My Childhood Bully is a Mafia Boss-Chapter 97

Ellie

I stared at myself in the mirror.

Dinner with Giovanni.

It was such a simple thing, and yet, I felt nervous, but I had no idea why.

Taking a deep breath, I smoothed out the fabric of my dress, trying to steady the flurry of emotions swirling inside me. This was just dinner, nothing more. Still, there was something about Giovanni that made me feel both on edge and oddly intrigued.

Elora had finally settled, her tiny breaths even and calm. Lucas was taking a nap in the other room, seemingly at ease in this new environment. I had to admit that Giovanni had done everything possible to make us feel comfortable here. But was it a genuine concern or part of a larger scheme?

I shook my head, trying to clear my doubts. Tonight, I needed to stay focused, be present, and be watchful. This was an opportunity to learn more about Giovanni, to understand his motives and figure out if he could be trusted.

With one last look in the mirror, I squared my shoulders and left the room. The hallway was dimly lit, creating an ambiance that was both intimate and mysterious. I walked down the corridor, my footsteps echoing softly on the polished wooden floor.

When I reached the dining room, Giovanni was already there, looking effortlessly handsome in a tailored suit. The table was set beautifully, with candles casting a warm glow over the elegant place settings. Soft music played in the background, adding to the inviting atmosphere.

He was leaning against his chair, his face resting on his fist as if he was deep in thought. He looked like a king, I thought to myself.

He looked up as I stepped inside the room, his dark eyes lighting up. "Ah, I am so happy you didn’t change your mind, Amore," he commented. His voice was deep and husky as he added: "you look beautiful."

I blushed in spite of myself.

"Thank you," I managed to say, trying to keep my voice steady as I walked towards the table. "This looks..great."

Giovanni stood and pulled out a chair for me. "All for you, darling."

As I sat down, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions—caution, curiosity, and an unexpected hint of excitement. Giovanni took his seat across from me, his gaze never wavering.

The first course was served, and we began to eat in a comfortable silence. I could feel his eyes on me, and it made my heart beat just a little faster. This was new territory for me, and I wasn’t quite sure how to navigate it.

As dinner progressed, so did the intensity of his stares. Uncomfortably, I looked down at my plate, poking at the food that suddenly had lost its flavor. "Giovanni, why are you doing this?"

He put down his utensils and cleared his throat. His eyes bore into mine, the look in them unreadable. "Doing what, exactly?"

"All this." I gestured towards the extravagant dinner spread, the glow of the candle lights flickering in his eyes. "Why make all this effort?"

He drew in a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. For a moment, he was silent. Then he chuckled softly, a wry smile touched his lips. "Because Ellie... I want to win you over," he confessed. "Because I want to prove to you I’m not some monster."

"You killed Slava," I whispered.

"I didn’t," he corrected me.

"Okay. Your men did. Not much different, is it?" I pointed out.

He took a bite of his steak and chewed it slowly before replying. "No, I suppose not."

"Whether he was a shitty person or not, he was still the father of my child," I said.

"The child," he repeated.

His tone made me look him in the eyes. "What?"

"You said, child. Not children. Did he not father Lucas?" Giovanni asked.

The question caught me off guard, my fork clattering onto my plate. Giovanni’s gaze was unyielding, searching my face for answers I wasn’t ready to give. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"Lucas is mine," I replied firmly, though my voice wavered slightly. "That’s all you need to know."

Giovanni leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "I don’t mean to pry, Ellie. But understanding your past is part of understanding you."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. This was not a topic I was prepared to delve into, especially not with him. "It’s none of your business."

"Alright," Giovanni said, his tone softening as he leaned back in his chair.

My heart pounded louder in my chest as I gathered my thoughts before speaking again. "And what if all of this effort doesn’t change my mind about you?" I asked, matching his direct gaze with a challenging stare.

The corners of his mouth upturned further into a grin as if he liked my defiance. "Then, cara mia," he leaned forward, placing his hands flat on the table, "I’ll keep trying until you do."

"And what if I’m not worth the effort?" I challenged, my voice barely rising above a whisper as I stared into his confident, dark eyes.

"You can’t decide that for me," he shot back immediately, his gaze never wavering. "You’re worth it to me."

I scoffed, pushing my plate away. "You’ve made a mistake then."

"I don’t think so," he replied stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest. "But only time will decide."

"Time?" I echoed, feeling my heart tighten in my chest. "On who’s clock, Giovanni? Mine or yours?"

His smirk widened at my words. "On ours, Ellie," he said, his fingers absently tracing the rim of his wine glass.

I blinked twice, processing that. Then I rose abruptly from the table. "I should go to bed."

"Of course," Giovanni said and stood up too. "I shall walk you to your room."

"That’s not necessary," I protested.

"I insist," he said in a tone that suggested he was not going to take no for an answer.

I sighed and went to check on Lucas first. Lucas was asleep when I entered, his small body encased in a sea of plush comforters and pillows. His soft snores filled the room — a melodic rhythm that immediately calmed my racing heart.

He looked so peaceful—so far removed from the chaos that cloaked our lives—that it was like looking at a different world entirely.

I caressed his small forehead, brushing away the tousled locks of golden hair. He stirred slightly but didn’t wake up. With a sigh, I planted a soft kiss on his forehead before quietly exiting the room.

Giovanni followed me like a shadow until I reached my bedroom door. I turned to face him before going inside. "Thank you for dinner, but you can leave now."

His lips twitched upward in a lopsided grin. "Of course, Ellie," he replied, running his fingers through his dark hair with an air of nonchalance that didn’t fool me for a second.

I was about to close the door when he stopped it with his hand. "Ellie," he began, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "I just want you to know that you will be mine eventually."

I rolled my eyes. "Good night, Giovanni."

"Good night, amore," he said and finally let go of the door.

With that, I quickly shut the door behind me and leaned my back against it. Despite myself, I felt my heart pounding in my chest - a deafening sound in the otherwise quiet room.

Perhaps it was the lingering smell of his cologne or the disturbing sincerity in his voice, but I couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease as I slipped under the covers.

Outside my bedroom window, I heard Giovanni’s footsteps echoing in the hallway before they gradually faded into silence. And then there was nothing but the sound of my beating heart and the distant howling of a wolf in the night.

As I lay there alone in the darkness, thoughts of Giovanni clouded my mind. His confidence. His persistence. His relentlessness.

God...what have I gotten myself into?