Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 223

ARIELLA

I’m going to my room,” I said, already turning and walking in the direction of my bedroom.

“Wait,” Maria called after me. “I don’t get it....what just happened?”

I turned back, looked at her, then at the envelope sitting on the table. Before I could stop myself, I told her,

“You can give it back to Luca. I don't want it."

".....but he didn’t give it to me.” She said with a frown.

“You’re right,” I replied. I simply walked back, picked up the envelope, and continued up the stairs.

I had to think.

I needed to think without someone questioning me, without doubting the people surrounding me, because they weren’t just people. They were strategically placed around me. Placed to be there.

I started thinking about Maria and me. Why do we even…? I mean, we’ve been forced here together, but that doesn’t mean we’re friends. She was hired to take care of the house. And somewhere along the way, after this so-called freedom, I thought we were friends.

But are we, really? When it came down to choosing between the job she was given and me… what would she choose?

Oh my God! I can't...

I reached my room, set the envelope on top of the table, and began pacing. I couldn’t find anything to do. Sitting didn’t help either.

Luca's ultimatum kept replaying in my head—twenty-four hours. That’s what he’d given me. And I knew he was right, which made it worse… because it meant he was setting me up.

If he was setting me up, what could I possibly do?

What would Asher think?

If Luca called and told Asher that our son wasn’t his, would Asher even believe him? He didn’t even seem to need my answer when he saw Leon; he only underlined the fact that it was his son.

Would he really believe his best friend?

And what kind of evidence could Luca cook up against me?

I leaned back in the chair, pressing my palms against my temples, trying to slow my thoughts, but they just kept spiraling. Luca wouldn’t just hand Luca a weapon against me—no, he’d sharpen it, make it deadly, make it something I couldn’t recover from. The man had a gift for making a lie feel like the truth.

And Asher… I didn’t know anymore.

He was looking, no, staring toward the side of my window. The tilt of his head, the stillness in his posture… it was almost like he’d been watching me for longer than I realized.

Can he see me?

The thought jolted me. I stepped back fast, heart hammering, and turned away from the light. My legs carried me back to the bed, and I sat down heavily, pressing my fingers to my temple. The beginnings of a headache throbbed behind my eyes.

I didn’t know where Asher was, but I prayed Luca hadn’t found him yet.

And Alan… could he help me?

I doubted it. But he’d told me Luca’s last name. That wasn’t nothing. It meant he either knew him from the underworld… or the opposite side entirely.

Could he be police? Undercover?

The possibilities twisted around me like smoke, uncertain and dangerous.

I press my palms against my temples, trying to push the throbbing away. The room feels smaller now, like the air has been sucked out of it. Alan knowing Luca’s last name might mean he’s tangled in this world, ours or maybe he’s standing on the opposite side, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

But if he’s a policeman, why hasn’t he already acted? Why tell me Luca's last name and leave me in this limbo? Unless… he’s testing me.