The Mafia King's Unknown Doctor Wife novel Chapter 182

Chapter 182

“Less kind?” Elena repeats. “Explain.”

“Well, how should I put it?” the servant says hesitantly. “People have always… well-”

“Your reputation was never sparkling to start with,” another servant interrupts. “I mean no offense, but you’re a Vitale–everyone expected you to be loyal to the Morellos. Instead, you allied yourself with us, the Ferraro family.”

That one servant’s bold words pushed the rest of the assembled cooks and servers to speak more freely.

“Yes, and then there’s the matter of you being a doctor–at the Ferraro’s hospital no less! That place hadn’t ever had a female doctor before.”

“You’re very clever, Elena, but that makes mafia men wary. They’re used to mafia women hiding their talents more—if they even have any to begin with.”

“And let’s not forget the whole scandal from the Russian Roulette incident!”

Elena appreciated the servants‘ honestly, but she wished they had better news to share. She hesitated before asking, “And now that I’m with Massimo, what are people saying?”

Seeing Elena’s fallen expression, the servants once more got extremely quiet. Their sudden decision to spare Elena’s feelings only made her feel more worried.

“Well?” Elena pressed.

“People are undecided,” one servant said slowly. “There are two main camps, and neither of them have anything nice to say.”

Elena turned to the most unspoken servant. “What are these two opinions of me?” she asked seriously.

The servant had the good sense to at least look nervous. “That you’re a temptress who lured Don Massimo Ferraro and will ultimately destroy him and our empire–as a part of one of Don Tyler Morello’s schemes. Or that, to prove your devotion to Don Ferraro, you decided to seduce Don Morello and weaken Don Ferraro’s worst enemy.‘

Elena couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This was what everyone was talking about behind her back? That she was some whore who used her looks to seduce men to their downfalls?

Elena couldn’t bare the sympathetic and guilty looks of the servants. She forced a laugh to break the tension. “What ridiculous gossip,” Elena said. “I—I should go back to the party now.”

Massimo kept a careful eye on all his guests. Leo’s plans of questioning Massimo’s taste in women or his willingness to uphold mafia rules had failed–but that didn’t mean the man wouldn’t try again.

However, Massimo was more concerned by Elena’s recent behavior.

Sure, the other party goers would never notice her sour mood–Elena was too good at faking a smile or keeping up polite conversation. But Massimo could see her misery plainly. The way her hands slightly shook or the permanent downward tug of her lips–it was obvious she was upset.

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But their seats weren’t close enough for Massimo to slyly whisper to her. Furthermore, Elena kept getting up to “check on the next course” and actually check in with his servants for any information they spied. Massimo tried to wordlessly show his concern to Elena, but she wasn’t paying him any attention.

“Pardon me a moment,” Elena finally said, rising from the table once more. “I need to check that the servants have the entrees properly prepared.”

“That reminds me. Don Massimo, is it true you imported-”

Massimo barely spared the other don a glance. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom,” Massimo mumbled. He quickly left the banquet table behind.

Massimo did indeed go into the bathroom–he did need privacy, after all. He pulled out his phone and tapped on the contact labeled “Wife.”

As Elena entered the kitchen, her phone vibrated. It was a text from her mystery husband.

“How are you?” he asked simply.

“Alright,” Elena typed quickly. But then she thought better of it.

“No, that’s not right,” Elena corrected. “Tonight is proving to be pretty difficult.”

“Why?” her husband innocently asked.

“The work party is going well, but people are saying some really nasty things about me when they think I’m not listening,” Elena explained. “But I also know they’re only saying all this stuff because they think I’m my boss‘ wife–they wouldn’t care otherwise.”

“I doubt there’s any truth to what they’re saying,” her husband replied. “I can’t see any reason why someone would speak ill of you–beyond out of jealousy.”