Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 349

ARIELLA

We left the dining room and walked toward Asher’s office.

“So,” I asked, “what are you doing today?”

“I’m going to see Luca at the famiglia house,” he said as he walked behind his desk and picked up a few documents.

“To do what?”

“To find more details about Yuri and his brother,” he said. “From there we’ll build a strategy. We still need to find the third person involved. Maybe those two brothers will lead us there.”

I walked closer and took his hand.

“I just wish this would be over soon,” I said quietly. “So I can spend more time with you.”

He squeezed my hand.

“I promise you,” he said softly. “As soon as we find him or them, whatever it turns out to be, you’re going to see me so much you’ll get tired of me.”

I laughed.

“Impossible.”

He gathered what he needed from his desk and slipped it into a leather folder.

“I’ll see you later,” he said.

“Okay,” I replied. “Just call… or text… or something. I just want to know you’re alive.”

He stepped closer and kissed my forehead again.

His hand moved to my cheek, pulling me gently toward him.

“Whatever the queen wants,” he murmured, “she gets.”

Then he gave me a soft kiss on my lips. And just like that, he left the room.

I made my way back to the kitchen and immediately paused at the doorway. Leon had gathered quite the audience. Margaret stood by the counter, her arms folded, trying to look composed. William was beside her, his expression carefully neutral. Mikey leaned against the wall, and Hals stood just behind him. Even Rose, the maid had stopped what she was doing.

All of them were listening to Leon.

“…and then he said ten more,” Leon was saying dramatically, gesturing with his hands. “Ten more! After I had already done, like.....fifty!”

Margaret’s lips twitched. William cleared his throat, looking away. Mikey just lowered his head, shoulders shaking slightly.

I bit down on my lip. Oh, they were all trying, trying so hard not to laugh.

“And then,” Leon continued, placing a hand on his chest like he had survived something truly tragic, “he made me jump. Jump! After running. Who does that to a child?”

That was it. I let out a laugh before I could stop myself. Every head turned toward me and Leon gasped.

“Mom! You’re supposed to be on my side!”

“I am,” I said quickly, holding up my hands, still laughing. “I just didn’t realise you went through such… unimaginable suffering.”

“It was suffering,” he insisted.

“Of course it was,” I said, nodding seriously, though my smile betrayed me.

The room relaxed then, a few quiet chuckles finally slipping through. Leon narrowed his eyes at all of us.

“I’m telling you, none of you would survive him.”

“Oh, we believe you,” William said smoothly.

That only made it worse.

I shook my head, still smiling, and stepped away from the doorway. I left them to it and walked out of the kitchen. As I walked down the hallway, I noticed Maria coming down the stairs. And for a moment… I paused. She looked different today. I couldn’t place it immediately, but something about her had changed.

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