Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 401

ARIELLA

Asher lifted his hand slowly toward my face. For one terrifying second, I thought he was going to wipe the spit away himself.... Instead, he took out a handkerchief from inside his jacket and placed it gently into my hand. Like he knew I would break completely if he touched my face right now.

The tenderness of it made my throat tighten painfully.

“Let’s go home,” he said softly.

I looked past him instinctively, searching for my mother one more time, but she was already gone. My chest hurt so badly I pressed my hand against it.

“Asher…”

He immediately pulled me closer.

“I’ve got you.”

Three simple words, but they broke something inside me. A sob escaped my throat before I could stop it, and suddenly I was crying harder than before, my body shaking as I leaned into him.

Without hesitation, Asher wrapped both arms around me and pulled me against his chest. And right there, outside the ballroom, surrounded by guards, flashing lights and powerful people pretending not to stare—

“Get those phones,” Asher said to the man standing next to him.

“I want all of them collected. If I see or hear anything about a video, there’s gonna be problems.”

The tone of his voice and the expression on his face made it clear that he meant every single word.

“Yes, Don. Right to it,” the soldier answered immediately. He moved ahead at once, whispering instructions toward the others as they spread out toward the people gathered outside the ballroom.

The crowd seemed to be increasing by the second now, all pretending not to stare while very obviously staring. A few even had their phones out, recording what had just become the most humiliating moment of my life.

But Asher held me like none of that mattered.

Like nothing else in the world existed except me.

He guided me back toward the car, where the driver had already opened the door for us. He didn’t even bother making eye contact with anyone around us.

“No one touches you like that again,” he said against my hair, kissing my forehead as we walked.

His voice was deadly calm.

“No one humiliates you like that again.”

“But she’s my mother,” I repeated helplessly.

“And you’re my wife,” he replied immediately. “You’re the Don’s wife. You’re the mother to the future Don. Your life means more than anybody in this entire world, and I don’t give a fuck who that person is, nobody will ever do that ever again.”

The way he said it… It wasn’t controlling. It was protective and Certain. As if he were reminding the world who I belonged to. Like he was reminding me who I was.

I closed my eyes briefly.

“I didn’t know she was going to be here. If I knew, I wouldn’t have come.”

“I know. She wasn’t supposed to be here. She wasn’t invited.” Asher responded.

“I didn’t want this,” I continued weakly.

“I know,” he said again.

“She hates me.”

At that, Asher pulled back just enough to look down at me. We had already reached the car door, the two of us standing there while the chaos continued around us.

“No,” he said firmly.

“Just because I’m not going to hurt your mother doesn’t mean I’ll let anyone use her… or let her hurt you.”

The words settled heavily between us. The ballroom behind us was still alive with music and low murmurs, but it felt far away now, like another world entirely. Right here, standing in front of the car with Asher’s arms around me, all I could hear was my own uneven breathing.

Tonight hadn’t just been emotional, it had been dangerous. Not physically, politically, socially, or strategically. There had been too many eyes. Too many people watching. Phones recording every second of my breakdown 'The Don’s wife stood outside a ballroom crying after being publicly cursed by her own mother.'

The humiliation burned fresh all over again.

Asher must have seen it in my face because his hand immediately cupped the side of my neck.

“Don’t,” he said firmly.

“I embarrassed you.”

His expression darkened instantly.

“You could never embarrass me.”

“But everyone saw....”

“I don’t give a fuck who saw.”

The words came fast. Sharp. But we both knew the truth. People like them would twist this into gossip before the night was even over. They would turn pain into entertainment. Weakness into strategy.

I suddenly felt exhausted. Completely exhausted.

“I just want to go home,” I whispered. And immediately his entire expression changed.

The anger softened and the danger faded just slightly.

“Then let’s go home.”