Page 28 of Unwanted Marriage with the Mafia Boss

“That’s what delusional people tell themselves, but no, it’s not true. Everything has always been about money and always will be.”

I furrow my brow. “Is this your home?”

“Yes, why?”

“What if someone wanted to chase you out of here? What if they destroyed everything?”

He shrugs. “I’d move somewhere else.”

“Isn’t there anything you like about this place? Really like?”

He tilts his head as if he’s thinking hard about it. “Good location. Far enough away from the cops. Nice layout. Mostly soundproof. But I can get that somewhere else too for the right price.”

“No, I mean something personal. Do you watch the sunrise every morning? Or is there anything special about this building that you just can’t get anywhere else? Maybe your parents spent their days here, or gotten married, or—”

He shakes his head. “I couldn’t care less about things like that.”

“And people you care about? Are they all here? Your friends? Or you don’t have any?”

“Care about?” He laughs. “Caring about anyone or anything will only get you in trouble. Your family is an example of that. You can move anywhere you want, but you’re too stubborn. Gaviani Resort will make thousands of people happy. Money will flow like crazy. Your restaurant is dying anyway. Your father is barely keeping it afloat. I’m actually doing you a favor. You need to let go.”

“Soulless fun is not what I’m looking for, and no place is like home, but it looks like you don’t really have one. If you did, you’d know that your fancy resort is completely pointless. Why did that man say you weren’t a real Gaviani? Are you trying to prove something to someone so you want my neighborhood so bad?”

His eyes flash with fury, his jaw clenching. I should just keep my mouth shut, but I want to understand why he’s doing all this.

“I’m a successful businessman. That’s all,” he says. “Your neighborhood currently doesn’t belong to anyone, and it’s right next to my territory. So no, I can’t just build somewhere else, because yours is the easiest area to keep and protect. You and your neighbors can buy houses with a view of the sea somewhere else. No one will stop you. And if you love your family so much, then you’ll be happy that you’re with them. Alive.” His lips spread into a smile.

“Have you even visited my neighborhood, aside from coming to my house in the middle of the night? Have you seen how charming it is? Have you breathed in that special mix of trees,flowers, and the sea in the air? If you mow it all down, it’ll disappear. It’ll be sterile. It’ll lose its life. It’ll be just another huge block of ugly concrete. Your clientele will probably be as shady as you and they’ll come and go. Some people have been coming to my dad’s restaurant for decades. They brought their families, who then continued to bring their children. Traditions were created. And my neighbors... They’re all nice, kind, hardworking people. Many of them have jobs close by, and they can’t just move somewhere else because it would be too far. Their kids go to a nearby school. Should they lose their friends? Do you want to uproot their lives? Take away their happy childhood?”

“And why should I give a fuck? They don’t have enough power or money to stop me, so they can fuck off. Find new friends. Create new traditions if that’s something they need in their lives. People didn’t mind leaving me on the street when I had nothing, so I’m actually being really nice and offering to buy their houses instead of letting my men burn it all to the ground. Although, yeah, I admit burning it down would slow down my project and taking over the area would be a lot messier, so... I’m just not a nice man, Chiara. Accept it and move on. You either want to live or you don’t. The rest is just bullshit.”

My breath catches because there’s so much hate in his eyes. What has happened to him that his heart is so cold and shriveled?

“It’s not bullshit to me. I’ve always dreamed about taking over my dad’s restaurant,” I say.

“Taking over, what exactly? His debt? It’s unlikely you’ll be able to expand your business or earn any real money.”

“I’ll be happy to keep it the way it is. I don’t need much. I just want to be surrounded by people who I love and who love me. I want to have that warm feeling of happiness whenever I walk down my street. I want to feel safe. You already have a ton ofmoney, don’t you? Why do you need more? Aren’t you just trying to fill the void inside you? Do you think you’ll be happy even after you get what you want?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You live in some pink bubble that’s eventually going to burst.”

“I invite you to stay in my neighborhood for a few days. Just experience it all for a little bit. It might change your mind. And yeah, things aren’t always ideal, and they’re far from perfect. Not every day is happy and people argue and fight over nonsense, but then there are days when you just sit in front of your house and... you’re happy to be there. You should meet a few people. Talk to them. Forget the hecticness of your life and just enjoy peace and quiet, and children’s laughter.”

“Sounds like a fucking nightmare,” he says through his teeth.

“Don’t you want kids? Don’t you care what kind of environment they’ll grow up in?”

He scoffs.

“Ah, right. You arrange your marriages to women you don’t even know because no one actually wants to be with someone like you. That’s why you don’t want anyone to be happy, especially so close to you, because you’ll never be happy.”

When his gaze finds mine, I’m sure he’s going to kill me. I lick my dry lips. Why did I have to say that to him? What the hell possessed me to provoke him like that? As if I didn’t know any better...

“Take her away,” Adriano says to Rocco. “I don’t have time for this shit.”

Rocco has witnessed our whole exchange? Oh crap. I forgot all about him. I get to my feet and snatch a croissant off the table. Who knows when Adriano will give me something to eat after this, and maybe he won’t take the croissant from me.

Adriano notices, but he doesn’t say anything. His lips are pressed into a tight line as he leans back in his chair.

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