Page 52 of Masked Mafia's Runaway Bride

I ended the call and sat back on my heels, staring at the contents of the safe. The weight of it all pressed down on me, but I couldn’t let it show. Not to Enzo. Not to Sergio. Not to anyone.

I slipped the files and USB drives into my bag, leaving the journal behind. The less I carried, the less chance of someone catching on.

I stood, my gaze drifted to an old painting leaning against the wall. It was one of my father’s unfinished works, a portrait of a young girl with piercing eyes. My eyes.

He always said he painted it for me—to remind me that I was stronger than I believed.

“Well, Dad,” I muttered, “you’d better be right. Because this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better.”

I pushed the bookshelf back into place, wiping my hands on my jeans. There was no turning back now.

Don Carlos might think he’s holding all the cards, but he’s underestimated me.

And that would be his biggest mistake.

I was still staring at the painting he’d left unfinished years ago. The eyes on the canvas seemed to follow me as if my younger self were judging my every move. I sighed and shook my head. There wasn’t time for sentimentality, not when Don Carlos was breathing down my neck and my father’s life was hanging by a thread.

The sound of giggling pulled me out of my thoughts. It wasn’t just any giggle. It was Alex’s, the kind of laugh he only gave when he was truly happy. It was faint, but I recognized his giggle even in my sleep. It was rare, like sunshine after a storm, and it caught me off guard. He was discharged last night, and I went out before he woke up today.

I froze for a moment, listening. It came from the living room, accompanied by the soft rumble of another voice. My heart raced as I made my way down the hallway.

What I saw stopped me dead in my tracks.

There was Sergio, sitting cross-legged on the floor with Alex. They were surrounded by action figures, cars, and a plastic dinosaur that had seen better days. Sergio was making ridiculous roaring sounds while Alex clutched his belly.

The sight was perfect.

For a split second, I let myself imagine what it would be like if Sergio was Alex’s father—if we were just a normal family, free from lies and danger. If the three of us could sit on this floor, playing with toy dinosaurs and not worrying about the weight of the world crushing us. But that was a fantasy, and I didn’t have time for fantasies.

It was clear Alex was still weak because he didn’t run to me to give me the normal early morning hug, which would have followed with me giving him multiple kisses.

I cleared my throat, crossing my arms as I stepped into the room. “What are you doing here, Sergio?”

Sergio looked up, a playful smirk spreading across his face. “Come on, Mirella. It is a new day. Be cheerful, I just came to play with Alex.”

I glanced at Alex, I couldn’t help but smile at Alex’s excitement even though his face was pale and he was still barely talking, but I kept my focus on Sergio. “This isn’t a playground, Sergio. And you’re not a babysitter. So again, why are you here?”

He stood up, dusting off his jeans but not losing the smirk. “We have a mission.” He moved away from Alex and nudged me to a corner far from Alex’s hearing.

I raised an eyebrow. “A mission? Are we storming a castle or robbing a bank? Because you look way too relaxed for either.”

He chuckled and stepped closer, lowering his voice. “It’s important, Mirella. But I thought I’d spend some time with this kid before we get into it. He’s a cool little guy.”

My stomach twisted. He didn’t know Alex was mine, and I had to keep it that way. “Oh, how noble of you.”

Sergio’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes flicked between me and Alex like he was trying to piece something together.

“You’re good with him,” I said, deflecting. “Better than I expected.”

He shrugged. “Kids like me. What can I say? I’m charming.”

Alex tugged on Sergio’s hand, looking up at him with wide eyes. “Are you staying for breakfast?”

Sergio crouched down, ruffling Alex’s hair. “I wish, buddy. But I have some grown-up stuff to take care of.”

Alex pouted, and for a moment, I felt guilty for dragging Sergio away. But the look Sergio gave me, half amusement, half curiosity—brought me back to reality. I wanted to get Sergio as far away as possible from Alex. I couldn’t risk Alex calling me mummy, which he should have done if not for how weak he was, and it had made him more quiet than usual.

“Alright,” I said, walking to the door and motioning for him to follow. “Let’s talk about this mission of yours. Alex, be good, okay? I’ll be back soon. Go find Dahlia upstairs.”

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