Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 189: Chapter 189 I prefer my own company

Rafael had quietly stepped away from the crowd and found one of the male waiters near the side corridor.

The young man was adjusting his collar, clearly looking very nervous, when Rafael stopped him with a small gesture. The waiter immediately turned around, his posture straightening with nervous anticipation as he recognized who was standing in front of him.

Rafael leaned slightly closer, his expression calm but there was something in his eyes that made the young man straighten even more. His voice was low, meant only for the waiter’s ears, authority in his voice made the waiter’s throat go dry.

"You know what you have to do, right?"

The waiter swallowed and nodded quickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing nervously. "Yes, sir."

Rafael watched him for another second before a faint smirk appeared on his face that made the waiter’s palms grow clammy. "Good."

He gave the man’s shoulder a light pat before walking away, leaving the waiter standing there for a moment with a nervous expression. The young man took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and went to carry out his task.

A few minutes later, the waiter returned to the main gathering with a tray of drinks. His movements were careful, his eyes scanning the room for his target. The tray was laden with glasses of wine, their contents glinting under the warm glow of the chandeliers.

He approached Cedric first and politely offered him a glass of wine. "Sir."

Cedric glanced at the glass before taking it. "Thank you."

The waiter immediately felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. However, before he could step away, Cedric casually picked up another glass from the tray and extended it toward Jessica.

"Here."

Jessica smiled and accepted it. "Thank you, Cedric."

The waiter watched the exchange from the corner of his eye. The moment he saw both glasses in their hands, his eyes widened slightly. Then he quietly exhaled in relief.

Thank God.

He had been terrified that something would go wrong and Rafael would somehow blame him for it. Instead, everything had happened exactly as planned.

The waiter lowered his gaze, composed himself and quietly moved away from the group, carrying the empty tray toward the other side of the room.

From a distance, Rafael watched him disappear into the crowd. A faint smile remained on his lips and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Everything was finally in place.

Meanwhile, another female waiter approached Daisy with a glass of juice. The liquid was a pale amber color, garnished with a thin slice of lemon on the rim. The glass was cool to the touch, condensation beading on its surface.

Daisy accepted it with a polite smile, placed a hand lightly against her chest, and nodded in thanks. The waitress smiled back before leaving to attend to the other guests.

Daisy took a small sip and then made her way toward Grandpa James, who was still surrounded by relatives and family friends. She stood beside him quietly, listening to the conversations and occasionally responding to him with small gestures whenever he spoke to her.

Across the room, Alessio was having a completely different experience.

He had been hoping to spend a little more time with Daisy, especially after finally getting her attention earlier but apparently the guests had other plans.

One person after another approached him, greeting him, asking questions, trying to start conversations and dragging him into discussions he had absolutely no interest in. The endless chatter was wearing on his patience, each new voice grating against his nerves.

His patience was slowly disappearing like sand slipping through an hourglass. He preferred silence. More specifically, he preferred the comfortable silence he shared with Daisy. He could sit beside her without having to force a conversation, and somehow that was far more pleasant than listening to strangers talk endlessly about topics that bored him.

Just when he thought he had finally escaped one conversation, a beautiful woman in a light-pink dress approached him. Her dress was elegant and her hair perfectly styled. She stopped directly in front of him, holding her small clutch with both hands as she looked up at him with a shy smile.

"Hi..."

Alessio looked at her. "Hello."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture that was clearly meant to be charming. "What’s your name?"

Alessio’s expression remained completely indifferent. He didn’t answer.

The woman waited. When he continued staring at her without saying anything, she gave a small nervous laugh.

"Are you always this quiet?"

"Hmm."

She smiled, taking his silence as an opportunity rather than a warning. "I’m actually glad I came tonight. I wasn’t expecting to meet someone like you."

Alessio glanced at her briefly. "Someone like me?"

"Yes." She smiled more confidently. "You’re very handsome."

"Okay."

Her eyebrows lifted slightly. "Okay?"

He nodded. "Thank you."

She laughed softly. "That’s all?"

"What else should I say?"

She looked amused. "I don’t know. Usually when a woman compliments a man, he at least asks for her name."

Alessio looked at her for a moment. "Do I need it?"

The woman blinked. She clearly hadn’t expected that response. "Well... maybe."

Alessio simply took a sip of his drink.

She stepped a little closer. "You’re here alone?"

"No."

Her eyes brightened. "With your girlfriend?"

"No."

"Then that’s good."

Alessio’s eyebrow lifted. "Why?"

She smiled shyly. "Because it means I can keep you company."

Alessio stared at her. There was a long pause. Then he calmly looked past her shoulder toward the other side of the room.

Daisy was still beside Grandpa James. His attention immediately settled on her again.

The woman followed his gaze and realized he wasn’t even looking at her anymore. She frowned slightly, a crease forming between her brows.

"You aren’t listening to me, are you?"

"I am."

"What did I say?"

Alessio looked back at her. "You said you wanted to keep me company."

She smiled, thinking she had finally caught his attention. "And?"

"No need."

Her smile froze.

Alessio’s expression remained perfectly calm. "I prefer my own company."

The woman stared at him in disbelief. "You really are difficult."

"People tell me that."

She laughed awkwardly, unsure whether he was joking. Then she tried one final time. "At least tell me your name."

Alessio glanced at her. "No."

Her mouth fell slightly open. "No?"

He nodded. "You asked. I don’t have to answer."

She stared at him for a few seconds before letting out a helpless little laugh. "You’re unbelievable."

Alessio didn’t respond. His eyes had already drifted back toward Daisy.