Every Mafia's Favorite Girl novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30: "Not In Her Room"

It was 1:05 PM on Sunday when Caio Sartori stepped out of the black sedan and entered the estate’s main hallway.

Exhaustion sat heavily behind his eyes.

He had slept less than three hours the previous night. After that came the morning meetings, the endless phone calls, and the cleanup following the assassination attempt at the restaurant.

Most importantly, he had spent the last several days deliberately avoiding Aren after Wednesday night.

Avoiding her voice.

Avoiding her face.

The memory of her lying beneath him in his bed with swollen lips and confused eyes alone was enough to make self-disgust crawl beneath his skin all over again.

As he walked through the marble corridor, he loosened the knot of his tie with a sharp tug. A servant hurried forward just in time for Caio to shrug off his suit jacket and hand it over without even looking.

Beside him, Leo continued delivering reports in his usual calm tone, clipboard tucked beneath one arm.

"...the eastern shipping route is secured again, but there’s still no confirmation regarding who leaked the restaurant schedule."

Caio rubbed once at the back of his neck. "And Lamon?"

"Still under interrogation," Leo replied. "He keeps insisting he was forced into cooperation."

Caio’s expression hardened another degree. "Everyone says that when there’s a gun pointed at their head."

Leo gave a slight nod and continued alongside him through the corridor.

Before he could continue, Mrs. Pecora emerged from a connecting hallway carrying a stack of folded linens.

The moment she spotted Caio, surprise crossed her face. He almost never returned to the estate this early.

"Sir," she greeted quickly. "You’ve returned."

"I came back for lunch," Caio said flatly, not slowing his pace.

Mrs. Pecora recovered instantly. "Lunch will be prepared immediately."

By the time they entered the main dining hall, Leo had resumed his report.

"...we’re also having difficulties retrieving the surveillance footage from the tower in Accardi District—"

Caio barely heard him anymore. His gaze had already drifted across the massive dining hall automatically — toward the long dining table, toward the tall windows drenched in afternoon light, toward the chair Aren usually occupied for dinner.

It was empty.

No sign of platinum hair, no oversized sweater. No Biscuit circling beneath the table begging for food.

His brow tightened immediately.

He looked toward Mrs. Pecora.

"Where’s Ariana?"

Mrs. Pecora answered quickly, composed as ever. "Perhaps she’s in her suite playing with Biscuit. She doesn’t always require lunch."

Caio pulled out a chair and sat down. "Inform her I’m back," he said. "Tell her I want her to join me for lunch."

Mrs. Pecora inclined her head immediately. "I’ll send a maid to Lady Ariana’s suite at once."

One of the younger maids hurried from the room so quickly she nearly caught her shoe on the carpet edge.

As Caio leaned back in his chair, Leo resumed his report beside him.

"...we attempted to contact House Accardi directly regarding the footage, but communication remains delayed due to—"

"Leo."

"Yes, Boss?"

"Stop talking until lunch is over."

Leo immediately fell silent.

Several quiet minutes passed with the dining settling into quiet. Servants moved in and out of the dining hall arranging lunch.

Water glasses.

Fresh bread.

Silver cutlery aligned perfectly beside polished plates.

Still, no Aren.

Caio’s fingers tapped once against the armrest.

Then again.

Several more minutes passed before hurried footsteps echoed back into the room.

The maid returned, and the second Mrs. Pecora saw her face, the atmosphere shifted.

The girl looked completely terrified.

"What is it?" Mrs. Pecora asked immediately. "What happened?"

The maid swallowed hard, wringing both hands tightly against her apron.

"Lady Ariana..." she stammered weakly.

Caio looked over sharply.

"What happened?" Mrs. Pecora repeated more firmly. "Speak properly."

The maid’s eyes darted nervously between Mrs. Pecora and Caio.

"She’s... she’s not in her room."

Silence dropped heavily across the dining hall.

’Where the hell could she possibly go?’

’Without telling me?’

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