Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 433

ARIELLA

When Luca and Asher disappeared upstairs, the room somehow became even colder. Even quieter.

Neither my mother nor I looked at each other. Neither of us spoke. The silence stretched between us. It had been years. Probably eight years since the last time I had seen her. Years of me picturing the day I would come back with her grandson.

Picturing her sitting beside my father, picturing family dinners, arguments, and Laughter. Picturing everything I had lost and Everything I had left behind.... And now, as I sat here in front of her, my father gone, I couldn't seem to find the right words.

My mother picked up her teacup and took a sip. I watched her fingers as she did. They looked older, Thinner. There were more wrinkles than I remembered. I looked at her properly now. Really looked at her for the first time since I saw her.

There was more grey in her hair, too, and she looked fragile. Time had passed for both of us. I don't know why realising that hurt so much. Maybe because I immediately pictured my father, maybe because part of me had frozen all those years ago, or maybe part of me still remembered them exactly as they had been. Healthy, Strong and Unbreakable.

"I'm sorry." The words came out quietly. "I know saying it doesn't fix anything," I added quickly.

She didn't react. Didn't even look at me. I swallowed as my eyes drifted to the flowers I had brought. They sat on the table between us, Untouched.

"I didn't come here to fight with you." I paused. "I didn't come because I wanted to upset you."

That finally got a reaction. She laughed, A bitter laugh. The kind that carried no humour at all.

"Why?"

I faltered.

"Why what?"

Her eyes finally met mine.

"Why did you want to see me after all this time?" The question landed harder than I expected. "You've been back for months."

Her voice sharpened. "And you never thought to come and see me."

I opened my mouth, but Nothing came out.

"Why are you here now?"

I swallowed, searching for the right words. But she wasn't finished.

"Is it because I came to your little fancy party with your big, powerful Don and embarrassed you?"

I frowned immediately.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Oh." She laughed again.

This time, she shook her head. "So that's what this is."

"No...."

"You came here to threaten me." Her eyes flashed. "Just like your husband."

I froze. "Asher threatened you?"

"This isn't about Asher!" she snapped. Her voice echoed through the room. "This is about you."

She pointed directly at me.

"You're here because you don't want me embarrassing you again."

I stared at her.

"Don't worry." She leaned back. "I meant everything I said on those steps."

My chest tightened.

"My daughter died in that fire."

"And this isn't helping." She set her teacup down. "So far, you haven't said anything I want to hear."

I stared at her.

"I knew you would come here and say you're sorry." Her eyes narrowed. "I expected that."

She leaned back slightly.

"And I don't believe it."

The room fell silent again.

"This isn't going anywhere." She reached for her cup again. "You may as well leave."

Then she took another sip.

"I'd hate to say something I can't take back."

The conversation was over in her mind. She had already dismissed me, already decided she was done, decided I wasn't worth hearing.

But here's the thing. I hadn't come here just to apologise. I hadn't come here just to hear her yell at me. I hadn't spent all this time building up the courage for this moment only to walk away now.

No. I had come here for a reason. A very specific reason, and sitting quietly at the back of my mind was the card I hadn't played yet. The one thing I knew would change this conversation..... But not yet. Not before we had this conversation.

Not before she looked me in the eye and finally listened. Because, for once in my life, my mother was not going to dismiss me. And I was not going to leave so easily.

"You can say it," I told her. "Say it...."

She froze and looked at me. I knew she wasn't expecting that response, and I had momentarily caught her off guard.

"You can say whatever it is you want to. Let it out. Say it. Because I want us to talk and I want us to be okay. I want to listen, that's what I want. I want us to be okay.... Dad would want us to be okay."

"Then don't talk about him." She snapped.