Page 78 of Dark Mafia Bride

Alessia nods, squeezing my hand again. “Well, whatever happens, I’m here for you. We’ll face it together, okay?”

I nod, the weight of her words sinking in. Just knowing someone else knows, that I’m not carrying this alone, makes a huge difference. I manage a small smile, feeling a little less suffocated. “Thanks, Alessia. I really needed to get that off my chest.”

“Anytime,” she replies, her voice warm. “And hey, if you need me to hold your hand while you pee and wait for the test result, I’m down.”

I can’t help but laugh, the tension easing just a little. “I may take you up on that.”

We laugh, the tension in the car lifting slightly. By the time we reach the college parking lot, the knot in my stomach feels a bit looser. Alessia pulls up to a spot close to the large administration building before glancing over at me.

“What time do your classes end? I could come pick you up afterward...” she suggests, her voice light.

I shake my head. “Don’t bother. It’s a long drive for you. Besides, I have a driver assigned to take me everywhere, and he’d freak out if I ditched him twice in one day.”

Alessia grins, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, Mrs. Greco has a driver, huh? Guess my poor, old car’s not up to your standards now that you’re married to a billionaire.”

I laugh, giving her a playful nudge. “Stop it. You know I’ll take your ancient car over a luxury ride any day.”

“Uh-huh,” she teases with a wink as I pull out my phone and text Logan, my driver, to let him know I’ll need a ride after class. Alessia waits until I hit send, her expression softening when I look back at her.

“Well, if you change your mind, call me.”

I lean over to give her a quick hug before climbing out of the car. “Will do. Thanks for everything, Alessia.”

She waves, watching as I make my way across the parking lot. “Take care of yourself, Mira. And let me know if you need anything. Anything.”

I give her a thumbs-up before watching as the red, worn-out car pulls away.

When her car gets out of sight, I release a heavy breath and pull my tote bag tighter over my shoulder before turning and heading over to my departmental block. The college grounds feel normal as usual, almost as if nothing in my life has changed. I weave through groups of students in the building hallway, their laughter and chatter filling the air as I head toward my first class.

When I reach the classroom, I pause, taking a steady breath. I scan the rows of seats before spotting Milo a few rows to the back. As I approach, I see his bag on the chair beside him, and I smile at the fact that he’s saved me a spot.

“Hey, Mira,” he waves when he catches my eye. His usual easygoing smile is in place on his lips as I make my way over. “I was starting to think you’d ditched lectures today.”

I let out a small laugh as I slide into the seat next to him. “Never. Just running a little late.”

“Well, this is a first,” he muses, raising an eyebrow as he studies me. I notice the curiosity in his eyes, but thankfully, he doesn’t press.

Just as the conversation dips into silence, the professor steps into the classroom. I sink further into my chair, trying to push everything from my mind and focus on the lecture.

The restof the day feels like it’s dragging on forever. No matter how hard I try to focus on the lectures, the classwork, or even just the flow of the day, my mind keeps wandering back to that conversation in Alessia’s car. The uncertainty, the fear—they swirl around in my head, making it impossible to focus. By the time the bell rings, signaling the end of the day, I realize I’ve barely absorbed a single word of what my professors have said.

“Hey, are you all right?” Milo nudges me with his elbow as we gather our stuff after the last class. “You’ve been a little off today.”

I force a smile, shoving my books into my bag. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just have a lot on my mind, I guess.”

He tilts his head, his eyes narrowing as he takes me in. For a second, I think he might press the issue, but instead, he breaks into one of his signature grins. “I know exactly what’ll get you out of your head. How about we hit up Sweet Tooth for a snack?”

“Sweet Tooth?” I frown as we start walking toward the door.

Milo stops in his tracks, staring at me like I just told him I’ve never seen a dog before. “No way! You’ve never been to Sweet Tooth? Are you kidding me? It’s this legendary breakfast café right across from campus. Best pastries you’ll ever have in your life. I’m talking next-level stuff—everything else just tastes like cardboard after you’ve had theirs.”

I can’t help but laugh at his dramatic expression. “Guess I’ve been missing out, huh?”

“Exactly!” He claps his hands together like I’ve just seen the light. “Come on, let’s go. Consider it a little break from whatever’s going on with you. You need it.”

“Milo…” I glance at my wristwatch. “I can’t. My driver will be here any minute.”

“We won’t take long,” he insists. “If your driver shows up, we’ll just get it to-go. Problem solved.”

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