The Mafia Don Rejected Her… Then Learned She Was Dying Chapter 08

The Mafia Don Rejected Her… Then Learned She Was Dying Chapter 08

My mind went completely blank.

Love him?

How could I possibly love Alexander?

Yet memories crashed into me before I could stop them.

My eighteenth birthday confession.

Pages of journals filled with his name.

The jealousy I felt whenever another woman stood too close to him.

Every memory pointed to the same truth.

I had loved him.

Deeply.

Completely.

The kind of love that settled into your bones.

The kind of love that made you willing to give up everything.

Even him.

But now…

The illness had worn away that burning devotion.

What remained felt closer to familial attachment.

Dependence.

Comfort.

Nothing more.

Alexander stepped closer.

The distance between us disappeared.

His hand rose to cup my face.

His thumb brushed gently across my cheek.

Regret filled his voice.

“I’m sorry, Serafina.”

His eyes reddened.

“I was wrong.”

“I shouldn’t have ignored your feelings.”

“I shouldn’t have pushed you toward someone else.”

His voice broke slightly.

“Can you forgive me?”

His breath was warm against my skin.

Almost pleading, he asked again,

“Tell me the truth.”

“Do you still love me?”

“Alex, you’ve had too much to drink.”

I turned my head away before his lips could reach mine and pressed a hand against his chest.

“I’m perfectly sober, Serafina.”

A bitter smile touched his mouth.

“I’ve never been more clearheaded.”

He swallowed hard.

“The day of the wedding, when I couldn’t find you…”

His eyes darkened.

“It felt like someone ripped my heart out.”

“When I learned you’d left alone, all I wanted was to find you and bring you back.”

His voice lowered.

“To keep you by my side.”

The confession seemed to cost him.

“When I found out you were sick, facing all of this alone in another country…”

Pain flashed across his face.

“All I felt was guilt.”

“And heartbreak.”

His throat worked as he continued.

“The moment that accident happened… when I saw those steel rods heading toward you…”

His breathing turned uneven.

“There was only one thought in my mind.”

“You couldn’t die.”

“Even when I was on the operating table, all I could think was…”

A humorless laugh escaped him.

“I can’t die.”

“Because what happens to you if I’m gone?”

He closed his eyes briefly.

Then finally said the words he’d been carrying for far too long.

“Serafina…”

“My feelings for you stopped being brotherly a long time ago.”

“Alex.”

I interrupted him.

My voice was calm.

Steady.

Final.

“That’s all in the past.”

I met his gaze directly.

“I only see you as family now.

A painful silence settled between us.

“Please let go of me.”

I took a slow breath.

“This isn’t appropriate.”

“And honestly…”

His hand trembled.

“It makes me uncomfortable.”

“It scares me.”

Alexander froze.

Slowly, he released me.

Then stepped back.

His face revealed nothing.

But his eyes looked devastated.

Empty.

Like a city abandoned after a war.

The pain was so intense it seemed difficult for him to breathe.

Even his voice trembled.

“Okay.”

He forced out the words.

“Nunderstand.”

A desperate note slipped into his tone.

“It won’t happen again.”

His eyes pleaded with me.

“Just…”

“Don’t be afraid of me.”

“Please.”

I pressed my lips together and reached for the doorknob.

Before I could open it, a hand landed over mine.

I looked back.

“Alex?”

His jaw tightened as he swallowed his bitterness.

Then he pushed the door open for me.

“I’m sorry.”

His voice was quiet.

“I crossed a line.’

He stepped aside.

“Goodnight, Serafina.”

I entered the room.

Only after hearing his footsteps disappear down the hallway did I finally breathe again.

The next morning, I woke up and stared at the unfamiliar room around me.

Confusion hit immediately.

Where was I?

Why was I here?

My mind was completely blank.

I remembered nothing.

Following the instructions in my notebook, I found a phone number and called it.

“Professor Strucker.”

My voice shook.

“It’s Serafina.”

I gripped the phone tighter.

“I think… I’ve forgotten a lot of things.”

His calm voice immediately reassured me.

“Miss Serafina, don’t panic.”

“I’m sending Felix to pick you up.”

“He’s one of my students. You can trust him.”

“You’ll find his information in your notes.’

I searched through the notebook and found the page about Felix.

“Okay.”

After hanging up, I opened the bedroom door and headed downstairs to wait.

“Serafina.”

A deep male voice came from behind me.

Familiar.

Yet strangely distant.

I turned around.

The man standing there looked both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

But he wasn’t Felix.

I hesitated.

Then asked softly,

“… Who are you?”