Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 129: Chapter 129 Dumb man

Cedric, though outwardly calm, couldn’t ignore the strange heaviness in his chest. It sat there like a stone, unmoving, refusing to be ignored.

He frowned almost imperceptibly before unlocking his car, silently telling himself it was nothing more than exhaustion. It had to be. There was no other explanation.

He opened the passenger door for Jessica. She slid inside with a satisfied smile, already scrolling through her phone to check the restaurant’s menu.

Cedric walked around to the driver’s side and got in. He started the engine, his hands steady on the steering wheel.

But his mind was elsewhere.

He saw Daisy’s face again. Those dark eyes.

He shook his head slightly, forcing the image away.

Jessica was here. Jessica was the one he loved. Jessica was the one he had chosen.

So why did it feel like he was lying to himself?

❀┈┈┈┈❀

Meanwhile, Daisy was in an exceptionally good mood.

With Alessio’s help, she had finally finished all of her shopping. The bags were neatly arranged in the back seat while she settled comfortably into the passenger seat of his car, fastening her seatbelt without him needing to remind her.

As Alessio started the engine, she turned toward him with a bright smile. Her eyes curved beautifully, and her cheeks were slightly flushed from the excitement of the day. Then she gave him a cheerful thumbs-up before pointing toward all the shopping bags.

Finished!

A faint smile tugged at Alessio’s lips. "I’m glad."

He pulled the car smoothly onto the road. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The silence between them wasn’t awkward anymore. It was comfortable and safe, like two people who had grown used to each other’s presence.

Daisy rested her hands on her lap, absentmindedly watching the scenery pass by through the window. The city lights were beginning to flicker on as dusk settled, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. The world outside looked soft and hazy, like a dream she didn’t want to wake from.

She found herself smiling again.

Somehow, spending time with Alessio always made her feel relaxed. He understood her gestures almost effortlessly now. He never became impatient when she needed extra time to explain something. He never pitied her because she couldn’t speak. Instead, he simply waited, listened and understood.

Even today, he had carried every heavy shopping bag without letting her hold a single one, despite her insisting several times that she could manage. He had walked beside her through every store, never rushing, never looking bored. He had watched her pick out clothes, smelled body washes with her and carried her things without complaint.

He really was a gentleman.

Alessio glanced at her for a brief second before looking back at the road.

"...Let’s have dinner."

Daisy blinked. Then her eyes brightened. She nodded immediately.

Okay.

She gestured with an enthusiastic smile.

For a brief moment, Alessio’s expression became unreadable. His fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel. His green eyes remained fixed on the road ahead.

Daisy noticed the subtle change. Her smile faded into curiosity. She tilted her head.

What?

She gestured, raising her brows questioningly.

Alessio remained silent for several seconds before speaking.

"...I hope you won’t be late getting home."

His voice was calm and almost casual.

"...After all, your husband might be waiting for you."

A small smile appeared on his lips. It looked perfectly polite. Yet it never reached his eyes.

Daisy looked at him for a moment. Then she smiled softly and shook her head. She raised one hand and gestured slowly so he wouldn’t miss a word.

It’s okay. He’s always busy. He doesn’t really mind.

She smiled again, innocent and completely unaware of what those words did to the man beside her.

Alessio’s grip on the steering wheel loosened almost imperceptibly. A heaviness he hadn’t realized he was carrying seemed to lift from his chest. The knot that had been forming in his stomach since he had asked the question finally released.

"...I see."

He answered simply.

Then, without realizing it himself, the corners of his lips curved into the faintest smile. It was small. Almost impossible to notice. But unlike the one moments ago, this one finally reached his eyes. It softened his sharp features, making him look almost approachable.

Alessio glanced at Daisy out of the corner of his eye.

She was happily looking out the window, occasionally stealing curious glances at the shopping bags behind them. Every now and then, a small smile would appear on her face for no reason at all. Her ponytail swayed gently with the movement of the car, and the fading sunlight caught the edges of her profile, making her look almost ethereal.

His gaze softened.

That dumb man...

He couldn’t understand it. How could anyone leave a woman like Daisy for someone else? She was gentle, kind, and beautiful without trying. She thanked people for the smallest things, smiled with her eyes, and never complained even when life treated her unfairly. She had been through so much, yet she still found reasons to be happy.

His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

If he were in Cedric’s place, he wouldn’t have left her alone every day for another woman. He wouldn’t have let her silently eat dinner by herself. He wouldn’t have let her sleep in a cramped room with old furniture and such a small bed. He would have made sure she smiled like this every single day. He would have listened to every little gesture she made, no matter how long it took. He would have learned sign language properly from the beginning. He would have protected her from the harsh world.

And perhaps, by now, they would have already built a warm little family together. A normal home filled with laughter he couldn’t hear but could see in her expressive eyes.

He imagined Daisy sitting on a sofa, smiling softly while holding a tiny child in her arms. The child would have her dark eyes, her gentle smile. Daisy would look down at the baby with so much love, so much tenderness and the room would be filled with warmth and happiness.

The image appeared so naturally that it startled him. His heart skipped a beat. The warmth that spread through his chest was unfamiliar, almost overwhelming.

...What am I thinking?

His expression stiffened. He forcefully pushed the thought away.

Daisy was a married woman. Someone else’s wife. No matter how unhappy that marriage seemed, it was not his place to imagine a life that could never belong to him. He had no right to picture her with anyone else. Especially not with him.

Yet, as he stole another glance at her smiling profile, he couldn’t stop his mind from thinking.

Whoever becomes the center of her world will be the luckiest man alive.

Especially that dumb man, Cedric.