The Mafia Boss Is Here

Diana's POV

"But you are never going to believe who my new employer is..."

Sofia paused on the other end of the line, clicking her tongue loudly before launching into her annoying name guessing game.

"Uh, is it a politician?"

"No."

"Okay, okay. An actor? A director?"

"No."

"You've gotta be kidding me. A Serie A footballer?"

"No!"

"Mio Dio!" she squealed in sheer frustration. "A ridiculously handsome tech billionaire?!"

"Guess harder, girl!"

"What about some famous pop star?"

"For fuck's sake, Sof, no!"

"Fuck you, Miss D!"

I burst into a fit of laughter, clutching my stomach while Sofia huffed angrily into my ear.

"It's Mr. Francesco Marino," I finally confessed.

Dead silence. For a second, I thought my phone battery had died or the network had dropped the call entirely.

Then she exploded..

"Are you out of your goddamn mind?! Do you have any idea who he is?! Do you know what that man is capable of?!"

"Of course I know! I'm not an idiot!"

"Yes, you are!" Sofia shrieked. "Diana, he literally orders hits on people for breakfast!"

"Yes, ma'am, I am aware of the rumors!"

"Do you know he buries his rivals alive?!"

A sudden, icy chill ran straight down my spine. Buried people alive? 

"I... okay, I didn't know about that specific part."

"Of course you didn't! And do you know—"

"Okay, okay, I get it! Jeez!" I chuckled nervously. Leave it to my best friend to make you feel guilty for your actions.

"Although..." Sofia trailed off, her panicked tone shifting into a thoughtful murmur. "You are one lucky devil, because that man is insanely, sinfully hot."

I blinked in utter disbelief. "Are you seriously focusing on his face right now? Be so for real, Sofia!"

"Girl, not just his face—that body! Ugh! And he is super rich. No, correction: mega rich!"

"Can you please rest?!"

"Please, I am fully allowed to appreciate God's finest handiwork!"

She was ridiculous, a completely shameless, silly girl, but I loved her for it.

"Anyway," I said, steering the conversation back to reality, "his little niece, Lucia, is an absolute handful. She's difficult, yeah, but I don't think she's actually evil. She threw everything at me during the interview: spilled orange juice down my mom's vintage dress and threw a realistic fake spider straight at my face."

Sofia gasped loudly. She hated spiders more than anything on earth; put a fake spider under her pillow, and she'd hold a grudge for a decade. "A spider?! See?! At five years old, she's already as cruel as her uncle!"

"I wouldn't call her cruel," I argued softly.

"Wait... are you telling me you already like the little demon?"

"No!" I blurted out, perhaps a little too fast. "I don't like anyone in the Marino household."

Deep down, I knew it was a total lie. I was already growing fond of Lucia. She reminded me of myself at that age–outspoken, fierce, and caused absolute chaos wherever she went because she was terrified of being hurt. 

Besides, I had always wanted a younger sister.

"So, besides Mr. Mafia Boss, are there any other drop-dead gorgeous men lurking around that mansion?" Sofia asked innocently. "You know... purely for academic research."

"I am hanging up on you now!"

"No, wait! I promise to behave!"

We gossiped for another twenty minutes until a sudden chime interrupted us.

Ping!

A banking notification flashed across the top of my screen. My curiosity piqued, I swiped down to open it. My whole body went completely still. Goosebumps erupted across my arms, and my jaw dropped.

I rubbed my eyes, checking the numbers again. Just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating in the middle of a sleep-deprived daydream, I pinched my forearm hard.

Ouch! It was real.

Mr. Marino had just wired my first advance payment. Most employers didn't pay until the end of the month like Marco for instance, but the Marinos clearly operated on their own set of rules. The sheer number of zeroes sitting in my account made my breathing stop. If I made this every week, my family's financial struggles were officially over.

"Sofia... you are not going to believe this," I whispered, my voice trembling as I stood up from my bed and began pacing the room.

"What? What happened?" Sofia asked, her tone instantly growing protective.

"I just got my first deposit from Mr. Marino. Oh my God, Sof, I have never seen this much money in my bank account in my entire life!"

A high-pitched squeal erupted from the speaker. "Girl! Are you thinking what I'm thinking?!"

"Shopping!" we yelled in unison.

"Your tax bracket just got an upgrade, Miss D! Your closet needs to catch up ASAP!" Sofia declared firmly. "Nine in the morning tomorrow. Are you down?"

"Oh, I am so down! Set your alarm!"

—

Beep! Beep! Beep!

I groaned, slamming my hand down on the snooze button. It was 8:00 AM, the morning sunlight poured through the curtains of my small bedroom.

Then reality hit me: Mall day.

Within ten minutes, my bedroom floor was a disaster zone of discarded shirts and pants. Nothing in my meager wardrobe screamed "high-end shopping trip." 

I finally settled on a pink polka-dot top paired with high-waisted blue baggy jeans, flat sandals, and a pair of pink floral earrings.

I grabbed my purse, pulled my hair into a sleek high ponytail, and hurried downstairs. 

The apartment was quiet. Mama was at her florist shop, and Dad had already taken Vlad and Matei to school.

Parked right outside our building, leaning casually against a shiny red Ford Mustang, was Sofia. The perks of being the only daughter of a successful billionaire.

"Get in, gorgeous!" she yelled, waving from the driver's seat…

By nine sharp, we were strolling through the grand glass archways of the Vittorio Emanuele shopping complex. The vibrant crowd, the glittering displays of designer leather bags and fine jewelry, and the rich scent of freshly baked pastries filled the air.

Sofia dragged me into boutique after boutique, piling up armfuls of clothes. She insisted I try on outfits I would normally never glance at.

"Go try this on!" she demanded, shoving a fitted royal-blue silk dress into my hands.

I retreated to the fitting room and slipped it on. The fabric clung to every curve, showcasing a silhouette I usually hid beneath oversized sweaters and baggy jeans. Stepping out, I twirled in front of the full-length mirror.

Sofia's jaw dropped. "Oh. My. God."

"What?" I asked, smoothing the silk over my hips.

"Diana... you are going to cause actual car crashes in that outfit. You look incredible!"

I laughed, feeling a sudden surge of confidence. For the first time in years, I felt like a young woman instead of an overworked student carrying the weight of the world…

We continued wandering down the marble corridors, carrying vibrant shopping bags and sharing a bag of roasted chestnuts.

Suddenly, the bustling noise of the mall began to fade.

Whispers rippled through the crowd. Shoppers pulled back away from the entrance, clearing a wide path down the main course.

Roughly a dozen muscular men in tailored black suits stepped out, taking strategic positions near the exits with earpieces fitted tightly against their jaws. Everyone stopped to stare at the entrance. I turned, my heart skipping a beat as I followed their gazes.

Walking through the main doors was Mr. Marino. He wore a sharp black suit, his expression stiff as always, surrounded by a tight perimeter of personal security. Beside him walked the hot bodyguard from that interview.

And walking right between the two intimidating giants, holding Mr Marino's hand, was a tiny figure in a yellow dress.

Lucia!

What kind of absurd, twisted cosmic coincidence was this?!

Lucia glanced around the crowded mall, her sharp eyes scanning the onlookers. The moment her gaze landed on me, her small face lit up like a Christmas tree.

She let go of his hand, pointed her little finger straight at me, and shouted at the top of her lungs:

"Nanny!"

Mr. Marino stopped dead in his tracks. His sharp, arctic-blue eyes snapped toward me, locking directly onto mine.