Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46

The room fell silent.

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Then my mom broke it, her voice softer now, but still sharp. “Ariella, be reasonable for once. I’m doing this for you. For your dad. For myself too, yes-but also for the entire Costa timeline. Didn’t we tell you everything? We laid it all out. Why are you being so stubborn?”

I blinked at her, stunned. “I’m being stubborn? After everything you just said?” My voice trembled, not with weakness but with rage. “I thought you loved Dad. But now I’m really starting to question the love between the two of you. Have you ever loved him? Ever?”

And that was when my father finally decided to speak.

“Ariella,” he said gently.

I turned to him, my chest tight. I was angry. I was sad. I was hurting for him-for the man who had always put his heart and soul into our family, only to sit through my mother’s words like that.

But when I looked into his face, all I saw was… tiredness. Not sadness. Not hurt. Just quiet resignation. Like a man who had long made peace with things, he couldn’t change.

“Listen to your mother,” he said.

I blinked. “What?” My voice cracked.

After everything she just said about him-to his face-this was what he chose to say?

“Dad,” I whispered, “didn’t you hear what she said about you?”

But he just shook his head slowly and replied, calmly, “This is the world you were born into, Ariella. And I’m sorry for that. If I could’ve changed my life, and my choices, I would have. I never wanted you to end up here. But this is our reality. And sometimes reality is cruel.”

I wanted to interrupt him, to scream, to cry-but he kept going.

“Your mother… she didn’t mean it like that,” he said. “Your mother and I… we do love each other. But she’s scared, Ariella. She’s scared for you. For us. And when fear sets in, we say things we don’t mean. She’ll tell you anything to make this easier-for herself, yes-but mostly to protect you.”

I stared at him, trying to find a trace of the man who always defended me. But he wasn’t being weak. He wasn’t being blind.

“She’s scared because you haven’t broken up with Asher yet,” he added. “Because you’re getting cold feet. And I understand why. I know you care about him—really care about him. But this…” He paused. “This is hard. And I wish things could be different. I pray for better for you.”

“Dad,” I began, my voice shaky.

But he raised a hand gently, silencing me.

“Asher is your first love,” he said, voice low. “And I know what first love feels like. It stays with you. It haunts you. It always keeps a piece of your heart.” He paused. “But this… this is more than love, Ariella. It’s duty. It’s an

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Chapter 46

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honour. And Asher-you have to realise that he cannot marry you.”

I held my breath. My father’s eyes didn’t waver as he continued, “His father has already signed a contract with the Russians. Asher is promised to a mafia princess.”

Something inside me cracked. Even though I knew this, hearing it again-like a nail being driven deeper into my chest-still hurt. I hated how I sometimes let myself forget that. I’d pretend the contract didn’t exist. I’d imagine a world where I was enough. A world where I wasn’t just a soldier’s daughter. Where I wasn’t the girl he had to choose against.

Jealousy and hatred curled in my chest like fire. I clenched my fist. But my father wasn’t finished.

“I know it hurts,” he said softly. “And I hate it too. I wish it weren’t this way. But it is.”

And then, my mother jumped in.

“You should feel lucky,” she snapped.

“Lucky?” My voice was sharp now, sharp enough to cut.

Her eyes met mine, unapologetic. “Yes. Lucky that the Don even sees you. That he’s chosen you. Because Asher was never going to marry you. He was always going to marry a mafia princess. Not you. You’re lucky the Don didn’t just toss you aside.”

Her words sank in like poison, but she wasn’t done.

“He could’ve ended the engagement altogether and left you with nothing but shame. But he didn’t. He wants you. Why are you playing with your luck?”

I stood up now, fury boiling in my veins. “It’s not luck,” I hissed. “If Asher fell in love with me, then maybe, just maybe, I’m not some random girl he stumbled across. Maybe I’m someone worth wanting. I’m young. I’m smart. I’m beautiful. Don’t act like I should be grateful to be seen.”

“Ariella,” my father said gently, his voice almost pleading, “please… sit down.”

I looked at him-and for a second, I wanted to. I wanted to honour the man who had always tried, who had never raised his voice at me, who still believed in doing what was right even when it hurt.

But not this time.

I was too angry. Too hurt.

So for the first time in my life, I didn’t listen to him.

I pushed away from the table, turned around, and ran-my chest heaving, the tears hot in my eyes as they spilt down my cheeks. My mother’s voice followed behind me, calling my name again and again.

But I didn’t stop. I didn’t even look back.

I ran straight to my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My heart was racing, my chest tight, but all I could think about was Asher. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand, hoping-expecting-to see a message, a missed call, something.

Nothing. No texts. No calls. Not even a damn “hey.”

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Chapter 46

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Panic set in, sharp and immediate. I started calling him.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then five. Six.

I called him so many times I lost count. Each one went straight to voicemail. No ringing, no chance to hear his voice. Just silence.

What the hell is going on?

I stared at the screen, hoping it would light up. Wishing it would buzz with his name. But it didn’t. And suddenly, my anger melted into something else-fear.

Was he okay? Was he in trouble?

Or worse… was he ignoring me?

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