The Real Mafia Heiress They Left Behind Chapter 05

The Real Mafia Heiress They Left Behind Chapter 05

It was eight o’clock that evening when the doors of the Moretti estate swung open.

Marco rolled two oversized suitcases through the entrance first.

“Finally home. I’m exhausted.”

He casually dropped the luggage in the foyer and kicked off his shoes.

Their parents came in behind him, carefully supporting Ivy.

Luca entered last, several shopping bags hanging from one hand.

“Serena!”

Marco called toward the house.

“Where are you? Hurry up and bring Ivy a glass of water.”

Silence.

No answer came.

Their mother frowned.

“Where did that girl disappear to now?”

“Didn’t I tell her to go to Washington early and rent the apartment? She hasn’t answered a single message.”

Ivy leaned weakly against the sofa, her face pale.

“Mom… do you think Serena’s still mad at me? Because I lost her bracelet…”

She lowered her eyes guiltily.

“[If she’s really upset, I’ll buy her a new one tomorrow.]”

Their father gently patted her shoulder.

“Don’t worry about her.”

“She’s stubborn. Just like her grandmother.”

“Give it a few days. Once she runs out of money, she’ll come crawling back to apologize.”

Luca placed the shopping bags on the coffee table.

Inside one of them was a delicate pink jewelry box.

During the trip, he’d gone out of his way to choose a pearl necklace for me.

He honestly believed that once he gave it to me…

I’d forgive everything.

Just like I always had.

“I’ll check her room.”

He headed toward the tiny storage room I had called my bedroom.

The moment he pushed the door open….

He froze.

The room was impossibly clean.

The bedding had been folded with military precision.

The desk was completely bare.

The wardrobe stood half open.

There wasn’t even a loose thread left inside.

The room didn’t feel lived in anymore.

It felt abandoned.

For no reason he could explain, panic tightened in Luca’s chest.

He strode to the desk and yanked open the drawer.

Empty.

The little metal box where I’d kept years of letters…

…was gone.

His head snapped toward the trash can.

It had a brand–new liner.

But caught against the rim was a tiny scrap of burned paper.

He crouched and carefully picked it up.

The paper had yellowed with age.

Its edges were charred black.

Only half a sentence remained.

[Serena, once you get into college, I’ll take you…]

Everything after that had turned to ash.

Luca’s fingers trembled.

He recognized it instantly.

He’d written that letter during his freshman year of high school.

Back then, he’d promised that once I got into college, he’d take me to see the ocean.

Now…

I’d burned it.

“Luca?”

Ivy stood in the doorway, looking at him in confusion.

“What’s wrong?”

He shot to his feet, his expression pale.

“Serena’s things are gone.”

The others immediately hurried over.

Marco scoffed.

“She’s probably already in Washington.”

“She sure cleaned the place out. Couldn’t even bother saying goodbye.”

“What a waste. We raised her all these years for nothing.”

Their mother nodded in agreement.

“Exactly.”

“She’s getting more and more spoiled.”

“Once she gets to Washington and realizes life isn’t free, she’ll be begging us for help.”

Luca said nothing.

He stared at the burned scrap of paper in his hand.

The uneasiness inside him kept growing.

If she had only gone to Washington….

Why would she burn every letter?

He pulled out his phone and called my number.

Three short beeps.

Then the cold mechanical recording answered.

“We’re sorry. The number you have dialed is not in service or has been disconnected.”

Luca stood there, stunned.

How was that possible?

He immediately opened WhatsApp and sent me a message.

A single gray checkmark appeared.

My profile picture had disappeared.

“She blocked me.”

His voice came out rough.

Marco refused to believe it.

He dialed my number himself.

The same disconnected message played.

WhatsApp.

Instagram.

Blocked.

Everywhere.

The family exchanged uneasy glances.

The atmosphere inside the house suddenly turned heavy.

“What the hell is that girl thinking?”

Their father’s face darkened.

“She blocked her own family over renting an apartment?”

Luca tightened his grip on his phone until his knuckles turned white.

He looked around the empty room.

The panic he’d been suppressing finally broke free.

“No…”

“I don’t think she ever went to Washington.”

His voice shook.