My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 122

Ellie

I was completely taken aback by Nonna’s sudden request.

Marry Giovanni? The words echoed in my mind, sending a jolt of shock through my body.

My mind whirred with conflicting emotions, torn between the weight of her dying wish and my own feelings. On one hand, I wanted to honor Nonna’s final request. But on the other hand, the thought of marrying Giovanni so suddenly felt overwhelming and daunting.

As I struggled to find my voice, Giovanni reached out and gently squeezed my hand. His touch was warm and reassuring, bringing a sense of calmness over me. Leaning in close, he whispered, "You don’t have to marry me if you don’t want to."

His simple words sent shivers down my spine and made my heart race. Was it really such a terrible idea to be married to Giovanni? My thoughts swirled like a whirlwind as I tried to make sense of it all.

I moved away from him and sat down on her bed. I took her hand. "Is this what you really want? For me to marry Giovanni? Is that the only wish you have?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Nonna’s eyes, though tired and filled with pain, held a glimmer of hope. "Yes, my dear," she whispered. "I want to see him happy, and I believe you can bring that happiness to his life. But more than that, I want you both to find happiness together. You deserve it."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at Giovanni, who stood silently by the bed, his expression unreadable.

I turned back to Nonna. "But you don’t know anything about me. What if I am not good enough for your grandson?" I whispered so only she could hear what I said.

Nonna’s eyes softened even more, and she managed a faint smile. "Ellie, my dear, I see more than you realize. I see the way Giovanni looks at you, the way he speaks to you. He respects you, and that’s something not easily earned. And I see the kindness in your eyes, the strength in your heart. Trust me, you are more than good enough for my Giovanni."

Her words wrapped around my heart, filling it with a mixture of hope and fear. I glanced at Giovanni again, who was watching us intently. The weight of Nonna’s trust and Giovanni’s unspoken feelings pressed down on me.

"Nonna," I said softly, "You are putting me in a really tough position, you know? One could almost argue that you are blackmailing me."

She laughed softly. "Us Italian women can be cunning sometimes, but we mean well."

Nonna’s eyes softened even more, and she managed a faint smile.

Her words wrapped around my heart, filling it with a mixture of hope and fear. I glanced at Giovanni again, who was watching us intently. The weight of Nonna’s trust and Giovanni’s unspoken feelings pressed down on me.

I couldn’t help but smile through my tears. "Okay," I whispered.

She raised an eyebrow. "You agree?"

"I will marry him," I heard myself say.

Oh god, I’ve gone crazy.

Nonna’s face lit up with a fragile joy. "You have made an old woman very happy," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Giovanni, take care of her. She is your greatest treasure."

Giovanni looked at me, his dark eyes twinkling. "I will, Nonna," he promised.

Nonna closed her eyes, a peaceful expression settling on her face. "Thank you, Ellie. Thank you both," she murmured, her breathing slowing.

I squeezed her hand gently, feeling the weight of her trust and love. "Rest now, Nonna. We’ll be okay."

As soon as we walked down to the hallway, Giovanni grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face. "Do you realize what you just did, Ellie?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "Yes, Giovanni, I do," I replied, my voice trembling slightly. "I made a promise to your Nonna."

"But Ellie," he said, his grip tightening slightly, "this is a huge decision. You don’t have to marry me just because she asked you to."

"I know," I said, looking into his eyes. "But I couldn’t just ignore a dying woman’s wish!"

Giovanni’s expression hardened. "She won’t die. I am going to provide her with the best care possible."

"But what if that’s not enough?" I argued.

Giovanni’s lips twisted. "Yes, you are right. We can’t take any chances. I guess you will be my wife, Ellie."

My heart skipped a beat at the word, ’wife.’ "Y-yes...I suppose I will be."

"And I will adopt Lucas as my son," he announced.

I gasped. "What? You don’t have to do that!" I breathed.

He looked at me, his eyes intense and unwavering. "Ellie, if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right. Lucas deserves a father, and if we’re going to be a family, I want to be all in. He’ll have my name, my protection, and my love. Just like you."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I absorbed the magnitude of what he was saying. "Giovanni, this is... it’s too much. You don’t have to take on so much responsibility."

Giovanni cupped my face in his hands, his touch gentle but firm. "I won’t hear your protests. Let’s go home now. We have things to prepare."

I walked with him in a daze.

As we reached his car, he opened the door for me, his demeanor steady and resolute. Sitting beside him, I couldn’t help but steal glances at him, trying to read the emotions playing across his face. His jaw was set, and his eyes focused on the road ahead as we drove through the streets back to our home.

Once we got home, I put Elora down in her cribs and asked the housekeeper to keep an eye on Lucas so Giovanni and I could talk.

As soon as we arrived home, I gently settled Elora into her crib, making sure she was comfortable and safe. Lucas was with the housekeeper, who had kindly agreed to keep an eye on him for a while so Giovanni and I could have some privacy to talk.

Giovanni took me to his bedroom. "Wait here," he instructed, disappearing into his closet.

I stood by the bed, my heart racing with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness. Moments later, Giovanni emerged from the closet, holding a small box in his hands. His expression was serious yet tender as he approached me.

He opened the box, revealing a ring nestled inside. It was delicate and elegant, with a timeless design that spoke of tradition and commitment. My breath caught in my throat as I realized the significance of what Giovanni was about to do.

He took my hand, his touch gentle yet firm, and slid the ring onto my finger.

"Giovanni..." I murmured, overwhelmed by the moment.

He looked into my eyes. "My mother’s ring. It’s yours now."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked down at the ring, remembering what his grandma had said about his mother. "I...I can’t take your mother’s ring! It’s..."

"Yours," Giovanni repeated. "My mother wanted me to give it to my future wife, and that’s you, Ellie. Please accept it. Accept to be my wife."

Taking a deep breath, I nodded slowly, my voice trembling with both uncertainty and determination. "I accept, Giovanni. I will be your wife."

He pulled me into a tender embrace. "Non capirai mai quanto ti amo," he whispered against my hair.

"What did you say?" I asked, my voice shaky.

"Nothing, mio amore," he replied.