Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75

“Ariella, you can’t keep this baby.”

“Yes, I can,” I answered flatly, not missing a beat.

“Listen to me-”

“No. I don’t want to talk to you. I’m not talking to you,” I snapped. “What do you want me to do? You want me to have an abortion?”

“Ariella, your father’s life and mine are at stake. The family line is at stake. You can’t seriously want all of us to die.”

“It’s one life against many, is that it?” I spat. “Well, this one life is mine. And it’s my child. And I’m going to protect him or her. If an abortion is what you want, then no-I’m not doing it. I am keeping this baby.”

“Ariella, please be reasonable,” she said, her voice shaking now. “Do you really think the Don is going to care? Do you think Asher’s going to care?”

“Of course he will!” I yelled. “This is his child. He loves me. He loves this child. You think you can manipulate me into killing my baby? I am not doing that. I won’t!”

“Ariella, please-just be reasonable,” she begged again. “I’m really scared. If the Don finds out, do you really believe he’s going to let you marry Asher?”

“Yes! He will!”

“No,” she whispered. “Asher is going to marry the Russian princess, no matter what you do. The Don only wanted to marry you so there would never be a chance of anything happening between you and Asher. But now, you’ve gone and done this…”

Her eyes were filled with dread, her voice low and raw.

“If you go through with this… you’ve doomed yourself. You’ve doomed us all. That child… the Don will never let it be born. Think about it.”

She stood up, her eyes lingering on me for a moment longer. And then she walked out, closing the door

behind her.

I didn’t trust my mother.

I didn’t trust the words that came out of her mouth. But there was something about her nervousness- something about the fear in her eyes-that planted the first seed of doubt in my decision. She had always been manipulative. But fear? That was new.

I knew only one person could help me understand the truth behind what was going on.

So I went looking for my father.

Of course, I found him where he always was when he needed to think-when he was stressed or

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Chapter 75

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overwhelmed-buried under that ancient, beat-up car in the garage. The same one he always worked on but never seemed to finish. I doubted it would ever run, but it gave him peace I guess.

I knocked gently on the hood of the car.

He slid out from underneath, wiping his hands as his eyes met mine. And there it was-the pain. So deep in his gaze, it pierced through me.

“I’m sorry,” I said. It was the only thing that came to mind. The only thing I could offer at that moment.

“But I’m not having an abortion. I’m not getting rid of this baby. This baby represents my love for Asher.

This is our-”

He raised a hand to stop me.

Without a word, he wiped his hands again, walked over, and sat on the bench in the corner. I followed, sitting next to him.

He picked up a bottle of beer, cracked it open, and took a long, heavy swig before placing it down beside him. He didn’t look at me when he finally spoke.

“I knew this was going to be a bad idea. And I argued with your mother. I told her not to say anything like that to you. It’s against everything we believe in-getting rid of an innocent baby.”

He paused, staring at the oil-stained ground. His voice grew heavier.

“I’ve done a lot of wrongs in my life. I’ve killed people. I’ve done things that make me think… maybe I deserve to die.”

“Don’t say that, Dad,” I whispered, my heart breaking at the sound of his regret.

“But,” he continued, his voice quiet, almost trembling, “it’s not me I’m worried about. It’s you.”

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