Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 444

ARIELLA

The following day, when we went to visit my mother, everything went... surprisingly smoothly. Of course, Asher made sure there were enough soldiers outside to make it look as though the entire street was under siege.

It was excessive and completely unnecessary, according to my mother. Necessary, according to my husband. Neither of them was willing to compromise. Leon didn't seem to mind all the security.

Inside the house, though... None of that seemed to matter. The moment Leon walked through the front door, everything else disappeared. He had never known a grandmother, never had grandparents at all. So he was almost vibrating with excitement.

The second he saw my mother, he looked up at her with those huge, curious eyes and asked,

"Are you my grandma?"

My mother's entire face crumbled. She burst into tears before she could even answer. Then she dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him.

"Yes," she whispered through her tears. "I'm your grandma."

Leon hugged her back without a second thought. Just like that, as if there had never been eight years. As if all the pain between my mother and me hadn't existed.

Children really were incredible. Within minutes, she was fussing over him and offering him food, juice, Cookies, Fruit, Anything she could find.

I had never seen her spoil anyone the way she spoiled Leon. He happily accepted every single thing she offered. Before long, the two of them were talking as though they'd known each other forever. Then Leon asked the question I should have expected.

"What was Grandpa like?"

My mother's expression softened. And after that... She couldn't stop talking about my father. She told him stories about how stubborn he was, how kind he was, how he laughed, how he always found a way to make people smile, how he carried me on his shoulders everywhere because I refused to walk, how he once chased a chicken halfway across the yard just because I had decided that particular chicken was my best friend.

Leon laughed so hard he nearly spilt his juice. I laughed too, because I remembered that day. I remembered my father pretending to be exhausted while secretly enjoying every second of it.

Every now and then, Asher would come into the house. Never for long, just enough to make sure everything was okay and make sure we were safe. Then he would disappear again.

I knew he wasn't far away. He never was. Eventually, I caught his hand as he was about to leave again.

"Why don't you join us?"

He looked toward my mother and Leon, who were completely absorbed in another conversation. Then he looked back at me and smiled.

"No. You haven't been with your mother for a long time. And Leon has never met his grandmother."

He squeezed my hand gently.

"I'll let the three of you get to know each other again."

I smiled. Because I understood, he leaned down, kissed my cheek and held my hand for another second...then walked back outside. Even though he wasn't in the room with us... I still felt him. I always did.

By the time evening came, none of us wanted the day to end. Least of all my mother. She walked us all the way to the front door, outside, then all the way to the car.

"Does Leon have to leave?" she asked hopefully. "Can't he stay with Grandma tonight?"

Leon looked up at me with hopeful eyes. I laughed softly.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I can't."

I knew His father would never agree. And I didn't want to have another fight with my husband about this.

"And besides..." I smiled at Leon. "He only just met you today."

My mother sighed dramatically.

"I suppose."

Then she looked at Leon again.

"Will you come back tomorrow?"

Before I could answer, she hurried on.

"I don't get visitors." Her voice had become smaller now. Quieter. "And now I've finally met my grandson."

She reached down and brushed Leon's hair back from his forehead.

"I'd really..." Her smile trembled. "...really like to spend more time with him."

Leon beamed at her.

"I want to come back too, Grandma."

My mother's eyes filled with tears all over again. And somehow, for the first time in years... Watching her cry healed a small piece of it.

Leon threw his little arms around my mother's waist.

"I'll come back tomorrow, Grandma."

She laughed through her tears, hugging him so tightly that I thought he might disappear inside her embrace.

"That's my good boy." She kissed the top of his head. Then another kiss, and another.

Leon giggled.

"Grandma!"

"What?" she said innocently. "I've missed six years. I'm making up for lost time."

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