Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Discrimination

"Bro... bro, look what we got!"

Rafael burst through the doors of Alessio’s office, his voice loud and excited, his tablet held high like a trophy. His tattoos caught the light as he waved the device around, his dark hair messy and his green eyes bright with mischief. He looked like a child who had just found a hidden treasure.

Alessio looked up from his laptop. His expression was flat, unimpressed, carved from stone. He had been in the middle of reviewing some contracts and Rafael’s sudden entrance had broken his concentration.

"What?" Alessio asked. His voice was cold, clipped, the kind of voice that usually made people back away.

Rafael practically skipped to the desk and shoved the tablet in front of his brother’s face. His grin was wide, almost manic, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Look! Look at this!"

Alessio’s eyes flickered to the screen. His frown deepened.

It was a job application and resume.

Daisy Winter.

His eyes moved across the screen. Her name, Her qualifications, Her degree in perfumery, Her top grades. Her grade jumping achievements. Everything she had accomplished, everything she had worked for, laid out in neat black and white.

His jaw tightened. His fingers pressed into the desk.

Rafael watched his brother’s expression closely. He saw the way Alessio’s eyes focused on her name. The way his fingers twitched slightly, almost reaching for the tablet. The way his cold mask faltered, just for a moment like ice cracking under pressure.

Rafael leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest, a knowing smile spreading across his face.

"So," he said, his voice casual, almost too casual. "I was thinking. Should I reject her application? She is mute, you know. She would not be able to communicate with the team. She would not be able to attend meetings. She would not be able to—"

Alessio’s head snapped up. His green eyes were sharp, Cold and Piercing.

"So what if she is mute?"

Rafael blinked. He had never heard his brother defend anyone like this. Not ever. Not once in all the years he had known him.

Alessio continued, his voice flat but firm. "She graduated from an elite institution. She has top grades. She has experience. Her qualifications are better than half the applicants we receive. She has proven herself capable."

Rafael’s eyebrows rose. His grin started to creep back onto his face, slow and satisfied.

"Give her a chance," Alessio said. "Do not reject her based on her disability. That would be discrimination and we do not discriminate."

Rafael stared at his brother. His grin spread wider, slower like he had just uncovered a hidden treasure like he had found the key to a locked door.

"So..." Rafael said, drawing out the word. "You want me to hire her?"

Alessio’s eyes flickered. Just for a second. Then his mask was back in place, cold and unreadable.

"I want you to evaluate her based on her qualifications. Nothing else."

Rafael nodded slowly, his grin still in place. "Right. Nothing else."

He quickly hid his grin when his brother looked at him, turning his face toward the tablet, pretending to study the screen.

Rafael had founded a perfume company in his own name to hide his Mafia identity, a legitimate front that allowed him to move money and maintain connections without raising suspicion. It was a smart move, one that had served him well over the years. And Alessio too had many companies under him, each one carefully constructed to serve as a shield for their true operations.

"Okay, okay," Rafael said. "I will give her a chance. I will schedule an interview. I will see what she can do."

Alessio did not respond. He turned back to his laptop, his fingers hovering over the keyboard, his gaze fixed on the screen.

But Rafael saw it. The slight relaxation in his brother’s shoulders. The way his jaw unclenched just a little. The way his fingers stopped trembling, just for a moment.

Rafael walked toward the door, his tablet clutched to his chest. He walked out of the office, closing the door softly behind him.

❀┈┈┈┈❀

Daisy sat on her bed, her phone clutched in her hands, her eyes fixed on the screen. The screen was bright, almost too bright, hurting her eyes but she could not look away. She had been staring at it for hours.

Another email....and another rejection.

She opened it.

Dear Daisy Winter,

Thank you for applying to MediCo Lab. After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that we are unable to move forward with your application at this time.

While your qualifications are impressive, we have concerns about your ability to communicate effectively with our team. As our work relies heavily on collaboration and fast-paced communication, we believe that your...

Daisy stopped reading.

She knew what came next. She had read it so many times now that she could recite it from memory, the words burned into her brain.

...your inability to participate in verbal discussions would create challenges that we are not equipped to accommodate. We wish you the best in your future endeavors.

She closed the email.

She opened the next one.

Dear Ms. Winter,

Thank you for your interest in Lonna Lab. We appreciate the time you took to apply, but we have decided to proceed with other candidates whose qualifications more closely match our current needs.

We noticed that you are unable to speak. While we respect your resilience, our team environment requires constant verbal communication. We fear that this would create barriers for both you and your colleagues.

We hope you understand.

Daisy’s eyes burned. She blinked rapidly but the tears came anyway.

She opened the next one.

And the next one.

And the next one.

They all said the same thing. Different words, different companies but the same message. She was not wanted. She was not needed. She was not good enough. All because of her disability, because of something she could not control, something she had never chosen.

Her hands began to shake.

She set the phone down on her bed and looked at her hands. They were trembling, her fingers cold and pale.

The world did not want her. The world did not have room for a mute girl. So what possible job could she do? Sweeping? Cleaning?