Lahat ng Kabanata ng Onenight with the Mafia: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

The sun dipped low into the horizon as Maxine stepped out of the university building, clutching her graded assignment close to her chest. A warm breeze tugged at the hem of her cotton dress, and for the first time in a while, she allowed herself a small smile. She had done well. Her professor had not only praised her work but also recommended her for a special project commissioned for a charity. It was unpaid, yes, but Maxine knew the value of exposure. Every opportunity mattered when you were trying to claw your way up from the bottom. And she was determined—determined to give Noah the life he deserved.Her phone buzzed just as she passed under the shade of a large oak tree near the university gate. Peter’s name flashed on the screen. She picked up with a curious smile, wondering what made him call at this hour.“Hey, am I disturbing you?” Peter’s voice came through, laced with the usual hint of awkwardness he always had when asking for help.“No, I just came out of my classes. What’

The next morning, Elara woke to the relentless screech of her alarm clock. Its beeping blared through the silence of the room, dragging her from a dreamless sleep into a heavy, reluctant awareness. She blindly reached out and slammed her hand down on the device, silencing it with a groan. Her limbs ached with exhaustion, and her eyes burned with the weight of another sleepless night. For a fleeting moment, she considered turning off the day completely—pulling the covers over her head and drifting back into unconsciousness. But reality hit her before she could even shut her eyes again. The memory of last night surged into her mind like a tide swallowing the shore. Her heart raced at the thought—she had survived a near-death experience. Someone had tried to kill him. Right in front of her. And she had stood only feet away.Her eyes darted around the room, now lit by a soft, greyish morning hue. She was in her bed, the familiar walls of her home surrounding her like a protective shell. B

Maxine walked up the path to her parents’ house with her arms folded tight against her chest, the cool evening breeze brushing against her skin. The encounter at the mansion site still pulsed like a fresh wound in her chest. Her heart hadn’t settled since she saw him—Thomas, or Damien, or whoever he truly was now. The man who had disappeared from her life without a word. The man who left her to raise a child on her own. The man who had returned with a different name and not a flicker of recognition in his eyes.She didn’t know whether to cry, scream, or run away from the memory. But instead, she put on a smile. A soft, polite one, like a curtain hiding the shambles behind it. She twisted the doorknob slowly and stepped inside, letting the warmth of the house embrace her.Inside, her parents were exactly where she hoped they would be—seated on the living room sofa with cups of tea in hand, the television running softly in the background. Some wildlife documentary played on mute, more f

Maxine arrived at Karl’s house just as the sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in soft hues of orange and lilac. Noah sat beside her in the passenger seat, clutching a small gift bag filled with the postcards and little trinkets he had prepared for Elijah. His legs bounced with excitement, and every few seconds, he glanced at her with a wide grin.“Do you think Elijah will like the game I brought?” Noah asked, his voice buzzing with anticipation.Maxine smiled, adjusting his collar gently. “He’s going to love it, sweetheart. You’ve worked so hard on those postcards, too. I’m sure he’ll treasure them.”Noah beamed, his little chest puffing with pride.When they reached Karl’s driveway, Elijah was already at the door, practically vibrating with excitement. The moment Maxine opened the car door, Elijah rushed toward Noah, tugging him inside before she could even say hello. Within seconds, both boys disappeared upstairs, their laughter echoing faintly from Elijah’s room.That left

Maxine sat on the porch steps, her elbows resting on her knees, silently watching Noah as he played baseball in their backyard. The late afternoon sun was spilling golden light over the lawn, and Noah’s laughter echoed through the air as he chased the ball around, his tiny sneakers leaving faint marks in the soft grass. For a moment, it should have been peaceful. A scene like this—the two of them together, safe, happy, and unbothered—was everything she had ever wanted. But her mind wouldn’t stay still.The image of Thomas—no, Damien—kept flashing before her eyes. His face. His words. The fact that he knew.Her chest tightened painfully at the thought. If Thomas really knew about Noah, everything was going to change. The fragile, safe little bubble she had built around her son could burst at any second. She had spent years keeping Noah away from the world Damien belonged to—the chaos, the danger, the blood that followed him like a shadow. But now that he had found her, all of that care