Bound To The Mafia Don의 모든 챕터: 챕터 21 - 챕터 30

FLORAI ran for the staircase, nearly falling over as I hurried along. The helicopter pilot, seeing the outcome of the fight, was already shutting down the engine. Clearly, he didn’t want to be any part of what had just happened.I took the stairs two at a time, and my heart kept hammering against my ribs as I ran down. Please be alive. Please be alive, I kept chanting in my mind, repeating the prayer over and over with each step that I took.When I rushed across the factory floor and finally got to where they were, I saw Alvaro first. He was lying on his back with his neck bent at an impossible angle. His eyes were open but blank. I knew he was dead.In front of him was Dante. He was covered in blood and glass, but his chest was rising and falling with shallow breaths. I was careful not to disturb any of his injuries as I dropped to my knees beside him "Dante?" I whispered, taking his hand.His eyes fluttered open, focusing on me with effort. "Are you okay?" he rasped.Tears stung

FLORAThe words hung between us now. It was a challenge I hadn't meant to use, and now I couldn’t take it back. Dante's eyes darkened, and his face hardened into the mask I had seen him wear with his enemies but never with me."Jealous?" he scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself, Flora Miller."The dismissal stung more than it should have and now I was determined to get my own pound of flesh back. "Right. Because you've been so warm and welcoming since the factory incident. You’ve barely spoken to me except about business. You keep watching me when you think I don't notice, then you shut down if I try to have an actual conversation with you.""I've been recovering from nearly dying," he said coldly."And building new walls," I countered. "I'm your family, not your possession, Dante. You can't forbid me from doing anything."Dante remained silent, and the expression on his face remained unreadable too."Is that why you've kept your distance?" I demanded, unable to stop now that I had started

FLORAI chose to stay with Mom while she recovered instead of going back to my apartment. It seemed like the right thing to do, especially after everything that had happened. The small two-bedroom house was nothing like Dante's penthouse, but at least it felt familiar and safe. Now I was safe from him, safe from his world, and safe from the choices I’d had to make while I worked with him.Mom was getting stronger with each passing day. The kidney transplant had been successful, and with proper medication, she was finally on the road to recovery. I watched her sleep peacefully on the couch with a small smile on her face.But despite the relief I felt being away from Dante's dangerous life, there was still an emptiness inside me that I couldn't explain. I missed him. I missed his voice, his touch, and even his commanding presence. The memory of his cold eyes when he told me to leave haunted me at night."Flora, are you okay?" Mom suddenly asked, startling me and drawing me away from my

FLORAI nodded. "I'm not going anywhere," I said reassuringly. I spent the night in a chair beside Dante’s hospital bed while I watched as he kept drifting in and out of a restless sleep. Occasionally, he would startle awake and call out Sofia's name in a voice that reflected the agony he was feeling. Each time, I would reassure him that she was being properly cared for, and he would settle back in bed as his hand found mine in the darkness, holding firmly onto it like it was an anchor.By morning, Dante was well enough to visit Sofia. I waited outside while he sat with his sister. Her body was connected to various hospital equipment that beeped and hummed relentlessly. Through the window, I watched him press his forehead to her hand while his shoulders shook with silent sobs.Rex arrived with news. "Boss, the fire investigators found something. It was definitely arson. A professionally done job, in fact."Dante straightened immediately, and the grief he was feeling quickly gave way

FLORAI watched in stunned silence as Dante transformed before my eyes. The tender lover from moments ago disappeared, and now he had been replaced by the cold, calculating crime boss I had first encountered. He dressed with practiced efficiency, and every movement he made was purposeful."Stay here," he ordered, fastening his watch. "It's safer.""No,” I replied as I quickly slid out of the bed and started grabbing my clothes. "I'm coming with you."At first, he looked like he wanted to argue but he just nodded. "Five minutes."The car ride downtown was tense as the city passed by blurred, except for the streetlights and sirens. Dante's phone rang constantly. His lieutenants reported damage, his associates sought direction, and lawyers prepared for battle.We didn't go to any of the raided locations. Instead, Dante directed his driver to a high-rise overlooking the city. "Command center," he explained briefly as we rode the elevator to the top floor.Inside the place was a state of