Page 49 of Masked Mafia's Runaway Bride

“Is he your kid?” The question came out quiet, almost hesitant. His voice was shaking just enough for me to notice.

I froze. The words hung between us like a blade suspended by a thread. My mind scrambled for an answer, a way to keep the truth buried. I could’'t risk exposing Alex to this part of my world. I didn’t want anyone to know about him just yet, considering the double life I was living as Mirella and Raven.

I pulled him aside, lowering my voice so Alex wouldn’t hear. “He’s not mine,” I lied, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “He’s Dahlia’s, my assistant’s son. But he’s like family to me.”

Sergio’s expression softened, but I could tell he wasn’t entirely convinced. Still, he didn’t push me. Instead, he glanced back at Alex, his gaze lingering.

The next thing I knew, he was by Alex’s bedside, crouching down so their eyes were level. “Hey, buddy,” he said, his voice warm and inviting. “You gave us all a scare, huh?”

Alex, usually shy and reserved around strangers, surprised me by smiling faintly. “I’m okay now.”

“Good,” Sergio said, ruffling Alex’s hair lightly. “You’ve got to stay strong, kid. You’ve got a lot of people who care about you.”

I stood there, watching the two of them interact, and my chest tightened for an entirely different reason. Alex didn’t warm up to people easily. He was cautious and quiet—just like me. But with Sergio, it was as if a wall had come down.

Sergio stayed by Alex’s side, talking to him about everything and nothing—his favorite animals, the toys he liked, and whether he thought dinosaurs could beat robots in a fight. Alex giggled at that one. The sound was light and infectious.

“Dinosaurs,” Alex declared. “They’re stronger.”

Sergio grinned. “Smart kid.”

I watched them, my heart aching in a way I couldn’t quite describe. There was something natural about the way they bonded as if they’d known each other forever.

Alex yawned, his eyelids drooping, and I knew he’d fall asleep soon. I stepped closer, placing a hand on Sergio’s shoulder. “Thank you,” I murmured.

He looked up at me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. “For what?”

“For this. For being here.”

He didn’t respond, but the look he gave me said enough.

When Alex finally drifted off, Sergio and I stepped out into the hallway. The atmosphere was filled with words we didn’t want to say and actions we dared not express. The silence was almost suffocating.

“You’re good with kids,” I said, breaking the quiet.

“They’re easier to understand than adults,” he replied, a small smile playing on his lips.

I wanted to say more, to explain the bond he and Alex had shared so effortlessly, but the words stuck in my throat.

Instead, I simply walked beside him. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the lies I’d told tonight would catch up to me sooner or later. But for now, Alex was safe, safe from my world, and I intended to keep it that way for as long as I could.

****

Walking into Don Carlos’s office always felt like walking into a lion’s den. Today was no different. The air was different, considering the stunt I pulled. I knew there were going to beconsequences, and the way his dark eyes fixed on me as I entered sent an immediate chill down my spine.

The door clicked shut behind me, and I stood straight, refusing to let him see the anxiety simmering beneath the surface.

“You’ve wasted enough of my time, Mirella,” he barked, gesturing for me to sit. I didn’t move. “Care to explain why your little trip was cut short?”

I kept my voice even. “My assistant had a family emergency. I needed to make sure everything was handled.”

His laugh was harsh, sharp. “You abandoned the mission because of some assistant? Do you think this is a charity, Mirella?”

“I am….” I tried to explain before he chimed in.

“You have some nerve," he said, his tone cold and cutting.

I stood my ground, clasping my hands together to keep them from shaking. “I apologize for cutting the trip short, but it was unavoidable. My assistant—”

---