartender hesitated, eyes flicking to Alaric, but I shot him a glare. He poured it. Good man.Alaric exhaled sharply, his patience thinning. “You’re fighting like you’ve got nothing to lose.”I chuckled darkly. “Because I don’t.”“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
