THE MAFIA CHEF

"I would be leaving Milan for Germany in the next two days.” Sammie said. I made a sad face and he smiled and held my hand. “Bella, don’t worry, you know I’ll be back for you.” He whispered softly. “I just need to go first and make all the arrangements, then I’ll come back for you, I’ll marry you and then we can all leave this place for good, your Dad too." He said as he stared into my eyes lovingly. He had sneaked into my house like always does since we started secretly dating a year ago. "I can't wait Sammie, I can’t wait to be your wife.” I smiled sheepishly at the idea of being married to Sammie, the man I love. “I can’t wait to finally leave this place too, especially for my Father. I hate that he works with those people..." My voice trailed off, as I heard the sound of the door opening, my heart raced. "That must be my Dad, you need to go!" Sammie didn’t hesitate. I helped him to slip out through the back door. My dad has always been very protective of me, ever since

I staggered at his words. "What?" was all I could manage. Gerrard Bellarico leaned back in his chair looking very confident and arrogant, as he watched my reaction. The usual me would have slapped him hard across the face, but I wasn’t the usual me anymore. What did he take me for? My throat tightened, my fists clenched, I wanted to walk out, but in my circumstances, it wasn’t an option. He stood up, adjusting his suit. "Meet me here at 8 p.m." He dropped a card on the table and walked past me without sparing me another glance. I had never felt so insulted in my life. --- When I returned to the Santorini syndicate's hotel lodge, my heart was heavy, I was angry and frustrated. Sir Bruno was waiting for me, he was pacing about the room impatiently. “Well? How did it go?” he yell at me the moment I entered the room. I swallowed hard. There was no point lying. “I... I didn’t get it,” I confessed. His face darkened instantly. He growled in anger and grabbed my arm roughly

When I returned to base, Sir Bruno was very agitated waiting for me, his face dark with anger. “Where the hell have you been? I thought you’d gotten yourself killed?” he barked, his voice booming. “I’m sorry, Sir,” I said quickly, trying to steady my trembling voice. “I was locked up in the Bellarico’s cell for two days. Gerrard thought I let an intruder in.” Sir Bruno’s eyes narrowed as he studied me. “Locked up?” he repeated. “And you’re standing here now?” “Yes, Sir. He realized I had nothing to do with it, and let me go,” I explained. Bruno’s expression didn’t soften. Instead, he leaned closer, his sharp gaze piercing. “And how exactly did you convince him to give you your freedom?” I chose my words carefully. “I didn’t have to, Sir. He said he trusted me and even offered me a position as their household chef.” At that, Bruno’s eyebrows shot up. “He gave you the job?” “Yes, Sir,” I replied, trying to sound calm. Bruno stared at me for a long moment, then let out a

Gerrard drove us to a place far from town. The silence in the car felt heavy, like he was carrying a weight too big to share. His eyes were fixed on the road, and his hands were steady on the wheel, but I could see a glimpse of sadness in his face. We passed through tall iron gates into a private estate. The guards greeted Gerrard with respect. This must be one of the Bellarico properties. The car stopped, and I looked around, confused. It was just a quiet stretch of land, with nothing but the sound of wind and the rustling trees. Gerrard didn’t move right away. He just sat there, lost in thought, and then he finally turned to me. “We’re here,” he said quietly. He reached into the back seat and brought out a bouquet of flowers I hadn’t noticed before. Whoever we were here to see, they clearly meant a lot to him. I stepped out of the car and followed him. We walked in silence until it hit me. “This is a graveyard,” I whispered. “Yes,” he replied, his voice calm but serious. "My

Gerrard’s jaw tightened as he looked at me, his voice was cracked. “You have a boyfriend, Lily?” A knot twisted in my stomach. “He’s not my boyfriend,” I said quickly, trying to keep my voice steady. “He’s just... someone I used to know. We just had a drink, that’s all.” Brenda’s smirk grew. “Oh, really? He seemed pretty close to you, Miss Lily.” “That’s enough, Brenda,” Gerrard said sharply. “You’re dismissed.” Brenda hesitated, clearly enjoying the drama, but finally left, shutting the door behind her. The room went quiet except for the sound of Gerrard pacing. He stopped and faced me, his eyes unreadable. “Who was he?” “Just an old friend,” I said, trying to sound casual. “It’s not what you think.” “I don’t like secrets, Lily,” he said firmly. “Especially not in my house.” I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know he would come looking for me.” Gerrard studied me for a moment. “Is he courting you?” he asked, trying to sound casual. I couldn’t hide my surprise. “O