Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Seasick

Cedric face appeared on the screen, and Daisy’s heart lurched. But something was wrong. His handsome features were twisted, pale, and sweaty, his jaw tight. His blue eyes looked dull instead of sharp, unfocused like he was looking through her rather than at her. He looked sick.

He was seasick.

The cruise ship rocked beneath him, the waves churning against the hull, the horizon tilting and swaying. Every movement made his stomach churn.

He had been vomiting for hours, hunched over the toilet in his cabin, his expensive clothes rumpled, his hair a mess. Jessica was having the time of her life, dancing, drinking, and taking photos for her social media. She had no idea he was suffering and Cedric would never tell her.

His image could not be ruined. He was Cedric Evermont. He did not get seasick. He did not show weakness. He did not let anyone see him vulnerable. So he smiled through the nausea and pretended everything was fine even as the room swayed around him.

When he saw Daisy’s face on his phone screen, those big dark eyes looking at him with something between hope and longing, he felt a flash of irritation.

Of course she was calling. She probably wanted to come home early. She probably missed him. She probably wanted to beg him to pick her up.

Cedric’s voice was cold and impatient, clipped, like he was speaking to a servant rather than his wife. "Stay another day with Grandpa. There is a problem on my side. I cannot come back."

Daisy’s heart sank.

She wanted to type. She wanted to write: I know you are on a cruise with Jessica. I saw the photos. You do not have to lie to me.

But her fingers would not move. They hovered over the keyboard, frozen and useless.

Because she knew, absolutely knew, that Cedric thought she was stupid. He thought she did not know how to use social media. He thought she spent all her time knitting, reading, and playing with flowers in the garden like some old fashioned grandmother from a different century.

He thought she was simple, boring, and easy to manage. A doll he could put on a shelf and forget about until he needed her.

To be honest, it annoyed him. Her hobbies annoyed him. Her silence annoyed him. The way she sat in the garden for hours, just looking at flowers like they were the most fascinating things in the world, was pathetic.

It was old fashioned. It would be cool if she had thoughts like the new generation, if she wore trendy clothes and posted on social media and cared about things that actually mattered. If she had opinions and interests and a personality that extended beyond being quiet and agreeable.

But she did not. She just knitted, read and gazed at flowers and Cedric found that unbearable.

Daisy said nothing. She could not say anything. She just listened to his voice, memorizing the sound of it, the way his words clipped at the edges when he was impatient.

Cedric continued, his tone sharp, each word a small blade. "And do not sulk in front of Grandpa. Do not tell him anything. Just say you want to stay with him for another day. I will get you some books."

Daisy’s eyes lit up.

Books. He was going to get her books. It was such a small thing, such a tiny, insignificant gesture, probably an afterthought, something he had said just to shut her up but to Daisy, it meant everything because books were her escape in this world.

Cedric did not notice her reaction. He did not even wait for an answer. He did not need one. She was mute, anyway. She could not respond even if she wanted to. And she would be happy with a bunch of cheap books. He would let his assistant pick them out. His assistant seemed to know Daisy’s preferences.

"Alright, I am hanging up," Cedric said. "Tell Grandpa goodnight from me."

The call ended and the screen went dark.

Daisy stood alone on the balcony, her phone clutched in her hands, the cool night air kissing her cheeks. She stared at the dark screen for a long moment, at her own reflection staring back at her. Hollow eyes. Pale skin. Hair blowing across her face.

She looked up at the moon.

It was beautiful tonight. Full and silver, hanging low in the sky like a pearl on black velvet. The stars surrounded it, scattered like diamonds, twinkling in the darkness as if they were laughing at some secret joke.

She let the air kiss her cheeks and play with her hair, lifting the caramel strands and letting them fall. She let it carry away her thoughts, her pain, her loneliness.

Her dark eyes reflected the moon. Two small moons in her gaze, shining without words.

She did not cry. She had learned long ago that crying changed nothing. It did not bring her parents back. It did not give her voice back. It did not make Cedric love her.

Three balconies away

Alessio stepped onto his balcony, the glass door sliding shut behind him with a soft click. He had changed out of the hospital gown hours ago, into black pants and a dark loose hoodie that hid the bandages wrapped around his shoulder and abdomen. His feet were bare. His hair was messy, falling across his forehead in waves he could not be bothered to push back.

The balcony was small, barely big enough for the single chair he had dragged out here earlier. He sat down heavily, the metal frame creaking beneath his weight. The chair faced the sky.

He did not like hospitals. The smell of antiseptic made his stomach turn. The white walls made him feel like he was in a cage.

He pulled out his phone and started reading reports. His eyes moved quickly across the screen, scanning, processing, and filing away information. Rafael had sent him a list of Evermont family members, their roles, and their weaknesses. There were dozens of names. Most of them were irrelevant side relatives but one name kept appearing.

James Evermont.

The old man was the key. Everyone in the family answered to him, even now, even as he lay dying in a hospital bed. His word was law. His blessing was currency. If Alessio could get close to him and earn his trust, the information would flow.

He read for a while. Then his eyes started to strain. The bright light of the screen was giving him a headache, a dull throb behind his left eye. He rubbed his temples, blinked, and looked up to rest his eyes.

And he saw her.