Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 374

ARIELLA

Leon stiffened instantly, pulling away from me and going straight towards Sia.

“No, don’t leave!” he said quickly, grabbing her hand. “I love you, Sia. Please don't leave, You’re going to be my tutor. Isn’t it right, Mommy?”

I looked at him, then at her. Then back at him.

“Of course it’s okay,” Asher said before I could answer, his hand settling on my shoulder.

“Can she stay for breakfast?” Leon added.

I took a breath, a deep one.

“Well… she’s already here, and breakfast is going to be ready, so come on in, I guess,” I said the last part a little quieter, hoping no one caught it.

“It’s okay,” Sia said smoothly. “I’ll just be in the study. We have a lot to catch up on anyway.....”

“Oh no,” Asher said, “we insist.”

She nodded, and Leon immediately took her hand, already leading her inside like he had done it a hundred times before. And just like that, the two of them disappeared into the house.

For a moment, Asher and I just stood there, watching them until they were completely out of sight. Then he turned to me. One brow raised, Like… really?

I looked back at him. “Don’t,” I snapped.

This was not the morning I wanted to have. Or the morning I expected.

He raised his hands.

"I wasn’t about to say anything."

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow.

“Just calm down, okay? It is very early for whatever this is,” he said. “Come on, let’s go inside. Maybe we can grab a shower and then you can remember who you are again.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, putting my hands together, watching him now. I felt like he was taking her side.

“Calm down,” he said, moving closer. But I moved away.

“Okay,” he said, exhaling. “This is a part of you that I have never seen before.”

“A part of me? What does that mean?”

“This… jealousy,” he explained and I immediately stilled.

“No one can take Leon away from you. He’s your son. And I know that you have been with him all alone for five years, and that.....”

He took a breath, closing his eyes.

“I don’t know how you did it, Ariella okay?” he said, shaking his head. “I honestly don’t. But I know it had been just you and him against the world. And even letting me into that world has been hard enough for you.”

That made me frown.

“Excuse me, what did you say?”

But he continued.

“And I know that you finally let me in, even though sometimes, when there are decisions that I make for him, you seem to be struggling with the fact that you had him alone… and you took care of him alone. As if he's all yours....”

His voice hardened slightly.

“Leon will go back to school. Sia will go back to her life. And Leon will have a familiar face at school… and he will adjust to this life.”

His voice dropped.

“Things are not going to run as smoothly as you want, because he is the next heir. He can’t grow up like every other person. He’s supposed to be a leader. He’s supposed to be better than me.....the best.”

I shook my head, looking away, avoiding his eyes.

“And you’re just going to have to help him adjust,” he said quietly. “Not bring him down. Not pull him back.”

I swallowed hard fighting tears. He reached out, his hand coming to my face, turning me back to him.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“You’re sorry?” I whispered. “You just said a lot of hurtful things to me right now, Asher.”

“I know,” he said. “But they had to be said.”

That hurt more.

“You’re not raising the next doctor… or the next teacher… or anything normal,” he continued. “You’re raising a Don. Someone who has to be better than all the Romano's before him.”

My vision blurred.

“And I know you can do it. But you also struggle to erase the five years you had with him, thinking he would have a normal childhood… a normal life.”

My lip trembled.

“But it’s time.” he finished off.