The Mafia Boss's Estranged Bride

. The lamp light bathed the painting in a warm glow as she leaned in close, her steady hand guiding the fine bristles over

ere," she

lla had learned that the hard way because every crack, every shadow, every worn-out color dem

some damages you could fix by bringing it back bit by bit.

l yellow varnish was starting to lift, and in

n, too, just waiting for a second ch

t everyone gets to come bac

ed it, picking it up after the second bu

een her shoulder and cheek, dabb

sleep at this

" Sofia replied as she nev

t laugh. "Is that how w

el

saw

nd

en't d

to hold the phone away from her ears "T

nd the freshly washed pavement gleamed under the streetlights. She spott

need, Sof." Her

that Bella? You work in a stud

d. "It's a very

eserve

s, but it always missed the point. Peace isn't cheap, that s

out this one?" She asked

oss the line. "It's the

ow, saw her own reflection, her dark hair was pulled back in me

uiet," So

think

's hosting th

e tugged at Isabe

uld know why

uca. The smart-ass businessman and phiilanthropist. But if the r

abella had called

sb

belonged to an

, her voice soft. " It's just restoring a pa

not th

Isabella admitted, whic

l quiet o

o?" she fi

n the corner, shoes barely big enough for a toddler tucked beside it. Matteo was asleep at Sofia'

right," she

"I just hate seeing you

oo. But life rarely

careful,

g, you walk away. No que

wil

ain.She returned to the table, as her eyes fe

paper: The De Luca Foundation Chari

est ti

a suitcase and a secret she hardly dared name. Five years spent doing

her bag. It was just a job. J

Milan air. The streets were hushed. She locked the door, dr

lance back, she saw nothing but a black car parked ben

een showed Isabella's face, clear as day. He frow

icked up i

a deep, cont

need to see

ha

hoto again. "I think...

voice as silence stretched a

, bo

the voice replied calml

Lorenzo De Luca stared at his phone. His expres

la Romano was dead and yet the woman

one more time,

ered, his voice quiet and

she wouldn't disappear again so eas