Mafia Lord's Mute Sweetheart

Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Doubting

Daisy did not understand why but the moment the phone began ringing, an unfamiliar feeling settled inside her chest. For a brief second, she did not want to answer him. The thought startled her so much that she immediately pushed it away.

How is that possible...?

She liked Cedric so much. She always looked forward to his calls, always smiled whenever she saw his name appear on the screen. It had to be because she had been looking forward to Annie’s call. That was all.

Taking a small breath, Daisy quickly reached for her phone and accepted the video call.

The screen lit up, revealing Cedric’s handsome face, but his expression was unusually cold. His sharp blue eyes stared directly at her, carrying a quiet pressure that made her blink.

Cedric asked coldly, his voice flat. "Why did you pick up so late?"

During the few moments she hadn’t answered, his mind had wandered to places he hated.

Was she talking to another man?

Was she texting someone?

What if she had started growing close to someone else while he was away?

The thought alone made irritation burn inside his chest. He knew women had desires too. He had seen enough examples, especially Jessica, to know that loneliness could make people seek comfort elsewhere.

What if Daisy...

What if she was even... sexting another man?

The image flashed through his mind for only a second before it filled him with an anger he could barely explain. His jaw tightened unconsciously.

Daisy, completely unaware of the storm in his thoughts, rubbed one eye sleepily before making a tiny sleeping gesture with both hands against her cheek.

I was napping, she silently explained, although she hadn’t actually taken a nap. She had just been resting.

Cedric watched her for a moment before understanding.

"...Oh."

His tense expression softened almost immediately, and the coldness in his eyes disappeared.

"Alright," he muttered. "You sleep so much. Then again, you don’t really have anything to do at home."

He shifted his phone, turning the camera toward a boutique filled with elegant dresses neatly displayed on racks.

"Take a look. Tell me which one you like."

Daisy’s eyes widened.

The dresses were beautiful. Silky fabrics shimmered under the warm lights, decorated with delicate embroidery and soft flowing designs. Some were long and flowing, others short and playful. Each one seemed more beautiful than the last.

She pointed at herself, gesturing with simple hand signs. Can I pick?

Cedric didn’t understand most of her gestures, but seeing her excited face, he absentmindedly nodded.

"Yeah, yeah."

Daisy’s face instantly brightened.

She leaned closer to the screen, carefully looking over each dress. Her eyes wandered from one elegant design to another as she quietly considered which one she liked the most. She pointed at a soft lavender dress with delicate lace sleeves, then hesitated, her eyes drifting to a pale blue one with a flowing skirt.

Just as she was about to point at one...

Cedric suddenly reached forward.

"I think this one would look good on you."

He picked up a dark pink dress.

"And this one."

A red dress.

"And this."

A deep blue one.

"Oh, this green one too."

One after another, he selected dresses based entirely on the colors he personally liked, barely giving Daisy any chance to choose for herself.

She could only watch helplessly as every dress she had been considering disappeared behind the growing pile in his arms.

Cedric asked with complete confidence, clearly convinced he had made perfect choices. "You like these, right?"

Daisy opened her mouth slightly.

She hadn’t even answered.

"I’ll bring them back once my business trip is over."

Without waiting for her response, Cedric gave a satisfied nod and ended the call.

The screen went black.

Daisy stared silently at her own reflection for a few seconds before letting out a small, helpless sigh.

"...I didn’t even get to choose." She smiled faintly to herself, unable to decide whether to laugh or pout at Cedric’s usual overbearing personality.

❀┈┈┈┈❀

Alessio pushed open the front door with enough force to make it slam against the wall, the sharp sound echoing through the mansion. His expression was frighteningly dark, his cold green eyes carrying the same deadly calm as a snake preparing to strike. His jaw was tight, his shoulders rigid, and every step he took seemed to crackle with barely contained fury.

An invisible pressure seemed to spread through the living room the moment he stepped inside, making the atmosphere instantly tense. The air grew heavy, and even the lights seemed to dim slightly.

Mateo, who had been comfortably sprawled across the couch with a bag of chips, nearly jumped out of his skin. He hurriedly stood up, his eyes widening in panic as every memory of his recent mischief flashed through his head.

Mateo blurted out, raising both hands in surrender before Alessio could even speak. "Bro... bro... bro... I didn’t do anything! I even finished my homework today! I swear! I didn’t prank anyone, I didn’t break anything, and I definitely didn’t start any fights!"

His voice became smaller with every sentence as Alessio continued walking toward them without saying a word. Sweat beaded on Mateo’s forehead, and his hands trembled slightly.

Meanwhile, Rafael remained completely relaxed, sitting on the opposite couch with a book in his hands. He barely looked up, turning a page casually as if nothing unusual was happening.

Poor Mateo, he thought with silent sympathy.

Out of three hundred and sixty-five days in a year, Alessio spent at least three hundred and sixty of them furious at Mateo for one reason or another. Whether it was exploding experiments in the kitchen, climbing onto the roof, or somehow convincing half his classmates to join his ridiculous adventures, Mateo always managed to attract trouble.

Naturally, Rafael assumed today’s anger was no different.

Alessio stopped in front of them.

Without any warning...

"RAFAEL!"

His furious roar shook the entire room. The windows rattled. The chandelier above them trembled. Even the servants in the kitchen must have heard it.

Before Rafael could even process what was happening, Alessio grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him off the couch by the collar.

Rafael’s eyes widened in complete shock. "W-What?!"

Mateo blinked.

Then he looked between the two brothers.

"...Oh."

A huge sigh of relief escaped his lips.

"I’m safe," he muttered happily before sitting back down on the couch. He grabbed another handful of chips, crossed one leg over the other, and settled in comfortably as if he had just found the perfect entertainment.

"This is going to be good..."

Rafael, meanwhile, remained frozen in Alessio’s grip.

Rafael asked in complete confusion, staring at his furious older brother. "Bro... what’s going on? What did I do?"

"What’s going on? What did I do?" Alessio repeated, a cold, dangerous smile slowly spreading across his face. There wasn’t the slightest hint of warmth in it. Instead, it made the room feel even colder as he stared directly into Rafael’s eyes.

"You have the nerve to ask me what’s going on?"