Lahat ng Kabanata ng Contracted to the Mafia: A Plus-Size Bride: Kabanata 221 - Kabanata 230

The next day, I received news from the hospital. Gianna's condition was critical. The internal bleeding was quite severe, and she still hadn't regained consciousness since last night.I wanted to go to the hospital to visit her immediately, but Alexandro forbade me. He said my own condition was still unstable. My blood pressure was still fluctuating. The wound on my head still needed treatment. I could only pray for Gianna from afar."Gianna will be fine. I've guaranteed her the best care. The best doctors, the best hospital, whatever she needs, she'll get it.""But if she... if she...""She's not going to die," Alexandro said.I hugged him. "Thank you, Ale.""Don't thank me. That's my job as your husband."That afternoon, a woman came to the house. Short black hair, a firm face, a muscular body, a thin smile. Valeria, or who preferred to be called Via. Alexandro's cousin, the woman I had met in that basement full of weapons."Hello, Lulu. I'll be your new bodyguard.""Temporarily, Vi

I thought Alexandro's punishment would be as cruel as before. Maybe I would be made to stand in the yard in the cold like that night and get doused with ice water again. Maybe my hands would be handcuffed and I would be tortured with candles, whips, or other objects that only he knew about. I was ready. I had already closed my eyes, waiting for his anger to explode.But no.Alexandro just pointed to the long sofa in the corner of the room."Sleep there."I blinked. "What?""Sleep on the sofa tonight."I walked to the sofa and sat down, folding my legs, pulling a thin blanket that Via had placed over the backrest. I covered my cold feet, but my body remained cold.Alexandro had already gone into the bedroom. The living room lights left only one small table lamp on in the corner. I sat daydreaming, staring at the edge of the blanket that I twisted with my fingers.My mind wandered to Nathan.His words still echoed."You're just as disgusting as Elena."I wiped my tears as they started t

"Yes, you're old, Ale. You're 40 years old. I'm 23. The difference between us is 17 years," I said."17 years is nothing.""Nothing to you, but to me, that's an entire generation. You were in high school when I was born. You were in college when I was still learning to talk. You were starting your dark business when I was still learning to read.""What does that have to do with anything?""What does it have to do with anything? I don't know." I wiped my tears, still wet on my cheeks. "Maybe nothing. Maybe I'm just looking for a reason to be mad at you."Alexandro was silent."You know, Ale, I'm tired. I'm tired of hearing truths that keep falling like a storm. My mother is still alive. My mother hates me. I'm a child born out of wedlock. My mother's family is nobility. My grandfather kicked her out because she got pregnant out of wedlock. You were once betrothed to my mother. You've known who I was since I was little. All of this is too heavy, but I can't be mad at you. Because you're

Nonno Rossini looked at me, and I looked at him. The room fell silent, only the soft crackling of the fire from the fireplace and the heavy, slightly labored breaths of the old man, like someone long accustomed to silence.He didn't speak.I didn't speak.Alexandro stood beside me, silent, not introducing me, not helping me. He was just there, like a solid stone wall, giving me space to speak for myself.I took a deep breath."My name is Lucia De Luca, but before marriage, my name was Lucia Bianchi."The old man didn't move. His wrinkled eyes still stared at me."My father is Matteo Bianchi, but I'm not his biological daughter. My mother is Isabella Rossini. She is your daughter, the one you kicked out of this house 24 years ago."Nonno Rossini showed no reaction. His face remained flat, like stone. I didn't know if he didn't hear, or didn't care, or was already too old to remember."Isabella, your daughter who got pregnant out of wedlock and gave birth to a baby girl, then was kicked

I took Isabella to Alexandro's house."Come on, take a bath. I've prepared warm water," I said.I led her to the bathroom. Isabella stared at the tub already filled with water and bubbles."Are you going to bathe me?" she asked."Yes."She didn't protest.I helped her remove her wrinkled, dirty clothes. Her body was very thin. Her ribs were clearly visible beneath her pale skin. There were scars on her wrists, from the friction of the chain. I held back my tears."You're fat," she said suddenly.I blinked."Why are you so chubby? Can't you maintain your figure?""Mom?""Your grandmother was very strict about what I ate. I wasn't allowed to eat rice after 6 PM. Wasn't allowed to eat sweets. Wasn't allowed to...""Mom, I have a heart condition."Isabella stopped."My heart has been weak since birth. The doctor said I can't go on extreme diets. I've tried to lose weight in healthy ways, but my body can't be forced."She was silent. I helped her into the tub. Warm water touched her cold s