Life Erased, the Mafia Queen Returns Chapter 03

Life Erased, the Mafia Queen Returns Chapter 03

By morning, Vincent still hadn’t shown up.

I didn’t know what he wanted.

Back then, the De Santis family had gone to war over custody. They made such a scene, and now they acted as if they didn’t care at all.

I woke Jasper early, got a car, and sent him to kindergarten.

The school wasn’t in the same city as me, but thankfully, it was only an hour’s drive.

Before getting out, he made me promise over and over that I would pick him up after school. He clung to me, whining and refusing to let go.

Then he spotted a car parked at the kindergarten gate.

His eyes lit up.

He tugged me toward the door, but as we got closer, he deliberately slowed down, stepping in front of a chubby little boy who had just gotten out. It was as if he wanted to be seen. Jasper swung my hand in front of him, showing off.

Then, loud enough for everyone to hear, he asked,

“Mom, you’re coming to pick me up after school, right?”

It was the first time Jasper had called me “Mom.”

Maybe it was because he had missed six full years. Even when he knocked on my door that first time, he had never called me that on his own.

The little boy stared at me, skeptical.

“If you have a mom, why didn’t she bring you to school before?”

Jasper snorted, eyes full of disdain.

“My mom’s busy with work. She even took time off today to bring me to school.”

He stressed the word “even,” heavy and deliberate.

He walked me to the kindergarten gate, hand in mine, right in front of everyone, as if showing off, making sure everyone saw.

Before we parted, he hesitated and asked again,

“…You’ll come pick me up, right?”

I didn’t answer. He glared at me, then whispered in panic,

“You promised me in the car. Adults can’t lie!”

I crouched down, smoothing his popped-up collar and ruffling his hair.

It was so soft, so black, and so nice to the touch.

“Okay. I’ll come pick you up.”

He couldn’t help but curl his lips into a small smile, yet tried to look serious, lifting his chin with a pretentious air.

“Hmm. I’ll remember to wait for you.”

I only looked away once his little figure finally disappeared from view.

I found his teacher and asked about Jasper at school.

The teacher hesitated, then sighed and frowned, muttering a few complaints.

“I know the De Santis family is powerful. Saying anything might not help.”

“But Jasper’s mom, no matter how busy you are, you can’t just ignore him, right? Since he started school, no parent has ever attended a meeting.”

“Now all the kids are saying he doesn’t have a mom. If this keeps up, it’s really bad for his mental and emotional development.”

No parent had attended a single meeting?

Even if Vincent was busy or disliked this child, he wouldn’t even bother sending someone in his place?

I frowned, feeling for the first time that maybe I had made the wrong choice.

…Maybe I shouldn’t have given up custody back then.

But at the time, I had no money. My parents were in comas. I couldn’t even support myself, let alone raise a fragile child.

I pulled out Vincent’s number again, hesitated, and finally dialed.

I decided to talk to him properly.

If Vincent really didn’t want to raise him, I would take him in.

I might not be able to provide the kind of life the De Santis family could, but I could still raise a child.

The phone rang. But behind me, a different sound caught my attention.

Instinctively, my fingers froze.

I turned—and saw Vincent De Santis stepping out of a black Bentley.

Six years had passed. He seemed different, yet the same.

Half-lidded eyes flicked toward the screen light, gold cufflinks catching the sun, his cold face partially hidden in shadow.

He arched an eyebrow calmly, then finally looked up at me.

“You’ve been hiding from me all these years.”

“Talk?”

Unlike me, worn and desperate over the past years, Vincent remained composed, steady.

His gaze was deep, the same as it had always been. Even the sunlight through the trees seemed to favor him.

I’d heard he had taken over the Godfather’s position from Seth, inherited all the family business, and built a global brand.

I’d heard he had married quietly in the past, staying low-profile.

Memories I had deliberately ignored for years surged back like a tidal wave, sharp pain blooming in my chest.

Seeing him now, I realized I hadn’t truly let go.

The boy who once made me a grass-ringed promise, the boy who had kicked anyone who bullied me into the pool—who would have thought we’d come to such an awkward, unbearable place?

He hadn’t changed. He just didn’t love me anymore. That was all.

It had been so long, Vincent.