His Unwanted Wife is the Mafia Princess novel Chapter 23

#Chapter 23 – Something Gained

Stella

After spending hours with Dominic in the mansion’s office, I found myself in the comfort of freshly washed and dried sheets in my designated bedroom. Sleep overtook my body almost instantly. My intense emotions from earlier in the day have made my body feel so tired.

I woke up to the feeling of warm sunlight on my face. The certains are drawn open and there’s a cup of ice water on the bedside table. A small note sits beside the glass and the writing is a beautiful cursive.

We’re eating downstairs! Join us when you wake up! Mom

A smile blooms across my face. I slip out of bed and walk towards the bathroom. The first that I see are the dark eye bags. That hang under my eyes.

I splash some water onto my face and then dry it off, dipping out of the room, hoping that my face livens up. I quickly get ready, throwing on some of the spare clothes that hang in the closet, and quietly make my way down the wooden staircase.

Some laughs are head from the bottom of the stairs. I slow my pace, trying to avoid the creaks in the wood. I round” the comer towards the sounds and listen as Luca boasts about a race he won against another drag racer.

1 poke my head out from behind the entryway, looking to see a lively Luca swing his arms around as he tells the story. Silas sits beside him with a stoic expression, casually spreading jam across a piece of toast

I step inside the large dining room. Almost instantly, I am spotted by Sebastian, whose smile is as warm as morning sun. I smile back and watch as he stands, pulling out the empty chair that sits beside him.

“Stella!” Dominic’s voice carries across the table. “How did you sleep?”

“I slept well, thank you for asking,” I sit down, quietly thanking Sebastian as he pushes in the chair.

the

The table suddenly falls quiet. There are a few faint clinks of silverware against the white porcelain plates with the occasional bump between glasses. I clear my throat and watch as Matteo, who sits to the other side of me, up my plate with different varieties of fruit and pieces of toast.

“You

look pretty tired,” Sebastian leans in, nudging me.

“I’ll be okay,” I look up at him and smile. He nods in return, not pressing any further.

I eat a strawberry and can feel several pairs of eyes on me. look up and then glance around the table. Luca and Dominic smile at me while Silas focuses on his toast. Meanwhile, my parents, who sit at opposite ends of the table, barely look at each other and instead put their focus on me.

“You look tired, Stella,” my mother quietly says. I take a bite out of another strawberry and nod, chewing as quickly as I can.

“It’s been a long couple of days,” I begin, “I’m pushing through, thou

“I want you to know,” my mom then looks around the table and gestures to the rest of the men who sit at the table, “actually, all of us want you to know that you have our support no matter what.”

“We want nothing but the best for you,” my father adds, clearing his throat.

“Thank you,” my voice cracks. Everyone at the table nods and then continue with their previous conversations.

Warmth spreads throughout my chest. I place my fork down and smile at them all, feeling the fatigue slowly dissipate within my body. Tears brin my eyes, forming out of both exhaustion and happiness.

fills

+25 BONUS

#Chapter 23 – Something Gainek

Despite there being no pictures of me alongside my family in the office last night, this breakfast feels as if I have never left the picture. Something inside of me feels whole again, completed. The missing piece of my heart has been returned to me after being away for so long

After breakfast, Sebastian offered to give me a ride home since he has work in the city. He helped me gather my belongings and we got into his car and left.

The first couple minutes of the car ride was filled with small talk; we asked about each other’s past week and if there was anything new or exciting that happened. Once all of our questions were answered, a comfortable silence filled the air. We listened to music, Sebastian nodding his head to the music, before the song turned sad.

I sigh and look out the window. The clouds are big and fluffy today. Maybe it’s a sign that good things are coming back to me.

“Stella?” Sebastian asks. I hum in return. “Do you need to talk about your…situation with Adrian?”

I turn to look at him. He glances over at me and meets my gaze for a brief second before turning back to the road. I hesitate to speak.

his

“It’s okay if you don’t want to. You should know, though, that I will always be here to listen if you need it, words make me feel calm again. I nod and look away for a brief moment, the topic of conversation weighing on me.

“Adrian,” my voice trails off, “Adrian and I grew apart. He pays more attention to his…business than he does to me. I don’t want to feel neglected or be the second choice anymore.”

I make sure to avoid any truths that will make Sebastian tum the car around and get revenge on Adrian for how he’s treated me. Honestly, if he or any of my brothers were to find out the truth, nothing good will come out of it, just pure angst and unnecessary drama.

“He did that to you?” Sebastian asks in a low volce. I nod, hating how easy it is to lie to him.

“He prioritized his business over me, never texted back, never came home for dinner, and-” I stop myself before I can continue, not allowing my emotions to take over my words.

Turning away, I stare back out at the clouds before they disappear behind the tall metal skyscrapers. I wipe away a tear from my eye, the salty liquid absorbing back into my skin before Sebastian can notice.

“It’s okay, Stella,” Sebastian breathes out. The car comes to a stop and he reaches over, taking my hand from my Jap and into his. He gives my hand a gentle and reassuring squeeze.

I look at him with glossy eyes, feeling more tears form as the seconds tick by. He reaches over and wipes a few tears away right as they fall.

There’s something in his eyes that lets me know that he knows more. Sebastian slightly nods, not saying anything else and suddenly I can breathe again.

The light turns green and he begins to drive again.

“Maybe you should stay at the house with us,” Sebastian suggests, “so we can all keep an eye on you and be there when you need us.”