Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 436

ARIELLA

I gave Asher a disapproving look.

I mean, I kind of wanted to stay because...... ever since I can remember, my mother and I have never seen eye to eye. This was the first time in years that the two of us were talking without arguing. We were agreeing on something for once and talking about something we both liked... This was the first time.

You have to understand that when I came here, I wasn't expecting her to warm up to me. I wasn't even expecting her to invite me into the house. I wasn't expecting that the two of us could actually have a normal talk as a mother and daughter for once in years.

And so, yeah, I was not in a hurry to leave.

"Okay, we can leave together. I would love to see my grandson," Mom said.

"No, Mom." I said with a smile, "I told you. We'll come tomorrow. We are coming to visit you tomorrow."

"Yes, of course. Sorry, I git carried away."

"I told you it would be worth it," Luca said proudly

"You were right in telling me to listen to her. I still can't believe it..... I have a grandson."

"I told you it was worth it," Luca said again, winking at my mother and then looking at Asher with an obvious I told you so expression.

"He's seven, and he's strong, and he's so tall, and he's so handsome......" my mother trailed off

I smiled.

"And he's a little rascal too," Luca added.

"Hey," I told him.

My mother immediately raised a finger at him.

"No one says that about my grandson. He is my grandson."

She smiled.

"I have a grandson... I am a grandma."

She put her hands together and looked up at the ceiling as if she were making a silent prayer. She looked happy. Different from what I had seen of her today, when I first arrived, she looked cold and sad then. But now she looked happy, and I loved that.

The mention of Leon had brought life back into her face. I wasn't feeling very well about dangling him in front of her like that, but, you know... It's hard to argue with results.

Asher's gaze immediately went toward me, but I intentionally avoided it. Whatever questions he had, we were going to talk about them later.

"Okay then, let's go. I have a meeting." Asher announced into the room, his gaze on me.

"I could stay for a little while, and then the guards could take me back...?" I asked, testing the waters

"No. You know the problems we're under right now. I have to be the one to do it. I want to make sure you're home safe, or I won't be able to concentrate."

I pouted at him.

Luca opened the door for me without a word, and I got in. Asher got in beside me without sparing me a glance. Just then, Luca walked forward and knocked on Asher's window before he could leave. Asher got out of the car, and the two of them talked for a few seconds before Luca stepped away from the car, and Asher walked back in the car.

The car drove away. We were silent during the ride home while I kept replaying everything that had happened today with my mother. I still couldn't believe that what had happened had actually happened.... That the conversation had gone so smoothly.

I came here prepared for her resistance and expecting a fight. So, of course, I was smiling.

"I'm guessing it went well," Asher said, bringing me back to the present.

"Yes. It went more than well. It went better. It surpassed my expectations."

"I can see that," he said calmly, though his tone sounded strange. "I'm guessing she forgave you? And everything is cool between the two of you now?"

"Yeah. I guess."

I replayed every conversation in my mind.

"I mean, the moment I mentioned Leon.... everything changed, she just got so happy," I said, smiling as I remembered.

"And then we started talking about him, and we actually had a conversation over something that both of us agreed on. We actually had a mother-daughter moment where I told her about her grandson, my son, and she was happy."

Asher nodded.

"I felt bad about using Leon, but..." I smiled softly. "The truth is, I never even thought it was going to work."

I looked out the window, still seeing my mother's face in my mind. The way she had smiled, the way her eyes had filled with tears and the way she had immediately wanted to know everything about Leon.