Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 78

Chapter 78

That night, when Asher called, I couldn’t bring myself to pick up. I didn’t want to fall into the same pattern I had before-ignoring him to get him to give me what I wanted. But tonight, I just… couldn’t.

When I woke up the next morning, my phone was full of missed calls and messages from him. I finally called him back, forcing myself to sound normal, to enjoy the time we still had. Because deep down, I knew the truth-this wouldn’t last. The next time I saw him, I’d have to break his heart.

So I told myself to hold on to this moment. To Enjoy these few more days. Pretend it was still us. Pretend I wasn’t about to shatter everything.

He was so excited. Said he was getting a swing for his arm now that the metal had been removed. He could finally move more freely. He said he’d come to see me soon-really soon. The way his voice lit up, the way he spoke like we were about to go back to how things used to be… it broke something in my

heart.

I dreaded that day.

When I went downstairs for breakfast, my dad was nowhere in sight. I didn’t ask about him. I didn’t have to. My mom handed me a plate, no questions, no pressure about the choices she had forced on me yesterday. For that, I was quietly thankful. We both knew what I had to do.

The day dragged painfully. She hovered around me like a mother hen the whole time. I didn’t have the energy to fight, so I let her do whatever she wanted.

By dinner, she told me Dad couldn’t make it.

I didn’t ask why.

Dad came back really late that night. I hadn’t been sleeping. His footsteps were uneven-off somehow- and that’s when I realized… he might have been drunk. I couldn’t even remember the last time he was

drunk.

I felt responsible for all of it.

Maybe if I hadn’t asked Asher to take me to prom, things would’ve played out differently. But that wouldn’t change anything now, would it? It wouldn’t undo the fact that I was pregnant. It wouldn’t stop me from having to break his heart. And it certainly wouldn’t fix the fact that people’s lives were now at

stake.

So I did the only thing I could-I kept talking to Asher. I tried to stay in the moment. To love him while I still could. To laugh, to feel, to pretend. And all the while, I think my father was avoiding me. I hadn’t seen him in three days. That night was the last time we even exchanged words.

So when my mom came into my room and told me we had guests, I was surprised.

“Guests?” I repeated, confused.

She let out a long, tired sigh.

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Chapter 78

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“Your… prospective fiancé is here.”

My heart stopped. I narrowed my eyes. Did she mean him? The Don?

She swallowed hard and gave a stiff nod. “Your father spoke to him… about moving the wedding sooner. He’s here because he wants to… settle something. With you.”

I froze. My mind immediately jumped to the only person who could have driven him here.

Asher.

Was she talking about Asher?

I turned to her, my voice barely above a whisper. “Do I have to?”

The look in her eyes said it all. This wasn’t just about choice anymore.

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