Page 24 of Monster in Disguise

"Good! That's good! But... does that mean?" I ask hesitantly.

"Not now,piccola... It's extremely dangerous. I barely made it out alive myself. We have enemies gunning for our territories. I can't expose you to that." He explains, and my face falls. "Soon. Just wait a little longer."

"Ok," I whisper.

"How is my favorite niece?"

"She's good. She can't wait to see you. When will you be visiting?"

"I'll try to be there by the end of the week. I'll see you then,piccola."

"Yes, thank you, Enzo. I am really glad you're fine."

"Don't worry about me, I am a hard man to kill." He chuckles, but I don't share the sentiment.

As soon as I end the call, I slip my phone into its secret hiding spot. Although inspections in this place are rare, I can never be too cautious. Mother Superior has always held a grudge against me, and I know better than to give her any reason to lash out. She would just take her anger out on Claudia, and I couldn't bear that.

Enzo's absence is weighing heavily on my mind... he's injured and couldn't make it here. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. This is just another reminder of why I despise my family's line of work.

There's always danger lurking around every corner. I don't want that for Claudia, but at the same time, I don't want her to grow up confined within these convent walls either. It's not an ideal situation, and it weighs heavily on my heart.

With a joyful squeal, Claudia flings open the door and leaps into my arms. Her golden curls bounce as she clings to me with all her might.

"Mamma!" She exclaims, burying her face in my shoulder.

"There, there, little troublemaker," I chuckle, but her excitement is contagious. "You'll make me lose my balance."

Giggling, she pulls back and thrusts her hand out towards me. In it sits a small chocolate bar, already half-melted from the warmth of her palm. I frown at the sight.

"Where did you get that?" I ask, knowing that only an outsider could bring such a treat inside our strict community.

Her face lights up even more as she proudly proclaims, "Father Guerra gave it to me! He said I was an obedient child."

I feel a twinge of surprise and guilt. In the days since Father Guerra's arrival, I had let my own biases and prejudices cloud my opinion of him. But he had proven to be nothing but kindand understanding towards our family. He hadn't let rumors or societal expectations influence how he treated us, and for that, I am grateful.

Especially now, as I watch him interact with Claudia and see just how much she craves a father figure in her life.

I give Claudia a stern look. "You can have it after dinner," I say firmly.

"But can't I have just one piece now?" She pleads, batting her long lashes at me.

"No," I respond with a smile, unable to resist her charm. "After you finish your dinner."

Reluctantly, she hands over the chocolate bar and I set it aside for later.

"Now, where is your Aunt Sisi?" I ask, wondering why Claudia was alone when she was supposed to be with Sisi.

"She got held up by Mother Superior," Claudia explains with a shrug. "She told me to go ahead."

I find it odd that Sisi was delayed, but I push the thought aside.

"Let's get you dressed."

The anticipation of Sunday dinner always fills the air with excitement and warmth. Claudia is allowed to dress up in one of her nicer outfits, although they are not what I would consider pretty. I open our closet and ask her to choose her outfit for this week's meal.

After careful consideration, she selects a dusty pink dress. I pull out one of her crisp white shirts from a drawer and hand it to her to put on first. Then, with gentle guidance, I help her slip into the dress.

"Can you do my hair too?"

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