Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 36

Chapter 36

This was different. This seemed serious.

When I stepped inside, my mother was already there, standing beside him. My father was seated in his chair, his face tired, and worn down. My mother, on the other hand, was practically beaming.

Two completely different reactions.

Unease brewed inside me. This is not good. I swallowed, stepping forward cautiously before taking a seat.

“Okay… You asked me to come to your office. That means this is serious. What’s going on?”

My father cleared his throat. His fingers tapped against the desk, restless. He’s nervous I observed.

Then he said,

“It’s about your engagement.’

My heart stuttered. I had just spoken to Asher. He had told me he would call me later-that he had family business to handle, but everything was fine.

So why did my father look like he was holding back a disaster? My breath caught.

“What… about my engagement?”

My father hesitated. He looked like he was struggling to speak like the words were physically painful for him. Before he could force them out, my mother scoffed and waved a hand.

“Oh, just tell her already.”

He turned to her sharply. “Why can’t you see the gravity of this situation?”

His tone. The sadness in his voice. My stomach dropped. I gripped the edge of my seat.

“Oh my God,” I whispered. “What… what are you about to say?”

“Calm down, Ariella.”

My father’s voice was gentle, but it only made my heart race faster.

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” I snapped. “Just tell me what’s going on!”

He let out a heavy sigh, his eyes full of something I couldn’t quite place-regret? Guilt? Shame?

“This is hard for me,” he murmured. “But I just have to say it.”

My mother, on the other hand, looked excited.

“Oh, just tell her already. This is good news.”

Good news? Nothing about this felt good.

Then my father said it.

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Chapter 36

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“You are not getting married to Asher Romano.

I blinked.

“… Excuse me, what?”

“You’re not marrying Asher,” he repeated.

I felt my breath hitch. The words didn’t make sense. They didn’t fit into my reality.

“I just spoke to him! We were…our engagement….”

“We know,” my father interrupted. “But your engagement isn’t happening. Not with him.”

I shook my head, trying to make sense of this.

“But….you signed the contract. You said everything was set. You and the Don…you both agreed!”

“Yes,” my father admitted, his expression dark. “We did. But not for you and Asher.”

I stilled. Not for me and Asher?

My mother smiled, almost giddy.

“It’s not with Asher Romano,” she said. “But it is with a Romano. A powerful one. More powerful than Asher.”

My blood turned to ice.

“Who’s more powerful than Asher?” My voice came out hoarse. “I love Asher. He is the Romano I want. I want to marry Asher.”

“I know, honey,” my father said, looking truly pained. “But that’s not possible.”

“What do you mean, not possible?” My hands clenched.

“I signed a contract,” my father admitted. “But you won’t be marrying Asher.”

I could barely breathe.

“Then who am I marrying?”

He hesitated.

My mother, on the other hand, had no problem speaking. She beamed at me as if she had just announced I had won the lottery.

“It’s Domenico Romano,” she said.

Everything in me froze.

“… Who?” I whispered, blinking rapidly.

I heard her. I understood the words. But my mind refused to process them.

Domenico Romano.

Chapter 36

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