All Chapters of The Mafia Boss Is After My Life: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

It was a beautiful Monday morning. Jems was in the dining room having breakfast, wearing a white strapless tube top and jean shorts with clear glasses perched on her nose. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun that somehow still managed to look effortlessly cute. Nana was carefully ironing her school uniform, the iron making soft hissing sounds as it glided over the fabric. Emily was settled on the couch in the living room, watching the morning news with a cup of tea in her hands.The Dawson house was surrounded by police officers, their presence a constant reminder of the danger that still lurked somewhere out there. Since Jems wasn't stepping out today, Derick had been given the morning off, though he knew he was probably still nearby, never truly off duty. The security of the Dawson mansion was top-notch, heavily guarded with officers positioned at every possible entry point.Jems sat at the dining table, her breakfast spread out before her: a bowl of Greek yogurt topped with fresh

"Are you feeling much better now?" Ethan said, reaching out to gently lift her chin with one finger so she had to look at him."Yes," Jems said in a low voice, her eyes still slightly red from crying."Good. Now let's begin," Ethan said with an encouraging smile. "Where can I get vegetables?"The kitchen was absolutely magnificent, exactly what you'd expect in a billionaire's home. The space was enormous, easily the size of most people's entire apartments. The floors were marble with subtle gold veining that caught the light from the massive crystal chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling. The cabinetry was custom-made from rich dark walnut wood with brushed gold hardware, stretching up to the ceiling on all sides.A massive island sat in the center, topped with pristine white quartz that seemed to glow under the pendant lights hanging above it. The island had a built-in wine cooler, a second sink, and bar seating with plush cream leather stools. Professional-grade stainless steel

The ride home was silent because Jems couldn't get a hold of herself. Her hands were trembling slightly in her lap, and she kept twisting the fabric of her sundress between her fingers, creating little wrinkles in the lavender material. Every time they stopped at a red light, she'd steal a glance at Ethan's profile, his strong jawline, the way his hands rested confidently on the steering wheel, and then quickly look away, her heart hammering against her ribs.Finally, they pulled into the circular driveway of the Dawson mansion. The house looked enormous and somewhat intimidating in the evening light, all those windows like watching eyes. Jems swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry."Jems," Ethan called out, which startled her so badly she actually jumped in her seat."Yes," she answered nervously, her voice coming out higher than normal. She could feel her pulse throbbing in her neck."I'll go freshen up; you should too," Ethan said casually as he turned off the engine.And just lik

"Huh? You okay?" Ethan said, immediately pushing himself up and quickly helping her to her feet. He guided her to the couch, his hands gentle on her arms, his face creased with concern. "What's the problem? What are you not ready for?"Why are you acting like you don't know what I'm talking about? Jems thought to herself, frustration mixing with her embarrassment. Her hands were shaking slightly."Talk to me," he said, his voice soft and worried. He was searching her face, trying to understand what was wrong, completely oblivious to what she was actually thinking about."It's nothing, Ethan. I want to go grab water," she said, standing up quickly. Her legs felt like jelly. She needed to get away, needed space to breathe and think."Are you okay? You fell really hard back there," Ethan said, standing up with her. "Did you hit your head?""I'm fine," she insisted, though her voice was shaky. She started walking toward the kitchen, needing to move, needing to do something with all this n

Ethan sat down at the dining table, looking at the bowl of ramen in front of him with genuine appreciation. "This looks amazing. You made this?""It's just instant ramen," Jems said quickly, sitting down across from him. Derick had settled into the living room with his phone, giving them space. "Nothing fancy.""Nothing fancy?" Ethan picked up his chopsticks and examined the perfectly arranged toppings. "You've got soft-boiled eggs, kimchi, green onions, chicken, seaweed... This is restaurant quality."Jems felt her cheeks warm at the compliment, but she busied herself with her own bowl, mixing the toppings into the broth with her chopsticks. They started eating in silence.It was awkward. So awkward. Jems could feel the tension radiating between them, or maybe she was just hyperaware of every single movement he made: every time he lifted his chopsticks to his mouth, every time he took a sip of the broth. She kept her eyes firmly on her own bowl, focusing intensely on her noodles like