All Chapters of The Mafia Don’s Forgotten Wife: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

“How much authority would I have?”“You’d start by leading the project. If the first phase goes well, we can discuss an equity incentive in the new business line next year.”“Don’t use future shares to persuade me,” I said. “Put the terms of this contract in writing first.”Mike smiled.We talked late into the evening. I asked about team size, budget approvals, and client selection standards. I also made clear that my marriage to Matteo would not make the Moretti family part of the project.Mike wrote down every point.The air was cold when we left the restaurant. I felt clearer than I had in a long time.Matteo was waiting in the living room when I returned to the estate.He stood as soon as I came in.“How long have you known Mike?”“Since before I left my job.”“Have you kept in touch all these years?”“Hardly at all. We happened to meet again a few days ago.”He was plainly dissatisfied.I took off my coat, handed it to a member of the household staff, and told her she could go.Th

“I used to worry you’d struggle, so whenever you asked, I took over,” I said. “This time, you do it first. I can review what you plan to say, but you and your group need to make the model and the video.”Nico stared at me.“Are you still angry about what I said that day?”“Which day?”“When I said Aunt Sofia was easier to be around.”“You’ve said it more than once.”“I only said it because I was angry,” he murmured.“I heard you.”He seemed to be waiting for me to say it was all right. I did not.“You told me to take care of myself,” he said. “What did you mean?”“I’ll be traveling for work for a while.”“How long?”“I don’t know yet.”“Does Dad know?”“Yes.”“He’ll get you to stay.”I looked at him.“Not this time.”Nico left with his tablet.Matteo went to the school on the day of the science fair.Later, he told me Nico had been speaking confidently beside the display. But when he saw his father, he suddenly stopped.On the drive home, Nico’s teacher called. His attendance had impro

It was the last dinner we had alone before our divorce.Perhaps because the evening had been gentle, I went to the anniversary celebration to see for myself what place he intended to give me there.The event was held at a hotel downtown.Photographs of the company’s history hung in the lobby: its first premises, its first hotel, and more recent projects. Matteo appeared in one group photo. I was at the edge of the frame, translating for a European guest.An old friend came over to speak to me. When I asked where Matteo was, he said he had seen him backstage, probably preparing his remarks.The lights dimmed in the ballroom.The host introduced a video thanking the people who had helped the company over the years. Photographs moved across the screen. Midway through, Sofia appeared in a white dress.She spoke about leaving when she was young and missing important moments in many people’s lives. Now that she had returned, she said, she was most grateful to those who had always made her fe

When it ended, the client left materials for the next round of negotiations.I got back to my apartment before realizing I had barely eaten all day. I ordered dinner and reviewed the meeting notes while I ate.The next day, Mike urged me to stop taking on every task myself.“There’s a team on this project.”“I know.”“You say that, but you work as though everything will fall apart if you let go of it.”I looked up at him and thought of my years in the Moretti house.I had grown used to imagining what might go wrong and heading it off alone. Nico might forget something. Matteo might argue with a relative. Someone might be offended by a remark at dinner.Here, other people had responsibilities of their own.I handed some work over to the project manager and set a weekly time for the team to discuss problems together. At first, I still checked every detail. Gradually, I saw that they handled things as well as I could, even when they did them differently.Learning that was harder than rele

My lawyer continued with the divorce. At first, Matteo was unwilling to discuss it. Most of his calls to me contained the same question: “When are you coming home?”I told him I did not have a date.Later, he asked how work was going and whether I wanted him to introduce me to clients.“No,” I said. “I can find my own.”He was quiet for a long time after that.I messaged Nico to ask about school. Sometimes he took days to reply. Sometimes he sent only a photo. I stopped following each response with a string of questions. I made sure he knew I had seen what he sent and would listen whenever he wanted to talk.At the end of the third month, Mike handed me a new business plan.“The first phase went very well,” he said. “Would you be willing to lead the overseas team formally?”I read the plan.“Would I have a say in the team budget?”“Yes.”“And the criteria for choosing clients?”“You can draft those. We’ll discuss them together.”I carried the document out of the office. Standing on the