Semua Bab The Mafia Widow's Revenge : Bab 11 - Bab 20

DELUCA I kept playing with the children, but my mind was fixed on the woman sitting across from me at the playground.I had been surprised to see her there when I walked in, gently guiding the little girl as they drew together.A pang of jealousy tightened in my chest when I realized I wasn’t the only one captivated by her. Francesco Adolfo couldn’t take his eyes off her either.I watched him from the corner of my eye as he made his way back to where she sat with the kid and I wondered what there was between them. When I glanced back, I saw her rise and head toward the restroom. Seizing the opportunity, I quickly excused myself from the children.“I’ll be right back, kiddos,” I said. They barely glanced up, nodding as they remained focused on the toys I had brought for them.Then I hasten my steps after her.“Elena,” I called just before she could enter the ladies' room.She turned her head slightly, her expression unreadable.“It’s Mrs. Russon,” she corrected, pausing mid-step.My

DELUCA I sat in the driver’s seat, fingers tightening around the steering wheel. The engine hummed beneath my hand, a steady vibration that did nothing to ease the knot in my chest. The house stood ahead, dark and lifeless beneath the gray sky. It hadn’t changed — not the tall iron gates, not the ivy curling up the stone walls, not the heavy silence that seemed to seep from its bones.I didn’t want to be here. I never did. Every time I crossed that threshold, it ended the same way — harsh words, cold stares, and the bitter reminder that no matter what I built, I’d always be a disappointment to him.My hand hovered over the ignition. I could drive away. Pretend I never came. Lucas would probably tell me that showing up was the right thing to do — that answering the old man’s call, even when I didn’t want to, was some twisted show of strength. But Lucas didn’t know what it felt like to stand in this house. To face him.And yet, despite every instinct screaming at me to stay away, I sho

DELUCA Relief washed over me as I stepped into my house. I had just come back from my father’s place, and despite the tension that always lingered there, being back in my own space gave me a strange sense of comfort.We never had a good relationship. He never missed a chance to remind me that I was nothing like him — and not in a way that suggested he wished I was. Just cold disappointment masked as indifference.But here, in the quiet of the living room, I could almost push that aside. Until Jaxon’s report crept back into my mind, tightening my chest and making it impossible to relax.Elena was no longer safe. Not after her last confrontation with the Mafia elders. I knew how they operated — no one challenged them without consequences. And Elena… She was a novice in this game.“I wished she would just accept my offer”. From where I sat in the living room, I watched Lucas stride in. His sharp gaze scanned the room before settling on me.“Seems I have to book an appointment to see yo

DELUCA I was sitting behind my desk, the weight of the day pressing down on me, when the door to my office flew open with a loud bang.Colton stormed in, his face flushed with anger. "Stop meddling in my life!" he shouted, his voice sharp and cutting. "You're not my father!"I leaned back in my chair, eyes narrowing as I studied him. His chest was heaving, hands balled into fists at his sides."And tell your damn bulldog to stay away from me!" he added. "I don’t need a bodyguard watching my every move. I'm not a kid anymore — I can take care of myself."That was it. I stood, the chair scraping back behind me. In two quick steps, I was in front of him. My hand cracked across his face before I even registered the movement. His head snapped to the side."You want to prove you're grown?" I hissed, my jaw tightening. "Then start acting like it. As long as you're driving my car and using my money, you’ll live by my rules. My terms. Or you can walk out that door and figure it out on your ow

ELENA THEN.Curiosity wouldn’t let me drop the box before I started unwrapping it. I noticed the look on my father’s face—he was just as curious as I was to know what was inside.When I opened the box, my breath hitched. Inside was the dress I had modeled on the runway. My hands trembled as I pulled out the letter tucked beside it.“This is my way of saying thank you for agreeing to have a drink with me.”I lifted the dress carefully, feeling the weight of the luxurious fabric. My eyes drifted to the price tag, and I had to cover my mouth. Twenty thousand dollars. Ever since my father’s business crumbled, we’ve been living from hand to mouth. That kind of money would have helped us a lot.The money spent on this dress could have gone a long way in supporting us.I stood there, staring at the dress, unsure what to do. I had always known my job was to showcase these dresses on the runway, never to own them—because I could never afford them. And now, here it was—mine.And he’s just a fr