Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Father in law

Rafael straightened in his chair. "He texted me. Said he was studying with friends."

"Studying."

"Yes."

"On a Saturday night."

Rafael shrugged. "He is twenty years old, bro. He has friends and he studies sometimes."

Alessio’s green eyes narrowed, sharp as blades. "He is lying."

Rafael hesitated. "Maybe."

"You know he is lying."

Rafael put down his fork. It clinked against the plate. "Bro, he is young. Let him have fun. We were young once too."

Alessio looked at him. His eyes were cold and icy. "We were never young, Rafael. Not really."

Rafael opened his mouth. Closed it. There was nothing to say because it was true. They had never been young. They had been small and scared and alone but never young.

Eva sat very still. She did not look up or move. She wanted to be invisible.

Alessio leaned back in his chair. His eyes moved to the window, though the curtains were drawn and he could see nothing but fabric and shadow.

"Remember when he dyed his hair blue?" Rafael said, trying to lighten the mood, to push away the heaviness.

Alessio did not answer.

Rafael continued anyway. "He walked into the kitchen like he had won a prize. Big smile on his face. Hands behind his back. He thought he was so clever."

Alessio’s jaw tightened. "I remember."

"You did not say anything at first. You just stared at him," Rafael said.

"I was waiting for an explanation," Alessio said.

"He did not have one. He just wanted to see what you would do," Rafael said.

Alessio’s voice was flat. "What did I do?"

Rafael laughed. "You threw a glass against the wall. Hard. It shattered into a thousand pieces. Mateo ran upstairs and did not come down for two hours."

Alessio was quiet for a moment. "It was an accident."

Rafael’s eyes widened. "The glass flew across the room, hit the wall, and shattered into pieces. That was not an accident, bro. You threw it."

Alessio said nothing.

Rafael grinned. "His hair was blue for two weeks. He loved it. He said it made him look like a rock star. He kept posing in front of the mirror."

Alessio’s lips twitched. Rafael laughed. Eva looked up at him. His eyes were bright. His smile was wide, lifting and warming the cold room.

"He is a good kid," Rafael said. "It is okay to be rebellious. It is his age."

Alessio’s voice was quieter now. "He is not a kid anymore."

Rafael shook his head. "He will always be a kid to us. To me. To you. No matter how old he gets."

Alessio was quiet for a long moment.

The clock on the wall ticked.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

"He should have told me where he was going," Alessio said finally.

Rafael leaned forward. "You would have said no."

"Because it is dangerous out there."

"Everything is dangerous, bro. Crossing the street is dangerous. Eating food is dangerous. Breathing is dangerous. You cannot keep him in a cage."

Alessio’s green eyes went cold, hard as stone. "I can keep him alive."

Rafael held his gaze. "There is a difference between being alive and living, Alessio. You taught me that. When we were small. After they died. You told me we had to keep living. Not just surviving. Living."

Alessio did not answer.

No one spoke.

Eva stared at her plate. The food was cold now, the sauce dried and cracking. She pushed a piece of meat with her fork. It did not move.

The clock kept ticking.

Alessio picked up his fork again. He did not eat. He just held it, turning it over in his fingers, watching the light catch the silver.

Dinner ended slowly.

Rafael stood up. His chair scraped against the floor. "I will walk Eva to her room."

Alessio nodded.

Eva stood. Her legs felt weak and shaky. Rafael put his arm around her waist, steadying her.

"Goodnight, bro," Rafael said.

"Goodnight."

They walked to the door. Eva looked back once. Alessio was sitting alone at the head of the long table, his green eyes staring at nothing.

He seemed very lonely...

❀┈┈┈┈❀

After meeting her friend Annie, Daisy came straight home. The taxi dropped her at the front gate, and she walked up the long driveway, her sandals clicking softly against the stone path. The afternoon sun was high, casting harsh shadows across the mansion’s dark exterior.

She was still smiling from her time with Annie. Then she walked inside.

Something felt different inside.

Servants were rushing around more than usual. Voices murmured in hallways. Someone had turned on all the lights, even though the sun was still bright outside.

Daisy’s smile faded.

She walked toward the kitchen, her footsteps slowing as she noticed Jenna standing near the staircase. Her mother-in-law’s sharp blue eyes landed on her immediately.

"Finally," Jenna said, her voice cold and clipped. "You are back. Joseph is home."

Daisy’s eyes widened slightly.

Joseph. Cedric’s father. The man who was rarely home, always traveling for business, always absent from family dinners and holiday gatherings. She had met him only twice. The first time was briefly at her wedding. He had shaken her hand, said "welcome to the family," and then disappeared. The second time was a year and a half ago.

She did not remember much about him.

"He wants lunch," Jenna continued. "And he specifically asked for the food you make. The dishes you prepared last time. He said he liked them."

Daisy nodded slowly. She set down her small bag and walked toward the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, Daisy worked quickly, her hands moving with practiced ease. She chopped vegetables, stirred pots, and seasoned meats. The kitchen filled with the delicious smell of food.

An hour later, the lunch was ready.

Daisy carried the dishes to the dining room one by one. The table was set for four. Jenna was already seated, her posture stiff, her eyes fixed on the door. Cedric was not there.

He was still with Jessica, probably. At the beach. Still anywhere but here.