All Chapters of The Mafia's Nanny : Chapter 261 - Chapter 270

261Allesio’s POVSecrets have a way of sinking into your bones, of twisting around your every thought like a barbed wire. No matter how much I tried to focus on the present, the weight of the decision I’d made not to share Rosa’s information with Alaric clawed at me.It wasn’t like I didn’t understand the stakes. Alaric and I had been through enough together for me to know how he operated. Loyalty wasn’t just a requirement in our world—it was the lifeline that kept you breathing. And yet, I chose Rosa.It wasn’t a decision I’d made lightly, but every time I thought about the way her eyes brightened whenever she saw me, I knew I couldn’t throw her into Alaric’s crosshairs. Not when she trusted me.Alaric was already seated in the dimly lit bar when I arrived, a whiskey glass in his hand and an air of impatience hovering around him.“You’re late,” he said, his eyes cutting toward me as I slid into the seat across from him.“Traffic,” I lied smoothly, signaling the bartender for a drink

263Allesio’s POVI felt like I was losing my grip on reality. Every time I saw Rosa, it was like the walls were closing in. Her confession still hung over me like a storm cloud, and no matter how much I tried to shake it, the weight wouldn’t lift. The guilt wasn’t just about keeping secrets from Alaric—it was the deeper betrayal I couldn’t even admit to myself. The tangled mess of Dominic’s death, the Cruz family, and Rosa’s insistence on her and her family’s innocence had my head spinning.The worst part? I wasn’t sure if Alaric had picked up on it yet. If he hadn’t picked up on it that I already knew and I was hiding it. He wasn’t blind, and he definitely wasn’t stupid. The man could read me like a book on my best day, and I wasn’t even pretending well anymore.I couldn’t avoid him forever, though. I was in his office, and the air felt even more suffocating than usual. He was flipping through some papers at the scattered on the table, his focus seemingly on anything but me.Meanwhi

265Rosa’s POVIt was late when Allesio finally came back into to the condo. The air between us wasn’t just tense—it felt fragile, like a glass already cracked and on the verge of shattering. But this time, it wasn’t about the Cruz family or Dominic’s death. Something else weighed on him.“Allesio?” I called softly, setting my book down on the nightstand. He paused in the doorway, his hand resting on the frame like it was the only thing holding him up.“Rosa.” His voice was low, almost hoarse, and I knew whatever he was carrying wasn’t just another argument waiting to happen.I stood, crossing the room until I was close enough to see the faint lines of worry etched on his face. “What is it?”He hesitated, his eyes searching mine. “There’s trouble at the docks.”My stomach clenched. “Again?” I breathed out.“Yes. Again,” he murmured in reply.“What happened?” I asked.“Alaric got word that a shipment went missing. Weapons, high-grade. Some of the guys think it’s a setup.” His jaw tight

267Allesio’s POVThe buzz of the conversation around me faded as I stared blankly ahead, the voices becoming a dull hum. Alaric was talking about something—some issue with the Cruz family, I think—but it didn’t matter. His words blurred into the background. My mind was somewhere else entirely, a place I didn’t want to go but couldn’t stop myself from falling into.I clenched my fists under the table, the memory creeping in like an unwelcome guest.“You’re awfully quiet,” Alaric said, glancing at me as he tried to balance Francesca on his lap. She was squirming, reaching for the pen he’d set down on the table a moment earlier.“I’m listening,” I replied, my voice rough as I dragged myself back to the present.“You don’t look like you are,” Alaric muttered, handing Francesca the pen in defeat. She giggled, immediately starting to scribble nonsense on the notepad in front of her.“Sorry,” I said, exhaling sharply. “What were you saying?”“The Cruz family,” Alaric said, his tone sharp, t

269Rosa’s POVThe day had started off like any other, or at least it was supposed to. I had spent the morning in the garden, tending to my flowers, letting my mind wander. I loved the peace that came with it, the way the world slowed down, even if just for a few minutes. But that afternoon, things didn’t feel as peaceful as usual. Something was off. And I could feel it in the air, thick and heavy, like the storm was about to break.I tried to brush it off, but as soon as I spotted Allesio across the courtyard, my heart skipped a beat. He was walking toward me, but his steps were slower than usual, his head hanging low. It wasn’t his usual confident stride. There was hesitation in the way he moved, amd it was hard to ignore.“Allesio,” I called softly. He looked up at me, and for a moment, I saw a flash of something—guilt, maybe?—pass through his eyes before it was gone, replaced by his usual guarded expression.“Rosa,” he said. He didn’t sound like he was excited to see me and that b