Page 29 of Married to the Ruthless Mafia Heir

Valentina.

The name hit me like a punch. I hadn't thought about her in a while. Last time was before the wedding. Back then, I thought finding Valentina would solve everything.

But now it was done. Elena and I were married. Even if Valentina came back, I couldn't promise her anything.

"Elena's more important."

The words came out before I could think.

To cover how strange that sounded, I added, "We need to figure her out first. Get rid of Salvador's plant. Then when Valentina comes back, there won't be any complications."

Marco didn't say anything. Just nodded. The car went quiet again.

I stared out the window at the blurred cityscape rushing past. That last sentence felt ridiculous. I'd said it to Marco—but really, I was saying it to myself. And I wasn't sure how much of it I believed.

Chapter Ten

Elena

The atmosphere at the manor had improved. The whispers died down. When I walked the halls now, the maids still looked at me—but the gleeful judgment in their eyes had shifted to something careful. Wary.

Alfredo and Lucia answered to me now. Every morning Alfredo came to the study to report on manor operations. Purchase orders that needed approval. A supplier visiting next weekend. The wine cellar inventory that needed checking.

The tension between us had eased. You'd never know he'd once locked me outside in the rain just to watch me suffer. But I didn't retaliate. I kept things professional. He was just another poor guy who'd given everything to the Moretti family.

Alfredo stayed polite. After his reports, he'd go straight back to Salvador's side.

Lucia waited until he left to speak. "You're being awfully nice to him."

"He's devoted his whole life to this manor," I said flatly. "Bottom line, he's a responsible steward doing his job. I've got no reason to make things harder for him."

Lucia looked surprised. "Elena, you're a nice person."

She taught me the details of running the manor. Which suppliers had the freshest ingredients. What flowers to rotate in for the season. When to pick up Salvador's prescriptions. I learned. Asked questions. She never acted annoyed. Her voice stayed soft, like she was speaking to her own daughter.

"I'm relieved to see you adjusting," Lucia said, running her hand over my hair. "Elena, if anything's bothering you, you can tell me. How have you been feeling lately?"

She handed me a cup of hot chocolate. The familiar mug made me smile for the first time in days. Back when I was just a maid, whenever I was upset or crying in some corner, Lucia would find me. She'd bring me hot chocolate. Try to cheer me up.

I wrapped my hands around the glass. The warmth spread through my fingers. I took a small sip but didn't answer. Too much had happened. Lucia was the first person to ask how I was feeling. Everyone else just gave orders. No one cared about my state of mind.

But even with Lucia, I couldn't tell the truth. My deal with Salvador would stay buried.

Lucia studied me. She sipped her tea. After a long silence, she spoke. "Elena, you can tell me anything. I never had children of my own. When I look at you, I see my daughter. I've been at this manor for thirty years. I've seen everything. There's nothing you need to hide from me."

My grip on the mug tightened.

The words circled in my throat. I couldn't get them out.

"I just feel like..." I looked down at the rim of the cup, voice catching. "Having an heir is harder than I thought it would be."

Lucia didn't speak. She waited.

"Dante doesn't have feelings for me. So he won't touch me. Won't come back to the manor. I'm here alone. There's nothingI can do." I paused. "Sometimes I think I'm going to be stuck in this manor for the rest of my life."

Lucia was quiet for a moment. Then she asked softly, "Why are you so fixated on having an heir? Did Mr. Morreti demand it?"

I froze. Looked up at her.