Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 392

ARIELLA

Leon leaned closer, practically climbing onto him. “What is it, Daddy? Can I see it?”

Asher finally blinked, like he was pulling himself back from somewhere far away. Slowly, carefully, he turned the object in his hand so the faint light could fall over it.

It was small. A little wooden carving. Crude. Uneven in places. As if it had been made by children, or at least started that way and never truly completed.

Leon frowned. “What is that?”

Asher let out a quiet breath, something between a laugh and disbelief.

“We made this,” he said.

“We?” Leon asked.

“As kids,” he added, his thumb brushing over the surface. “It was me… Luca… Damien… Sia…”

He stopped just for a second. Then continued.

“And the others.”

I watched him closely. That pause hadn’t been nothing. Leon didn’t notice.

“What did you make? What is it?” Leon pressed again, impatient now.

Asher tilted it slightly, and as he lifted it from the fabric, something else slipped free beneath it... A small piece of pink paper. My eyes caught it instantly.

“It’s supposed to be…” Asher hesitated, searching for the right words. “Like… our symbol of power. Whoever held it, we told ourselves, he would be the one in power. The leader. A kind of king.”

Leon’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Asher huffed a soft laugh. “Something like that.”

I stepped a little closer, my gaze fixed, not on the carving anymore, but on that piece of paper. Still lying on the cloth and still untouched. And suddenly… That felt far more important than the charm.

I found my hand moving toward the fabric, curiosity pulling me in before I could stop myself. I wanted to take it, to see what the paper was, but Asher’s hand closed over it instinctively.

For a second, we both held it at the same time.

“What is that? Can I see it?” Leon asked, already distracted as he took the wooden carving from his father.

That seemed to be the only thing that mattered to him now. He touched it, turned it over, and even brought it close to his face like he could somehow read its meaning through feeling alone.

“It’s not important,” Asher said quickly.

“I still want to see it.”

He sighed, then carefully unfolded the paper and I realised it wasn’t just a piece of paper. It had been preserved, wrapped in nylon, folded with care, tucked together with the carving and sealed within the cloth like something meant to survive time. Even in the dim light, I could make out faint handwriting. Uneven. Childlike.

“We should go inside,” I said quietly. “I want to read what's written under the light.”

“Yeah,” Leon added eagerly, “and I want to examine the carving too. If Sia comes tomorrow and I show her… she’ll be so happy! They said the treasure.....she said the treasure...”

He was already running back toward the house before finishing his sentence. Asher took the paper from me, then reached for my hand. We followed the path behind Leon to the house, but something inside me had shifted.... Something didn’t feel right.

The moment we stepped inside, Maria appeared.

“I was looking all over for you guys. Dinner is ready.”

Asher turned to me. “I’m going upstairs for a few seconds. I’ll be right back, then we can eat.”

“What about the paper? I want to read it.”

“Wow,” I said softly, though I wasn’t sure he even heard me.

He was already lost in it again. Asher soon walked inside and we started having dinner.

Dinner passed almost too normally. Asher spoke about his day briefly, carefully, nothing too detailed. Leon talked endlessly about his lessons, about Sia, about everything he had learned. About how brave she was.

I listened. I smiled. I nodded. But my mind kept drifting back to that paper.

After dinner, Asher said he needed a few minutes in his office. Leon immediately asked to go with him, and of course, he agreed. I let them go.

Maria and I shared a glass of wine, quiet and calm, before she eventually excused herself and went upstairs.

Then I waited and waited. When I went to Asher’s office, they weren’t there. Later, I found out he had taken Leon to bed. So I went back to the bedroom… and waited for him. For the paper.

When Asher finally walked in, he looked exhausted. Completely worn down. He came straight to me and kissed me lightly.

“I’m so beat. Do you mind if I take a shower?”

“It’s okay.”

He disappeared into the bathroom, and when he came out, he didn’t hesitate. He got into bed, pulled me into his arms like that was the only place he wanted to be.

“Wait,” I said, pressing my hand lightly against his chest. “What about the paper? What does it say, I want to read it.”

He exhaled.

“Forget about that piece of paper. It was probably written by a bunch of seven-year-olds, five-year-olds and ten-year-olds.”

His fingers slid along my arm, pulling me closer.

“Why don’t you stay here… with your husband? The one who actually needs you right now… instead of chasing after some stupid treasure that doesn’t even exist?”