Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 279

ARIELLA

I should have known the moment the plane began to descend, the ocean below was too familiar, the curve of the coastline too.

The island.

The same island Asher had taken me to before.

The one where he had built that sprawling, luxurious hotel that rose out of the cliffs like a secret only the sea could keep.

And just like last time, it was breathtaking. As we drove up the long, winding path toward the hotel, the salty breeze swept through the open windows, and I caught myself staring out, lost in the beauty of my surroundings.

“You still remember this place?” Asher asked, glancing at me as the car slowed near the entrance.

“Yeah,” I said softly, smiling faintly. “But I thought it was already taking in guests.... It looks deserted.”

He smirked. “No, it’s not deserted. I just reserved it for a few days while we’re here.”

“A few days?” I turned to him, surprised.

He groaned lightly. “Ah, I ruined the surprise, didn’t I?”

“What surprise?” I asked, laughing.

“Well,” he said, his voice gentler now, “I wanted to spend a few days with my family. I’ve missed five years of you and Leon, and I know a few days won’t change everything, not really. But before we go back to the storm and the busy life and all the work that’s waiting for us… I thought we could have this. Just us. A few quiet days. Tell me you like it.”

“I love that idea,” I said, meaning every word.

I leaned in and kissed him right there, unable to hold back the smile that spread across my face.

“Ew, Mom!” Leon groaned dramatically from the back seat.

Maria burst into laughter, grabbed his hand, and started running ahead of us toward the hotel entrance. Leon followed, still pretending to be horrified.

I laughed, turning back to Asher. “You brought Maria just so she’d keep Leon busy, didn’t you?”

He raised both hands, feigning innocence.

“No! Well… yeah, kinda.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“I mean, I didn’t want to leave Leon with just anyone,” he said quickly. “I wanted it to be just the three of us, but, you know… sometimes, I want to be with you. And I can’t exactly hand my son to a stranger. So, Maria stays.”

I tried not to smile. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Oh, and just so you know,” he added, grinning now, “I gave her a job offer. Officially. Leon’s nanny. Great pay, great severance, no life-threatening risks involved this time. Plus, she gets to be around her crush, so it’s a win-win.”

“Her crush?” I repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed how she gets whenever Luca’s in the same room,” he said, smirking.

I laughed, shaking my head. “I’ll neither agree nor deny that.” Then I pulled him closer and kissed him again.

We checked in, changed into something more comfortable, and before I knew it, it was time for dinner.

The restaurant overlooked the ocean, candlelight reflecting off the glass walls as the waves crashed below. Leon was buzzing with energy, thrilled to explore the place. After dinner, Asher took him on a mini tour of the hotel, holding his little hand as they walked through the grand halls, Leon’s laughter echoing behind them.

I swallowed hard and went quiet for a while before finally talking,

“You said you’re taking me home. You’re taking us home, but I fail to understand what you mean when you say you’re taking us home.... I don’t even understand who we are to each other or how we’re going back. Because I..... as much as I want to believe you love me and we love each other, you’re married. And this is the mafia. Marriage is for life. You can’t divorce your wife. So how am I going back? In what position? And what of Leon? I don’t want him to go fighting with his stepbrothers and sisters for the throne or anything......”

But then he stopped me.

“Okay,” he said, his voice low. “I know I haven't been forthcoming with my life and my situation. So, I’m going to tell you everything. And as I tell you everything, I’m sure you’ll get all the answers you need..... I’m going to start from the beginning. From when you died.”

“I didn’t die,” I said quickly.

He laughed softly.

“You’re cute when you act angry.”

“Get serious, Asher.”

“Alright, fine.” His face sobered. “I’m going to start from the beginning. When you left. To today. When I appeared at your doorstep. Okay?”

“Okay,” I said.

And so I listened to him talking about everything. How his father had forced him to marry Dinara. How, in the end, he had to come to terms with the reality that I was dead and he was not interested in anyone, but he knew it was something he had to do, so why not do it?

He spoke of trying to forget me. Of trying to work on his marriage. Of finding out who the woman he married truly was. Of finding out she was cheating. Of realizing it was never going to work. Of deciding to just keep that marriage as a fact of his life, and then, of finding me again, and everything that came after.

But when he spoke about Dinara and Dominic’s death, I saw a change in him. His voice hardened, his eyes shadowed. It wasn’t just about Dinara. I could see it in the way his jaw clenched, the way his hands curled slightly as if holding himself back. It wasn’t her fate that haunted him. It was his brother’s betrayal, Dominic siding with Dinara, even trying to kill him.

That wound was still open. That was something he hadn’t gotten over.