Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 200

ASHER

“He is your son,” I say, my voice low but firm. “And you love him. So of course I know his name.”

It’s all I can say. The only truth I can offer her right now.

But she’s still bewildered. Still surprised. Her eyes stay wide, like she doesn’t know whether to cry or reach for me. Like she’s caught between relief and heartbreak.

But I’m still angry. Still hurting. So I turn my back to her, walk to the door, and open it with more force than necessary. The cool air from outside rushes in, but it does nothing to soothe me.

“I’ll be back,” I shout behind me, more for myself than for her.

And then I just walk. Because if I stay, I might break. If I stay, I might say something I can’t take back. And I don’t want to release my anger on her, not tonight. Not when the truth is finally beginning to rise.

Not anymore.

I kept walking, ignoring Luca’s calls as they lit up my phone one after the other. I didn’t want to talk to him, not now. I knew if I picked up, I’d end up snapping at him, and that wouldn’t help anyone. No one knows where I am. At least, I don’t think they do. The way I left, quiet, fast, no explanation, I made sure of it. I left no trace. I covered my tracks like I’ve done a thousand times before.

Until I opened my eyes, my neck aching, and realised I had fallen asleep in the car. Because here’s the thing: where I came from, I wasn’t getting much sleep either. I was constantly wondering if Ariella was going to be okay. Wondering if Alex had somehow reached her, if he had found a way to get to her. I kept imagining him doing something to her, or worse—using her to get to me. Blackmailing me with her. Or maybe just deciding to kill her altogether.

Then there was the business, finding a way to get rid of Alex, keeping everything afloat, managing the chaos. There was Dinara to deal with. The pressure. The paranoia. All of it. I wasn’t sleeping.

I was tired. Bone-deep tired. And somehow, just being here, seeing that she was still here, seeing the house quiet and untouched, gave me some kind of peace..... I guess that was it.

By the time I woke up, I was angry. My body ached. I needed food. So I drove off, got something to eat, filled the hunger and the space in my chest. Then I came back. Sitting in the car again. Watched the house.