All Chapters of Claimed By The Five Mafia Brothers : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Aria POVI don’t sleep.The text is still on my phone._Your mom wants to see you. She’s alive. She’s waiting. - I_Isabella.The name from the passport. The name from Dad’s letter.6am. Luca knocks.“You up?”“Yeah.”He sits on my bed. “Caruso SUVs. 3 blocks away. They’re circling.”“Okay,” I say.He sees the photo of my mom on my nightstand. Picks it up.“Isabella Vale,” he says.“What about her?”“She’s not dead, Aria,” he says. “She’s Vale Industries. She’s 42. She owns half of downtown Chicago. Hotels, shipping, the news said she bought the Tribune last year.”I sit up.“My mom is 42?”“And a billionaire,” he says. “And she’s been missing from public for 19 years. Until 6 months ago.”“What do you mean?”“Vale Industries just came back. New CEO. No face, no interviews. Just acquisitions. Carusos have been losing contracts for months.”My phone buzzes. Same number._I know you’re scared. I ran to protect you. From Caruso. From my father. Meet me. Alone. Millennium Park. Fountain.

Aria POVluca has dinner with victoria tonight.public restaurant. eight pm.“just for intel,” he said.i spent all day in the kitchen. chopping, stirring, pretending i wasn’t thinking about it.no one noticed. no one said anything.until isabella called me at five.“you look like hell,” she said.“i feel like hell,” i answered.“good. we’re fixing that.”an hour later two women are in my room with garment bags and makeup cases.“ms. vale sent us,” the taller one says. “i’m claire. this is mae.”“i don’t need—”“yes you do,” mae says, already unzipping a dress bag.i sit on my bed while they move around me like i’m a project.hair up, then down. makeup wiped off, then put back on.“what are you doing?” i ask.“making you look like you,” claire says. “not the girl who hides in the kitchen.”the dress is black. simple, but it cuts at the waist and falls to my knees.heels. red lip. hair soft over one shoulder.when they turn me to the mirror i don’t recognize myself.i look expensive.i

Luca POVisabella called it a “family dinner.”that’s vale code for 200 people, photographers, and press.“aria needs to be seen,” she said on the phone. “as family. not staff.”“she’s not ready for that,” i said.“she’s more ready than you are,” isabella said. and hung up.all week aria’s been different.since training. since the restaurant.she doesn’t hide in the kitchen anymore. she walks through the house like she owns it.because she does.tonight she’s going as a vale.and victoria will be there.7:30pm. the vale estate.cars lined up. cameras flashing.i’m in a suit. tie feels like a noose.nico pulls up with her.the doors open and aria steps out.Red gown. simple, with sparkles.hair up and putting on sliver earring. red lip again.she looks calm. but i know her hands are shaking. i can see it.she looks like isabella.she looks like mine.“you good?” i ask when she gets to me.“no,” she says quietly. “but i’m doing it anyway.”“then let’s go.”the second we walk in, heads t

Aria POVIt starts with a text. At 9am. From Luca.*we’re taking you out today. be ready in an hour. no arguments.*I’m already in the kitchen in sweats when he appears in the doorway. Suit pants, black tee, hair still wet.“Where are we going?” I ask.“Out,” he says.“That’s not an answer.”“It is if I say it is.”Marco leans against the fridge, grinning. “Boss is nervous.”“I’m not nervous,” Luca says.“You’re tapping your ring,” Dante points out. “You only do that when you’re nervous.”Luca stops mid-tap and shoves his hand in his pocket.Nico tosses me a pair of sneakers. “Wear these. We’re walking.”We end up in the city. Not the Vale part. The normal part. Coffee shops, bookstores, a street market with music playing too loud. All five of them around me like a moving wall, and no one even tries to get between us.The first stop is a boutique. Small. No cameras. The woman behind the counter takes one look at the five men behind me and decides not to ask questions.“You need clothe

Aria POVmonday in chicago is slow.and for once, no one is in a rush.i’m in the kitchen by 9am because the note said the kitchen is mine.*the kitchen is yours today. we’re yours all day. - L*the brothers are already here. drinking coffee. scrolling. pretending they’re not waiting on me.“morning,” i say.“morning, chef,” marco says.“what are we making?” nico asks.“groceries first,” i say. “then we cook.”luca looks up from his phone. “groceries?”“yeah. for the week. unless you guys live on takeout and protein bars.”“we do,” dante says.“not anymore,” i say.we take two cars to trader joe’s in lincoln park.all five of them follow me down every aisle like security.“do we need this?” marco asks, holding up cookie butter.“yes,” i say.“do we need this?” enzo asks, holding up frozen dumplings.“yes,” i say.“do we need this?” luca asks. he’s holding a bouquet of white tulips.“yes,” i say, quieter.he sets them in the cart. doesn’t say anything else.at checkout the cashier look