Semua Bab CLAIMED BY THE MAFIA DON: Bab 151 - Bab 160

That day had been bad.I didn’t feel like going downstairs. The weight of everything that happened...Luca, Asher, Alan my guilt, my silence, sat too heavily on my shoulders. And I guess Maria knew I wanted to be by myself, because Leon didn’t come up to bother me. Not even once.I stayed there, curled up in the room, until dinner time came. And I knew I had to go downstairs. Not for me. For my son. I didn’t want him to notice anything was wrong. I didn’t want him to sense that anything had changed. Because kids, they feel everything. Even when you smile.So I went downstairs. We had dinner together. We talked about his cartoons and what his action figures were arguing about that day. I laughed when I had to. Smiled when I didn’t want to. Because for him, I could fake sunshine.Later, I bathed him, tucked him into bed, and grabbed his favourite Toy Story book from the nightstand. It was routine. Familiar. Safe. I had barely read three pages when he said it....out of nowhere, with that

“I know, I know,” Dana said, waving her hand. “It’s no wonder he’s your ex-husband. What kind of an asshole, an idiot... I mean, how did you even get married to that tool?”I just stood there. No idea how to answer her. No words. No excuses. She took a deep breath and kept going, earnest and wide open.“I get it,” she said. “I really do. And I understand why you divorced him. The man is pure violence. That’s why I felt like you and I should talk. Because I’m ready to help you.”Dana looked me square in the eyes.“Whatever it is...whatever’s going on...you don’t have to stay in a violent home. You don’t have to let a man control you like that, okay? I heard those screams too Ariana...”She took my hand again. Held it tight.“You can come and live with me. Just until we figure something out. Alan wants to help you. I haven’t talked to him yet, but I know he wants to.”I stared at her. Her sincerity. Her kindness. Her complete misunderstanding. She didn’t know who Luca was. Not really. A

I was crouched there, in front of everyone, like I was breaking my own son’s heart right in front of the people I was told to stay away from.I knew everyone was watching.Alan. Dana. Even Rosie, quietly holding her uncle’s hand, was watching her best friend cry. But I didn’t know what to do. I was doing this for him.Because Luca was clear, no Alan, no Dana, no close proximity to any man. And I was already standing here with both of them. This was already not a place I was supposed to be.“I’m sorry, buddy,” I whispered, forcing the words out. “It’s just better this way.”Better if he cries now… than if I have to tear his whole world apart later.“We have to go,” I said, reaching for his hand.But before I could take him, Maria caught my arm.“It’s fine,” she said gently. “I’ll take him.”I blinked, startled.“You will?” My voice cracked.Maria gave me a soft smile. “Yes. It’s not a problem. I’ll take him, I’ll take good care of him, and I’ll bring him back in one piece. If you’re o

I froze. My stomach dropped.“I... what?” I said cautiously. “Why?”Alan took a breath. “Don’t worry. I know everything. I’m going to get you out of here.”His words sounded in my ears like gunshots. He knew. He knew who Luca was. I stared at him, unable to breathe.He knew. How? How could he know? Luca had been so careful. He had said they were watching, that they would know if I stepped out of line but this? How the hell had Alan found out?I heard Luca’s voice in my mind: “Do not test me.”And here I was. Failing that test.Alan was looking at me like a hero. But I saw it clearly, this wasn’t a rescue. This was a disaster waiting to happen.I stepped back. “Alan,” I said, my voice trembling. “You need to go. Now.”“No, Ariana. You don’t understand....”“No. You don’t understand,” I cut in. “You think you’re saving me, but all you're doing is making things worse.”I saw the confusion flash across his face. And it terrified me even more. I turned sideways watching the road, half-expe

His hand brushed the counter beside my shoulder. And then his voice—his voice came again, low and quiet.“I didn’t know how I’d feel seeing you again.”I opened my eyes and there he was.Asher.Don of the Romano family. The most dangerously handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on. A man dressed like a Roman emperor thrown into modern-day war—classic, composed, powerful. Every inch of him screamed control. Power. Lethality. But also... something else.He was the man who did witchcraft to my body without even trying. And he was standing in my kitchen.After nearly a year, after silence, distance, fear, after burying myself in motherhood and caution and regret, he was here. I had worked so hard to forget him. To forget how he made me feel like I was the centre of the storm, the reason the sky broke open.But now here he stood. And I think... I should have been happy.I should’ve been smiling, maybe even jumping into his arms, gasping in disbelief. But instead, I reached for him.I pulled him