Claimed By The Mafia Rogue King (Snow and Cupid) novel Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Snowflakes

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I couldn’t sleep. Not even a wink, and when the sunlight came bathing the bedroom, so did the sound of Ares’s car pulling up in the garage.

I quickly pretended to still be asleep when the sound of approaching footsteps drifted in, and then he opened the door, pausing in the doorway.

Silence fell, and I felt his gaze fixed on my face. After a while the soft rustle of fresh roses came through, accompanied by the quiet shuffle of his approaching footsteps.

Ares settled at the foot of the bed, reaching out to rest his palm on my legs, caressing lightly.

“Snow?” he called, softly. “Good morning.”

I didn’t speak. I ignored him, kept my eyes closed, praying he would leave, but he didn’t. Instead, his voice came quietly again.

“I know you’re not asleep. Come on… look at me.”

Only then did I flutter my eyes open to see him. He had changed from the clothes he stormed out in last night, and he looked sober now, apologetic, soft, ready to make amends. He was holding a bouquet of roses, which he extended to me gently.

“Here you go. For you.”

The lovely scent wafted up, warm and sweet, and strange enough, it only reminded me of one person. Cupid.

He always had the fresh scent of something pure, something gentle, like these roses. Like nature. I looked at Ares for a moment before accepting the flowers, sitting up to lift the blooms to my nose, taking a slow sniff.

Yes. I was right. Cupid. Perhaps where he lives, roses grow everywhere. Thinking about him tangled something inside my heart, stirring conflict, but at the same time, I found myself wishing for more of his presence.

“Mother said we should come early for dinner. My sister will be coming too.”

Ares’s voice pulled me back to reality, and I lifted my gaze from the roses to him.

The dinner. I had even forgotten about it. How much I would love not to go. His mother, Mrs. Bani, was the worst of all. She hated the one fact that I hadn’t been able to give her grandchildren, as if it was all my fault.

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Ares’s father, a retired policeman, suffered a stroke a couple of years back before I came into their lives. He was nice to me. But Ranta Bani, Ares’s elder sister, was like a thorn buried under the skin. Constant, painful, impossible to ignore.

She was married to Neils White, a judge in his family firm, White and Co.

Staring into Ares’s eyes, I wanted to say no. In fact, I wanted to tell him that apologies wrapped in fake kindness didn’t make anything better. But I kept my peace. We were bound for separation soon anyway. No need to waste my energy.

Besides, I still needed a witness to testify against him in court for his infidelity. With that, I would finally be free.

“How is Lovey doing, dear?”

“Fine. That kid, he’s taking after his father. One of these days I caught him reading the newspaper. He’s bound to be great, right?” Ranta chuckled at the table, and Ares’s mother laughed too, nodding.

“You’re right. Lovey is my grandson, already showing signs of a promising future. But some people don’t make an effort one bit. Staying home only to enjoy the hard–earned wealth of my son.”

My food instantly tasted like ash on my tongue, and I slowly set my fork down, making no sound.

Two hours ago, Ares had driven us to the Bani home, and there I met Ranta, who had already arrived. I exchanged pleasantries as politely as I could, gifting Mrs. Bani a kit of luxurious skin cream. I knew she cared obsessively about her skincare routine, but she accepted it with a lifted chin, muttering an indifferent invitation to the dining hall.

I bought an expensive bottle of posh wine for my father–in–law, and he accepted it with a grateful grin. Despite being in a wheelchair, his love for fine wine never faded. Dinner had been going smoothly until mother and daughter decided it was time to start their indirect insults.

Ares, seated beside me, heard the remark, but as usual, he continued eating. A man who never stood up for me. Four years ago he defended me once when I was mocked, and it thrilled me, made me believe he would always have my back. But that wasn’t the truth. He only did it to make me fall in love so I would drop the case.

Thinking clearly now, remembering everything, I realized he never defended me again, neither from his mother nor from the Mooncresters.

“And to think it has been four years she has been in your house, son,” his mother continued.

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“When will you give me grandchildren? It’s one thing she is a werewolf without a wolf, will she also be a wife who cannot bring pups? Is she barren?”

I went completely still at that word. My heart sank deep into the pit of my soul.

Barren.

One word capable of ripping open every scar I carried.

“We’re already working on it, Mother,” Ares said, only for Ranta to scoff loudly.

“I don’t think she’s working toward anything. Didn’t I hear she’s joining the profiling

department at H.O.W.L? Mother, you should talk some sense into her. What is she even looking for? Money? If she’s a gold digger, my brother has enough for her to dig day and night.”

Silence fell, thick and choking, but I swore the thudding of my heart grew louder.

Ares had told his family I wanted to work. Not about the divorce yet.

Was that why this dinner was arranged?

“You should resign from your job, Snow.” Mrs. Bani spoke with the tone of a command, leaving no room for refusal. “You should focus on healing, to bring forth pups. Four years of childlessness is…”

“He doesn’t make love to me.” I cut in quietly.

Silence shattered through the dining hall. Mr. Bani paused mid–sip, looking up at me.

I lifted my eyes to my mother–in–law, and something in me broke. The last ounce of respect I had for her. The last thread of patience holding everything together.

For four years, she had been the needle pressing into unhealed wounds, reminding me of scars that refused to fade, the ones from the night my virginity was stolen on a cold, hard floor in violence. I endured. I stayed quiet. I bowed in obedience. But now, no more.

“Your son never makes love to me. How do you expect me to be pregnant? By miracle? Even the Moon Goddess we worship cannot perform such a miracle.”

“Snow!” Ares snapped, stunned that I dared talk back. His mother’s face drained of color. His sister’s jaw fell open. “What the fuck? Do you realize that’s my mother you’re talking to?”

I turned to him, anger burning through every bone in me. He could defend his mother, but never me. And what did I even say that wasn’t true?

“How about you tell your mother to stop putting all the blame on me? Tell her to ask her son to do his part as a husband.”

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Not waiting for him to recover, I turned to Mr. Bani and bowed my head. “Please excuse me, Father.”

With that, I left the dining room. I grabbed my coat and my bag, heading straight out.

My heart was slamming in my chest, the snow falling on me as the night air swallowed me whole.

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