The Seat Beside The Mafia Heir Chapter 05

The Seat Beside The Mafia Heir Chapter 05

I didn’t take him seriously then.

I was too drunk and too angry.

Once I started talking about Serena, I couldn’t stop.

“I gave her everything. Food, clothes, whatever she needed. She’d show up, and I’d help.”

I slammed my glass down.

“I gave her a place in my life, and she smiled in my face while taking my fiancé. If she wanted him, she could’ve said so. But copying me?”

I laughed bitterly.

“She wasn’t stealing a man. She was trying to be me.”

Lorenzo listened.

Like he was taking notes.

Then I moved on to Matteo.

“He thinks I couldn’t live without him? I was trying to respect what we agreed to. He was the one who said he wanted to wait until the wedding night. So I respected that. But he kept putting off the wedding and expected everything from me anyway. He didn’t deserve it.”

My voice cracked.

“He called me cold. But I wasn’t cold. He just never made me feel safe.”

Lorenzo took a sip of his wine, his voice low.

“A man who demands loyalty before making a woman his wife isn’t honorable. He’s greedy.”

I looked at him.

That was mafia logic. Cold. Short. No wasted words.

I was dizzy. I stood up and grabbed his tie across the table.

“Handsome. One night. Interested?”

I woke up in my own apartment.

It was past noon. I stared at the ceiling for a long time before I realized my whole body felt wrong.

Headache. Sore back. Weak legs. Even my breathing felt unfamiliar.

I pulled back the blanket.

Well. My life had officially upgraded from soap opera to mafia romance disaster.

An hour later, I accepted reality.

I’d spent the night with Lorenzo Valenti, a man I’d met exactly twice.

And apparently, I’d made the first move.

I sat in bed regretting everything.

The man who’d slept with me was already gone. I was about to curse him when I noticed a note on the nightstand.

The handwriting was steady.

You initiated. I didn’t resist. If you want marriage, I agree. If you don’t, I respect your choice.

I still think marriage is worth considering. Call me if you decide.

Signed: Lorenzo Valenti.

With a number.

I stared at that note for ten minutes.

Then I took a shower.

When I checked my phone, I had dozens of missed calls from Nina.

Right. I’d forgotten to bring her lunch.

I was so completely wiped out that I passed out again.

At 6 p.m., I finally showed up at Santa Lucia Private Clinic.

I brought two large containers of spicy prawns and seafood pasta.

Nina took one look at me and exploded.

“Gia, you did that on purpose.”

I sat down, opened the container, put on my gloves, and started eating.

Nina was stuck with plain risotto. Her eyes watered just smelling the food.

I looked innocent.

“You said you wanted prawns. I brought them.”

“I said after I get out!”

She tried to throw a pillow at me.

I kept eating.

“The doctor said you can’t have any. I brought them, so if you really want them, you can watch me eat.”

She yelled at me for ten minutes straight.

After I finished and cleaned up, she pulled me onto the bed and yelled some more.

Finally, we collapsed together on the small hospital bed.

She asked if something was wrong.

“You look like you just escaped your old life. Spill. Who do I need to collect from?”

I was quiet for a moment, then told her everything about Matteo and Serena.

Nina nearly got out of bed.

“I’m going to throw those two trash bags into the canal right now.”

I held her down.

She hugged me and sighed.

“Gia, remember the first time you and Matteo fought? The Christmas screening?”

I nodded.

She told me that night wasn’t as simple as an accident.

I froze.

She said she’d seen Serena cutting up the dress Matteo gave me with scissors. She came to tell me, but I wouldn’t believe her.

She ran out angry, didn’t watch the street, and got hit.

Tears ran down my face.

Serena had been working against me for that long.

And I’d told Nina she was just being jealous.

Nina wiped my tears and called me an idiot. She said she’d noticed Serena copying me for a long time. I just didn’t want to see it.

“So remember, I’m the only one who really loves you. Matteo’s gone. I’ll find you someone better.”

I tugged her sleeve.

She looked at me.

“What?”

I leaned in and whispered.

She went quiet.

Then she lost it.

“You actually slept with her mafia brother?!”