Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 15: Chapter 15 What are you doing here all alone?

Evening

The sun had painted the sky in shades of deep purple and dark blue before surrendering to night. The fourth floor of the hospital is quieter now. Most visitors had left. Dinner trays had been collected. The nurses spoke in hushed voices as they made their final rounds.

Inside Ward 417, Alessio sat on the leather couch with his laptop open in front of him. His dark green eyes scanned the screen, reading reports from his men and reviewing the details of the June Harper mission. But his mind was elsewhere.

He was annoyed by the hospital environment. The sterile smell, the constant beeping of machines in other rooms, the fluorescent lights, the soft footsteps of nurses passing his door, the lack of control, the feeling of being trapped in a place that was not his. He hated hospitals.

By nightfall, his face had become pale.

Zoe stood near the window, his tall frame silhouetted against the dark glass. He was Alessio’s right hand man, his most trusted soldier, the person who had been with him through many missions for the past eight years.

Zoe had a serious face and dark black eyes and hair.

He watched his boss for a long moment.

"Sir," Zoe said softly, "if you can’t handle this, perhaps you should go outside for some fresh air." He knew his boss hated hospitals and could see how uncomfortable he was.

Alessio’s fingers paused over the keyboard.

"The hospital garden is on the fourth floor," Zoe continued. "It is empty at this hour. No one will bother you there."

Alessio closed his laptop. "Indeed."

He stood up, his injured shoulder protesting slightly. He ignored it.

Zoe moved toward the door. "I will accompany you."

"No." Alessio held up his hand. "Stay here. I need to think."

Zoe nodded. He understood. His boss needed some space.

The Hospital Garden – Fourth Floor

Alessio found his way to the garden. He had walked past the glass doors several times during his stay, always noticing them but never stepping through.

The garden was actually a large terrace transformed into something beautiful by whoever had designed it.

Plants lined the walls in neat rows, including ferns, flowering bushes, and small trees in decorative pots. String lights hung overhead, casting a soft, golden glow across the space. Stone pathways wound between raised flower beds.

A small fountain trickled in the center, the water catching the light and scattering it like diamonds.

Alessio walked toward the railing at the far edge of the terrace.

The city sprawled below him, a sea of lights like stars fallen to earth. The night sky stretched above, scattered with stars that seemed brighter here, away from the noise of the streets.

He gripped the railing with both hands and closed his eyes.

The cool night air kissed his face. A gentle breeze moved through the garden, carrying the scent of jasmine and freshly turned soil. His shoulders relaxed. His jaw unclenched. His mind went quiet.

He inhaled deeply and then he heard a soft humming sound.

"Hmm... umm... hmm..."

It was barely audible, almost hidden beneath the trickle of the fountain and the rustle of leaves but Alessio’s ears were trained to catch what others missed.

He opened his eyes. He turned his head slowly, following the sound.

On the other side of the garden, partially hidden behind a large potted plant, a figure was sitting on a stone bench.

A woman.

She was holding a small pot in her hands, tilted slightly so she could examine the plant inside. The flower was beautiful, with deep red petals that seemed to glow under the string lights.

A red rose.

She was studying it like it held the secrets of the universe.

Her caramel hair fell past her shoulders, catching the golden light from the string lights above. She was wearing a simple white dress. Her skin was fair and milky, glowing softly in the dim light. Her face was turned slightly away from him, but he could see the curve of her cheek and the long eyelashes that brushed against her skin when she blinked. She was humming a tune.

"Hmm... umm... hmm..."

The melody was soft and gentle, like a lullaby her mother must have sung to her when she was small.

Alessio stood frozen for a moment, and soon he found himself walking toward her.

His footsteps were quiet on the stone path but not quiet enough.

Daisy felt a dark shadow fall above her. The dim light from the string lights was already soft, but something had blocked it, casting her into deeper shadow. She looked up, her big dark eyes wide with surprise.

And found him standing there. The same man who had visited Grandpa James. Alessio Ricci.

He was tall, over six feet. His broad shoulders blocked out the light behind him. He was wearing black pants and a dark grey sweater that stretched across his muscular chest. His jaw was sharp enough to cut glass. His lips were full but pressed into a thin line. His dark green eyes were fixed on her face, intense and unreadable.

Daisy raised her eyebrows in question.

"What are you doing here all alone?" he asked. His voice was low, deep, and cold but there was something beneath it. Curiosity, maybe.

Daisy looked up at him, then down at the pot in her hands. She stood up slowly, holding the flower close to her chest.

She looked back up at him and pointed at her throat. She shook her head. Then she pointed at the flower pot, then at the garden around them, then made a small gesture with her hands that she hoped he would understand.

I come here because it is beautiful. And this pot is super pretty.

Alessio’s eyes widened slightly.

He stared at her mouth, at her throat, at the way her fingers moved helplessly trying to explain.

"You cannot speak?" he asked.

Daisy nodded, then made a gesture near her mouth.

I am mute. I am sorry if I confused you.

Her big dark eyes looked up at him, soft and apologetic.