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The Mafia's Nanny 45
45Emilia’s POV The mall was busy for a weekday morning, but I had promised myself a little bit of shopping. I needed a distraction—something to clear my head and make me feel a tad bit normal. I’d finally received my first paycheck as Francesca’s nanny, and while it wasn’t a lot, it was mine. I felt a strange sense of pride as I held the crisp bills in my wallet, like I had achieved something tangible on my own.I pushed open the glass doors of the mall and stepped inside, the cool blast of air conditioning a welcome relief from the heat outside. It felt good to be out here, on my own, away from the constant watchful eyes in Alaric’s mansion. I loved Francesca, but there was something freeing about moving through a crowd anonymously, blending in with the regular people going about their everyday lives.I headed straight for the clothing section of my favorite store, losing myself among racks of jeans and dresses. It had been a while since I’d shopped for myself without feeling guilt
Last Updated : 2024-12-09The Mafia's Nanny 46
46Alaric’s POV I leaned back in my chair, staring at the sea of spreadsheets on my laptop screen, barely paying attention as Allesio rattled off a list of last-minute details for the event. In theory, this charity gathering should be simple: a few speeches, a good meal, a little wine, and a lot of handshaking. But when you mix mafia families into the equation, even a simple charity event becomes a delicate balancing act.The irony wasn’t lost on me. Here we were, a room full of criminals, putting on our best smiles for the sake of charity. It wasn’t all smoke and mirrors, though. Despite our reputations, the money raised tonight would go straight to St. Catherine’s Orphanage, a place that had done good work for decades. I’d seen those kids before—lost, scared, desperate for a chance. Giving them that chance was something I could live with, a way to clean a bit of the blood off my hands, even if only symbolically.“Alaric?” Allesio’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Did you hear me?”
Last Updated : 2024-12-09The Mafia's Nanny 47
47Emilia’s POV I had gotten used to sorting through the endless parade of correspondence addressed to Alaric and his associates—party invitations, business proposals, invoices from expensive vendors. Since everyone was busy with Alaric’s party preparations, I had decided to do it today again.I sat in the living room, sorting all of them out. Most of them were glossy pamphlets and bills.There was a plain white envelope I was about to toss to another side but paused, turning the envelope around. There was no return address, just my name written on the front in thin, spidery handwriting.My name. Not Alaric’s. Not Francesca’s. Mine.I should’ve ignored it. I should’ve set it aside with the rest of the envelopes for the staff to sort through. But something made me pause. Maybe it was the way my name looked, spelled out in ink, as if the writer knew me, had thought carefully about what they were going to say.I took the letter and slipped it into the back pocket of my jeans, telling my
Last Updated : 2024-12-10The Mafia's Nanny 48
48Alaric’s POV The morning started quietly enough, but it didn’t last. It never does. I should have known better than to hope for a quiet day in this world of mine.My phone buzzed, the vibration sharp against the mahogany. I glanced at the screen and saw Allesio’s name flashing on it.“Tell me it’s good news,” I answered, leaning back in my chair. I could hear the noise of the city in the background on his end—traffic, honking, people shouting.“Not quite,” Allesio replied, his voice tight. “We’ve got a problem. A new group stirring things up in the city.”The words hit like a punch to the gut. Problems were nothing new—we were always dealing with something—but a new group? That was different. Unpredictable. I sat up, the tension coiling in my chest like a live wire.“Who are they?” I demanded. “Which family?”“That’s the thing,” Allesio said. “The details are vague. Nobody knows who they are, but they’re making moves—pushing into our territory, hitting a few of our smaller busines
Last Updated : 2024-12-10The Mafia's Nanny 49
49Emilia’s POVIt was the small things I noticed first. The subtle changes that whispered something was different, even if I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Extra men loitering by the gates, the usual staff looking a bit tenser than usual, and Allesio’s perpetual scowl seeming even deeper. Maybe it was nothing—Alaric always had a rotating roster of security, and after a while, you start to lose track of the familiar faces. But this felt different. It felt like there was a deeper reason behind the tighter security.I tried to brush it off. What did I know about Alaric’s business anyway? Maybe it was just a precaution, another one of his endless, layered defenses. Still, when I glanced out the window and caught sight of two new guards standing like statues at the end of the driveway, I couldn’t ignore the gnawing feeling in my gut. I turned away, focusing on the task at hand: preparing Francesca for the charity event happening later today.It was supposed to be a simple gathering,
Last Updated : 2024-12-10The Mafia's Nanny 50
50Alaric’s POV I was shrugging off my shirt when Allesio walked into my room, his face calm but tired. “Emilia is in the study, she wants to talk.”“About what?” I asked, narrowing my eyes as I put my shirt back on and buttoned it.“I don’t know. She wouldn’t say,” he murmured with a shrug before walking out of the room, not caring if I had anything else to say. I decided to let that go. He was tired. Everyone was tired, even me. And I was supposed to be resting right now but since Emilia wanted to talk…I walked out of the room and headed straight to the study.The moment I walked into the study, I could tell something was off with Emilia. She was standing by the window, wringing her hands together. She always did that whenever she was worried. I’d seen it a few times before, but this was different—she looked almost sick with worry, like she’d been grappling with something for hours. My first instinct was to ask her what was wrong, but I held back, waiting for her to speak.I close
Last Updated : 2024-12-10The Mafia's Nanny 51
51Emilia’s POV My chest felt heavy, like I couldn’t get a proper breath. I made my way to the sitting room, feeling like a stranger in this mansion that had started to feel like home. Now it felt foreign and hostile, like the walls themselves were whispering accusations.How could I have been so careless?I sank onto one of the sofas, burying my face in my hands. The letter had been a threat, a direct one, against Francesca. And I had kept it from Alaric. I’d convinced myself I was doing the right thing, protecting his little girl from unnecessary fear. But now, after our conversation, I realized I’d only made things worse.I leaned back against the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. The ornate molding blurred as tears filled my eyes. I’d been so sure of myself, so sure that I could handle this without needing to drag Alaric into it. I had underestimated the situation, and now the guilt was eating away at me.What if something had happened to Francesca? The thought sent a shiver down
Last Updated : 2024-12-11The Mafia's Nanny 52
52Alaric’s POV My phone buzzed on the desk behind me. I knew it was Allesio without even looking at the screen. He was the only one who would call at this hour unless it was an emergency.“Speak,” I said, answering the call.“Boss,” Allesio’s voice was low and urgent. “I’m outside. We need to talk.”I hung up without replying, already making my way to the front entrance. When I pulled open the heavy doors, Allesio was standing on the steps, his face shadowed in the dim light. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, and I knew whatever he had found wasn’t good.“Let’s go to the study,” I said, leading him inside. The mansion’s staff had long since retreated to their quarters, giving us the privacy we needed. As we entered the study, I closed the door behind us and gestured for him to sit.He didn’t. He paced instead, running a hand through his hair in a rare display of frustration. “Alaric, it’s worse than we thought,” he began. “The threats—it’s not just some lone wolf trying to sca
Last Updated : 2024-12-11
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The Mafia's Nanny 326
326Gianna’s POV Forgiving him should be easy.But it isn’t.It’s messy. It’s complicated. It’s a battlefield in my mind, where every step forward is met with a reminder of why I built these walls in the first place.I sat at my desk, staring at the half-written email on my screen. A simple reply to a client, something I could normally do in my sleep, but my mind wasn’t here. It was stuck on him.Matteo.I hated that he had this effect on me.That he could say one thing—one brutally honest, open-hearted thing—and suddenly, I was unraveling.I slammed my laptop shut, rubbing my temples.I needed air.I grabbed my coat and left my office, striding down the hall with purpose. If I stayed in that room any longer, I’d drive myself insane.As I walked, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, heart skipping a beat when I saw the name.Matteo.I hesitated.I could ignore it. Pretend I was too busy.But my fingers moved before my brain could catch up, and suddenly, I was answering.“
The Mafia's Nanny 325
325Gianna’s POVI had every intention of avoiding him today.Really, I did.But Matteo had a way of ruining my best-laid plans. It started with a simple meeting—one I couldn’t get out of. He sat across from me, tapping his pen against the table, his eyes flicking to mine every few minutes. I ignored him. Or at least, I tried toThen there was lunch. I walked into the office kitchen, and there he was, leaning against the counter, stirring sugar into his coffee like he knew I’d be there.“Gianna,” he greeted, far too casually.I exhaled. “Matteo.”He smirked. “Good to see you.”I grabbed my coffee, turned on my heel, and walked right back out.But then came the real problem—when I was finally alone in my office, attempting to regain some semblance of peace. That was when he knocked.I could have ignored it but I didn’t.“Come in,” I called, already regretting it.Matteo stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. That was my second mistake because the moment he closed the door, I kne
The Mafia's Nanny 324
324Gianna’s POV I should’ve gone home hours ago.Instead, I was sitting in my office, blinking at my laptop screen, while my brain slowly melted into useless mush.The fluorescent lights buzzed softly overhead. The building was nearly empty, the usual hum of conversation replaced by silence. It was late. Too late.And yet, somehow, I wasn’t alone.Matteo was still here.Because of course he was.I could hear him through the open door of my office, tapping away at his keyboard like some kind of overachiever. He was supposed to have left hours ago, but he was still here, still working. Or maybe just finding another excuse to get under my skin.Either way, I was too tired to care.I rubbed my temples, forcing myself to focus on the numbers on the screen. One last report. One last email. Then I could go home, crawl into bed, and forget this day ever happened.A yawn crept up my throat, but I stifled it.“Still alive in there, boss?”I groaned, tilting my head back against my chair. “Bar
The Mafia's Nanny 323
323Gianna POVThe worst part was, I knew it was going to happen.It was inevitable.Matteo had always been funny—annoyingly so. He had this way of slipping humor into moments when I least expected it, making me laugh even when I didn’t want to.And now? Now he wasn’t even trying to be his usual cocky, persistent self.He was just there. Existing in my space. Acting normal.It was throwing me off.Because for weeks, I had been bracing myself for the full Matteo treatment—the relentless flirting, the smug little comments, the infuriating confidence. But instead, I got this version of him.Quieter. More patient. Still infuriating, but in a way I didn’t entirely hate.And then, of course, I had to go and ruin everything by laughing at his damn joke.It happened in the break room of all places. I had gone in for a much-needed coffee, barely holding on after a brutal morning of meetings. It was one of those days where everything felt heavier than it should have, where even the smallest inc
The Mafia's Nanny 322
322Matteo’s POV Losing was never something I handled well.I grew up winning. Winning arguments. Winning people over. Winning her.But this? This wasn’t something I could win with charm or persistence.Gianna wasn’t some deal I could negotiate or some puzzle I could solve if I just tried hard enough.She was a person. A person I had hurt. And if I wanted any chance of having her in my life again, I had to stop trying to fix things my way and actually start listening.So, for once, I shut up.I stopped pushing. Stopped crowding her space, stopped making every interaction a challenge. And instead? I focused on being better.Not for her. Not to get her back.For me.It wasn’t like the shift happened overnight.I still wanted to reach for her every time I saw her. Still wanted to flirt, to test the boundaries between us, to make her feel something. But I didn’t.Instead, I started paying attention.To how tired she looked after back-to-back meetings. To the way she rubbed her temples wh
The Mafia's Nanny 321
321Matteo’s POV Work events were always the same.Expensive suits. Polished smiles. The kind of fake enthusiasm that made my skin itch. I usually got through them with a drink in my hand and a carefully measured level of small talk. But tonight?Tonight, my attention was locked on one thing and one thing only.Gianna.She stood across the room, poised and composed in a sleek black dress that made my brain short-circuit. She was talking to some executive from finance, her smile polite but distant.Classic CEO mode.I wondered if she knew I was here yet. If she could feel me watching her the way I always did.She hadn’t spoken to me since the elevator. Since I’d laid out my cards and told her exactly what I planned to do.I’d meant every word.And if I had any doubts, they vanished the second her eyes flickered in my direction.There it was. That hesitation. That awareness. Yeah. She still felt it too.I made my way through the crowd, nodding and exchanging the usual pleasantries on m
The Mafia's Nanny 320
320Matteo POVSome men would take a hint.Luckily, I wasn’t some men.I’d spent the past three weeks testing every possible angle with Gianna—banter, persistence, patience—but she was still treating me like a stranger. Like we hadn’t spent years wrapped up in each other’s lives. Like I was just another employee in this company she built from the ground up.It was driving me insane.But today, I had a feeling.I didn’t believe in fate or luck or any of that crap, but something told me that today was my shot.So I took it.I waited until the last meeting of the day, when the exhaustion was fresh in her bones and her defenses were a little lower. As everyone filed out, I fell into step beside her, casually like I wasn’t very intentionally blocking her path.“Matteo, you’re in my way,” she muttered, adjusting the strap of her bag over her shoulder.I smirked. “I think you mean I’m in your head.”She shot me a sharp look. “Get over yourself.”I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice just f
The Mafia's Nanny 319
319Gianna’s POV Some days tested my patience.Today flat-out stomped on it.First, our finance team sent in projections so off I had to double-check if someone had been drunk while making them. Then, an investor decided to “pop in” unannounced, which meant I had to sit through an hour-long meeting I hadn’t prepared for. And to top it off, some executive—I couldn’t even remember his name, that’s how unimportant he was—decided to question my authority in front of the board.By the time I got back to my office, my head was pounding, and I was two seconds away from quitting my own damn company.I shut the door behind me, exhaled sharply, and closed my eyes for a brief moment of silence.It lasted all of three seconds before a voice interrupted it.“Wow. That bad, huh?”I snapped my eyes open. Matteo was leaning against the corner of my desk, arms crossed, looking like he lived to get under my skin.“What are you doing here?” I muttered, already exhausted.He shrugged. “You weren’t in yo
The Mafia's Nanny 318
318Gianna’s POVThere was nothing a girls’ night couldn’t fix.Or at least, that’s what I told myself as I slid into the booth across from Vanessa, my closest friend and the only person in my life who wouldn’t hesitate to tell me when I was being an idiot.The bar was packed, music humming low in the background, the scent of citrus and expensive perfume mingling with the buzz of conversation. Vanessa was already halfway through her first drink, a smirk on her lips as she pushed a margarita toward me.“Drink up,” she said. “You look like you need it.”I sighed, picking up the glass. “It’s been a long week.”“Let me guess—Matteo?”I groaned. “I don’t want to talk about him.”“Liar.” She rested her chin on her hand, eyes gleaming with amusement. “You wouldn’t have made that face if you didn’t want to talk about him.”I took a sip of my drink, stalling. But Vanessa just waited, one brow arched, until I finally caved.“He’s been… persistent.”Vanessa snorted. “Of course he has. This is Ma
