My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 72

Ivy

I squinted at my phone. There was a text message, but it was from an unknown number.

"Hey Ivy, I need to talk to you." The words were plain, but my heart skipped a beat when I saw who it was from.

Ellie. After everything.

What could Ellie "need" that involved me after everything she put me and Aidan through?

"Should I respond?" I looked down at my belly and asked. "She did try to kill me, but she is still your auntie."

Curiosity clawed at me. Ellie wouldn’t reach out without reason. She must be desperate about something.

"Fine," I whispered and picked up the device again. My thumb hovered over the keyboard, the letters blurry as my mind raced. My thumb pressed down, typing out words that could either be my shield or my undoing.

"Ellie, what do you want?"

Sent. The deed was done. Now, all there was to do was wait.

I waited impatiently for her reply.

Why now? After I was finally starting to feel safe?

"Could I call you?" was her reply.

I called without texting her back. Let’s just do this. A click, sharp and final, sliced through the ringing. "Ivy?" Ellie’s voice was trembling.

"Ellie." I clutched the phone tighter, nails digging into the plastic. "What do you want?"

Ellie hesitated on the other line as if speechless.

"Where did you get this number?" I asked.

"Does it matter?" There was an edge to her voice, it sounded desperate.

"It does to me." My gaze darted around the room, half-expecting to see Aidan. "Talk, Ellie. What’s going on?"

A beat of silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. "I... I got it from your office," Ellie said, a tremor in her voice betraying the calm she tried to project. "Your secretary, she gave me the number. I lied to her and said it was an emergency and..."

"I don’t care who gave it to you. I just want to know why you are trying to contact me," I said sharply.

"Listen, Ivy, I wouldn’t have called if—" She cut herself off, breath hitching.

"Ellie, it’s okay. Just spit it out," I said.

"Slava’s dead," she said, her voice trembling again.

"Dead?" I echoed.

"Murdered," she clarified, and the world tilts on its axis. "And now... Ivy, you need to understand—"

"Understand what?" My demand was sharper than I intended.

"They’re coming after me next," she whispered.

"Who are ’they,’ Ellie?" I asked.

"Slava’s enemy. Some Italian Mafia, I don’t know. All I know is that they are after me now," Ellie said. "Please, Ivy. You have to help me."

"Ellie," I said. "how do I know this isn’t a trap? You tried to kill me once. You declared that you hate both me and your brother."

The silence on the other end of the line was heavy, filled with tension and fear. I could almost hear Ellie’s breath hitch as she tried to find the right words. Her desperation was palpable, but trust was a luxury I couldn’t afford right now.

"I know I did," Ellie finally said, her voice breaking. "And I can’t change what I did. But this...this is different, Ivy. I’m scared. They killed Slava, and now they’re coming for me. I have no one else to turn to."

I felt a tug of sympathy despite everything. The thought of anyone being hunted down, regardless of their past actions, was chilling. But I had to think about my safety and, more importantly, the safety of my unborn child.

"Why should I believe you?" I asked, my voice hardening. "You betrayed us once. What’s stopping you from doing it again?"

"Because I have no reason to lie," Ellie pleaded. "I’m not asking you to trust me completely. I just need a place to hide. Somewhere safe for a little while. Please, Ivy. I’m begging you."

I bit my lip, my mind racing. Aidan would never agree to this. He’d see it as a threat, a risk too great to take. But could I really turn away someone in need, someone who might truly be in danger?

"I will talk to Aidan," I said finally, my voice softening slightly.

"Thank you," Ellie said, her voice filled with relief. "Thank you, Ivy. I promise I won’t cause any trouble. I just need a place to stay until I can figure things out. I wanted to call Aidan, but I couldn’t. He must hate me now."

"No, Ellie. Aidan does not hate you," I said firmly.

Ellie sighed. "I don’t believe that, but thank you for listening to me, Ivy."

I ended the call, my mind swirling with conflicting emotions. I wondered how Aidan would react to this.

Taking a deep breath, I made my way to find Aidan. He was in his study, looking over some documents. When he saw me, he immediately sensed something was wrong.

"Aidan, we need to talk," I said, closing the door behind me.

He looked up, concern etched on his face. "What is it?"

"It’s Ellie," I said, sitting down across from him. "She just called. Slava’s dead and she says she’s in danger. She asked for our help."

Aidan’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing. "Slava is dead?"

"Yes," I said quickly. "She sounded genuinely terrified. She says some Italian Mafia is after her."

Aidan leaned back, his fingers steepled under his chin. "She is asking for our help? I thought she hated me."

"She is desperate," I admitted.

Aidan sighed, rubbing his temples. "This could be a trap. Bringing her here could endanger all of us."

"I know," I said, my voice trembling. "But what if it isn’t? What if she really needs our help?"

We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the decision pressing down on us. Finally, Aidan spoke, his voice firm.

"Alright," he said, his voice firm and resolute. "We’ll help her. But she stays under strict surveillance. One false move, and she’s out."

The seriousness of the situation was clear in his voice, and his conditions for helping Ellie were uncompromising: "She is my little sister, and I still love her. I’d do anything to make up for leaving her alone, but I won’t let her put you and our baby in danger again."

"She is a mom herself," I reminded him gently. "She is the mother of Slava’s child."

Aidan winced. "Don’t remind me."

"But this could be our chance," I said, my voice catching in my throat. "Our chance to mend things. Maybe...maybe Ellie isn’t as far gone as we thought."

Aidan frowned, his gaze locked onto mine. "It’s a risk, Ivy. A big one."

"I know," I replied, folding my hands over the swell of my belly. "But maybe it’s a risk worth taking."

Aidan was silent for a long time, his brows furrowed in thought. His eyes were dark, bleak even - burdened by a decision that could very well put us all in danger.

"So you believe her?" he asked finally, his voice low and whispery.

"Yes," came my immediate response, the word resounding in the room like an echo. "I...I want to believe her."

"A second chance..." Aidan murmured. "Okay," he said."

~-~

We spent the rest of the day making preparations: setting up a room for Ellie, informing our head of security about what was going on, and alerting our staff about an unexpected guest. We were careful to keep everything under wraps - unassuming and incognito - because we never knew who might be watching.

When night fell, a sleek black car pulled up in front of our mansion. Ellie stepped out wearing all black and carrying only a small duffle bag.

Her face was pale and drawn, her once-vibrant eyes dimmed with fear as she protectively cradled her pregnant belly. She reminded me of a frightened animal - skittish and wary - ready to bolt at the slightest provocation.

My heart leaped as I saw someone else trying to hide behind her legs.

A little boy.

He couldn’t be more than five or six with pitch-black hair and blue eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered as we led her inside.

"You’re safe now, Ellie," I said, meeting her gaze. "We won’t let anything happen to you."

She looked down at my belly, and her eyes widened. "You are going to be a mom?"

"Yes," I said softly, my hand resting on my belly. "Six months along."

Ellie’s eyes shimmered with emotions—regret, hope, and perhaps a glimmer of understanding. She reached out tentatively, her fingers grazing my arm. "Congratulations."

I nodded and murmured a thanks. I looked down at the boy. "Who is this? I didn’t realize you were pregnant with Slava’s second child."

Ellie swallowed, and for a moment, I detected sorrow in her eyes. "This is Lucas, and he...he is my son, but Slava is not the father."

Questions lingered in my mind, but I knew now was not the right time to ask them. So I smiled and held her hand. "Let’s get you inside so you can get settled."

We led Ellie and Lucas into the house, guiding them through the dimly lit hallways to the guest room we had prepared. The room was modest but comfortable.

Ellie set down her duffle bag and took a deep breath as if trying to absorb the sense of safety. Lucas clung to her leg, his wide eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where is Aidan?" Ellie began, her voice quivering.

"He will see you after you get settled. It has been hard on him too, you know. He never stopped caring for you as his sister," I said.

Ellie nodded, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. "I know," she said quietly. "I hope he’ll be able to forgive me."

"One step at a time," I replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "Get some rest. We can talk more tomorrow."

As I left Ellie and Lucas in their room, I felt a strange mix of hope and trepidation. Aidan’s relationship with Ellie had strained, but perhaps this crisis could bring them closer together.

~-~

The next morning, I found Aidan in the kitchen, making coffee. He looked up as I entered, his expression a mixture of concern and determination.

"How did she seem?" he asked, his voice low.

"Scared but relieved to be here," I replied. "Lucas is with her. He seemed like a sweet kid, Aidan."

Aidan narrowed his eyes. "Who is Lucas?"

As if on cue, Ellie walked into the kitchen with Lucas on her toe.