Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 458

ARIELLA

My eyebrows pulled together.

"What?"

"The moment you left us behind and burned down your family house, you were dead to me. The moment you caused your father's death, you were dead to me."

She swallowed.

"My daughter died."

Tears streamed down my face.

"I'm still here, Mother. We talked about this..... I thought you forgave me."

"No."

"Then what is this?"

"No, Ariella. I never forgave you and I never will. You came back a Romano, didn't you? You left a Costa, and you came back a Romano. You're no longer my daughter."

"I am your daughter."

"You were."

The words shattered something inside me. I shook my head over and over again.

"No... You don't mean that."

"I do," she said. "I buried my daughter a long time ago."

I couldn't breathe.

"You know that wasn't me. I am still here alive and well. I talked to you about everything..... I told you everything I had gone through with Leon, with my pregnancy. You know this," I said as tears flowed down my face. "You know this...... I'm your daughter. How could you do this to me?"

She looked away from me and back toward Leon.

"My daughter is dead. But I have another chance now."

"Another chance?"

"With my grandson."

"He isn't your son!" I shouted. "He is my son. I gave birth to him. I raised him, and I protected him."

I fought back my tears.

"I starved so he could eat. I stayed awake when he was sick, and I held him every single night. I went alone into the world, pregnant, with no one to help me, and I did it all on my own," I told her.

"So you don't get a second chance just because you suddenly decided you wanted another one."

For the first time, something passed across my mother's face. But she only shook her head.

"I loved you. I know you didn't see that, but I loved you."

"Then why are you doing this?" I cried. "Why are you doing this to us?"

"Because you turned away. Because I already buried you, I already mourned you. I buried you and your father, and I mourned you both, and that is all in the past."

She took a slow breath.

"And the only thing I am concerned about right now is the future."

She looked at Leon.

"I know that I can save him."

She looked back at me.

"You and Asher..." She shook her head. "You're going to cause his premature death. You're already on your way to death yourselves. So by taking Leon, I'm only saving his life."

Her voice remained frighteningly calm.

"I'm saving him from the death that is waiting for you... and for the man you love. The man who caused your father's death and my miserable life."

Tears continued to fall as silence filled the truck. I knew from the look in my mother's eyes that she was past listening.

Luca hadn't spoken a single word, and neither had the two men. I wondered what the hell was going on here; I seemed to be the odd one out here.

My mother slowly shook her head.

"You have no idea what's going on, do you?" she said as if she could read my mind.

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