Page 55 of Masked Mafia's Runaway Bride

Alex’s laughter filled the room before I even stepped inside. That laugh—it had a way of cutting through the noise in my head, slicing right into something softer inside me. It wasn’t a sound I heard often, not from a kid like him.

I walked into the living room and saw him kneeling on the carpet, surrounded by a scattered army of tiny toy soldiers and a bright red firetruck that looked like it had taken more than a few beatings. As soon as Alex noticed me, his eyes lit up, and he sprinted toward me, arms outstretched.

“You are back!” he shouted like I was his favorite superhero.

Before I knew it, he’d latched onto my legs in a hug that made me stumble back a little. For such a little guy, he had a strong grip.

“Whoa, kid, you’re gonna knock me over!” I chuckled, patting the top of his dark, messy hair. “What are you up to, huh? Waging a war in here?”

Alex stepped back, grinning. “Just playing. Wanna help me? You can be the captain!”

It was hard to say no to a face like that, so I crouched down, picking up one of the battered soldiers. But as I settled in,something nagged at me. The room was quiet—too quiet for a house with Alex in it. Was he here alone? Where was Dahlia?

“Where’s your mom?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

Alex shrugged, busy arranging his army into two neat lines. “She went out.”

I stiffened. “Out? And she left you alone?”

He didn’t even look up, completely unfazed. “No, Dahlia’s here. She’s making lunch in the kitchen.”

“Dahlia?” I repeated, frowning. The name felt wrong. “You mean your mom?”

Alex paused, tilting his head as if I’d just asked the dumbest question in the world. “No, Dahlia is here. She’s in the kitchen.”

I stared at him, trying to make sense of what he’d just said. The way he said it, so matter-of-fact, sent a ripple of confusion through me.

Mirella was protective of Alex—maybe even overly so. I’d seen it and felt it. She never let him out of her sight unless it was with someone she trusted completely. She said Dahlia was his mom. So why was he calling Dahlia by name instead of “Mom”? It didn’t add up, and the longer I thought about it, the more my head spun.

Before I could press him further, Alex grabbed my sleeve. “Look! The captain’s ready!”

He handed me another toy soldier, and I forced myself to focus on the moment. I played along, letting Alex direct the battle while my mind raced in a dozen different directions.

A few minutes later, the sound of footsteps pulled my attention. Dahlia walked into the room, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Her eyes landed on me, and her expression instantly hardened.

“What are you doing here, Sergio?”

Before I could answer, Alex beat me to it. He turned to Dahlia with a big smile. “Mama’s friend came to play with me!”

Her face went pale, and for a split second, I saw something flicker in her eyes. Panic? Maybe guilt? Whatever it was, it vanished almost as quickly as it appeared.

Dahlia’s tone was stern but gentle. “Alex, why don’t you go wash your hands? Lunch is almost ready.”

Alex hesitated, looking back and forth between us, but eventually, he got up and padded off to the bathroom.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Dahlia crossed her arms and glared at me. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I was checking in on Alex,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “He said you were in the kitchen. I didn’t realize Mirella wasn’t home.” I lied, trying to see if I could get Dahlia to slip up and help me make sense of the confusion brewing inside of me.

Her jaw tightened. “She had things to take care of. I’m here. That’s all that matters.”

I leaned against the doorway, not moving an inch. “What’s the deal, Dahlia? Why’s he calling you by your name like you’re the babysitter? What’s going on?”

She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she looked at me like she was deciding whether I was worth the trouble.

Finally, she threw the dish towel onto the counter. “It’s none of your business, Sergio. Now, if you’re done asking questions, you can leave.”

Her words didn’t sting, but her tone did. This was the first ever conversation I had with Dahlia, and it wasn’t a friendly one. There was a finality in it that made me feel like I was being shut out of something important. And I hated that feeling.

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