Forced To Be The Mafia King's Bride (by Oma Green) novel Chapter 195

Gianna's POV

The car pulled through tall iron gates, winding down a private drive shaded by palm trees.

A buffed man in a black suit opened the door. "Mrs. DeLuca, welcome."

He nodded to Mira and me. "Ladies."

I stepped out and froze.

The house sat on the hill, bright in the sun, with flowers everywhere. The pool faced the sea, and there was music, laughter, and people in the water.

Vera noticed Mira and me staring. She gestured toward the estate. "Welcome to paradise."

Mira pulled off her sunglasses. "Holy shit. This is gorgeous."

I blinked. "Mira's right. This place is... I don't even know what to say."

Vera grinned. "You haven't seen the rest."

She led the way toward the main entrance.

"This estate belongs to the Navarro family," Vera explained as we walked. "They've been close to Cesare for years. Roberto runs one of the largest arms operations in Europe. Very powerful. Very wealthy."

I glanced at her, shocked. "So we're hanging out with arms dealers now?"

Vera laughed. "Welcome to my world."

A woman in a white uniform greeted us at the entrance. "Mrs. DeLuca." She gestured to Vera and me. "Mrs. Navarro has been waiting."

Vera touched her arm. "Thank you, Maria."

Maria led the way, guiding us through marble hallways lined with art and antique furniture.

Mira whistled low. "Wow. This is some rich people shit. Not your ordinary hang by the beach."

Vera waved a hand. "I thought instead of spending a boring day at our private pool, we would come to my friend's brunch. Much more interesting."

We reached the poolside. Cabanas draped in white fabric, lounge chairs scattered around the water, servers moving with trays of champagne. The guests were young, beautiful, dripping in designer swimwear.

A woman in a flowing cover-up rushed toward Vera. "Vera! You made it!"

"Of course, darling." Vera kissed her cheeks, then turned to us. "This is Gianna and Mira. Girls, this is Estelle."

Estelle smiled warmly. "Any friend of Vera's is welcome. Come, let me introduce you."

She led us through the crowd, rattling off names I could not keep track of. Younger men lounged by the pool, shirtless and tanned. A few glanced our way.

One of them, tall with dark hair and sharp cheekbones, straightened. His chest was sculpted. He whispered to his friend, both of them watching us.

Estelle stopped, laughing. "Don't mind the boys. They're friends of Mateo. They're staying with my son for the weekend. Tomorrow is his birthday."

Vera brightened. "Oh, his birthday. I can't believe how grown he is now. It feels like yesterday he was running around causing trouble."

Estelle laughed. "He still causes trouble. Just in different ways."

Vera looked at me. "Mateo is Estelle and Roberto's son. Their only child."

I nodded. "Oh."

Estelle set her glass down. "It's not about expectation, Gianna. It's about reality. Our husbands carry the weight of dangerous empires. We create stability at home. That's an honor in itself."

Vera nodded. "It's how this world works. We hold things together while they handle the rest."

I looked between them. "What if I want more? Like getting my degree, then working. Building something of my own."

Vera tilted her head. "Get your degree, absolutely. But working a normal job?"

She shook her head. "Gianna, think about it. You're Dante DeLuca's wife. The moment you step into some office or hospital, you become a target. Every enemy he has will know where to find you."

Estelle leaned forward. "She's right. The risk is too high. You're not just another woman anymore. You're tied to one of the most powerful men in the mafia. That puts you in danger."

I swallowed, the champagne suddenly bitter on my tongue.

Estelle's voice softened. "That's why I found other ways. I have hobbies. I travel. I invest in art and support charities."

She paused. "I also had Mateo. I wanted more children, but I couldn't. So I adopted some of the boys whose fathers worked for Roberto. They live with us now. I raised them. Some of those boys out there by the pool are mine in every way that matters."

I looked at her, surprised. "That's really beautiful, Estelle."

Vera smiled. "You've built something incredible."

Estelle waved a hand, brushing off the compliment. "Enough of the mushy talk. I'll leave you girls to change. See you outside."

Mira and I both said, “Thank you, Estelle.”

As Estelle started walking away, Vera leaned forward and called over her shoulder, “Save all the hot topics till I come.”

Estelle laughed, glancing back at her as she reached the door. “I’ll be waiting.”