Page 14

MIRELLA

“ Nice job out there,” the text message from Enzo lit up my screen. “You did great. Who knew you were such a great actress?”

Another text came in, and I placed my phone into my bag. I didn’t want to keep reading.

Was it all an act? Everything?

I closed the door to my house, leaning against it as I exhaled deeply. My heart hadn’t stopped racing since I left Sergio. The kiss. It replayed in my mind like an old movie I couldn’t shut off: his lips on mine, his hand grazing my cheek, the way he looked at me as if I were the only thing that mattered in the world. I pressed my fingers to my lips, feeling the ghost of his touch.

What am I doing?

Allowing myself to feel something for Sergio wasn’t part of the plan. If anything, it was dangerous. Yet here I was, thinking about him, wondering if he was okay and if his wound still hurt. Was he going to keep having nightmares? Was he thinking about me, too?

I walked to the kitchen, trying to distract myself. The sound of my footsteps echoed in the quiet apartment. Alex was in his room, probably playing with his cars or drawing. He was my everything, my reason for doing all of this. But as much as I loved my son, I couldn’t shake the loneliness that crept into my life like an unwanted guest.

I opened the fridge, pulling out vegetables to chop for dinner. I had fallen asleep in Sergio’s room, and when I left, I realized that it was barely six. I had thought it was late because of the storm he had awoken in me, and my mind refused to stay quiet. Sergio wasn’t supposed to matter. He was just… Sergio… Don Carlos’ son. A man trapped in a world of power and blood. Someone who could never really belong to me, not in the way I wanted.

And yet, I couldn’t deny what I felt when he pulled me close or when his voice softened as he spoke my name.

I shook my head, gripping the cutting board harder than necessary. “Stop it,” I muttered under my breath. This wasn’t the time to lose focus. I had a plan, and I couldn’t let emotions ruin everything. My father was still missing. The stranger who gave me Alex was gone because of Don Carlos, and I was left with more questions than answers. If I got too close to Sergio, I could lose everything I’d worked for.

But what if he’s different? What if—

“Mama!” Alex’s voice broke through my thoughts, high-pitched and filled with energy. He ran into the kitchen, his little feet padding against the tile floor.

I forced a smile, turning to face him. “What is it, my love?”

He held up a drawing, a colorful mess of shapes and lines. “I made this for you!”

I crouched down to his level, taking the paper from his hands. “Wow, Alex, this is amazing. Is that me?”

He nodded, pointing to a stick figure with bright yellow hair. “That’s you. And that’s me.” He pointed to a smaller figure holding hands with the first.

“And what’s this?” I asked, gesturing to a big red circle above us.

“That’s the sun. We’re at the park.”

I ruffled his hair, laughing softly. “It’s perfect. I’ll hang it on the fridge after dinner.”

He grinned, his gap-toothed smile lighting up the room. Alex had a way of making everything feel a little brighter, even when my thoughts were dark.

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

He nodded vigorously. “Can we have spaghetti?”

“Spaghetti it is,” I said, pulling out a box of pasta.

As I cooked, Alex sat on the floor beside me, playing with his toy cars. He made engine noises, narrating an elaborate race between his red car and his blue one. I couldn’t help but watch him, marveling at how much joy he brought into my life.

“Who’s winning?” I asked, stirring the sauce on the stove.

“The red one! He’s super fast. But the blue one is sneaky. He might win in the end.”

“Sounds intense,” I teased, glancing over my shoulder at him.

“It is! But don’t worry, Mama. I’ll tell you who wins.”

We ate dinner together at the small table by the window. Alex talked non-stop about his day, his time with Dahlia, and his grand plans to become a superhero when he grew up. He was a bit chatty today, in contrast to his more reserved self. I listened, laughing at his antics, feeling a sense of peace.

After dinner, we played hide-and-seek. Alex loved hiding in the same spot—behind the couch—but his giggles always gave him away.

“Where’s Alex?” I called out, pretending to look under the table.

“I don’t know!” he yelled, trying to stifle his laughter.

I peeked behind the couch, feigning surprise. “There you are!”

He burst out laughing, throwing his arms around my neck. “You found me, Mama!”

“Of course I did,” I said, hugging him tightly. “You’re my favorite person to find.”

We kept playing through the night, and I noticed Alex rubbing his eyes more than usual. He seemed quieter, too, going back to his default setting, his energy fading.

“Are you feeling okay?” I asked, placing a hand on his forehead.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, avoiding my gaze.

I frowned, brushing his dark hair away from his face. His temperature felt normal, but something about his demeanor worried me.

“Let’s get you to bed, okay?”

He nodded, his little hand slipping into mine as I led him to his room.

I tucked him into his blankets, smoothing them over his small frame. His eyes were already half-closed, but he held onto my hand, his grip firm.

“Mama?”

“Yes, my love?”

“Will you stay here until I fall asleep?”

“Always,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

I sat by his bed, humming softly until his breathing evened out. When I was sure he was fast asleep, I closed his door behind me and returned to the silence of the living room. My thoughts drifted back to Sergio, the warmth of his touch and the intensity in his eyes—the eyes that reminded me of the love I had once lost.

I sighed, sinking onto the couch. My life was already complicated enough. Adding Sergio to the mix? That was a risk I wasn’t sure I could take. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop myself from wanting him.

I settled in to sleep, but I couldn’t sleep. The kiss Sergio and I had shared earlier still lingered in my mind, making me feel things I didn’t want to admit. I shouldn’t have let it happen, but I couldn’t deny how much I had wanted it. It wasn’t just the kiss—it was everything he represented. Safety. Strength. But also danger—in more ways than one. My heart had been through enough, and I wasn’t sure it could take another beating, especially from a man like him.

My thoughts were interrupted by a faint clatter from downstairs. I frowned, throwing on a robe and picking up my phone before heading down. When I reached the kitchen, I found Dahlia leaning against the counter, a spoon halfway to her mouth, caught in the act of devouring a bowl of ice cream.

“Really?” I crossed my arms, attempting to look stern. “Midnight snacking, Dahlia?”

She gave me a mock guilty look. “Don’t judge me. It’s been a long day, and this is my therapy.” She pointed the spoon at me. “Want some?”

I shook my head. “No, thanks. I’m not in the mood for ice cream. ”

“Wow, Mirella is not in the mood for sweets. This is serious.” She set the spoon down and eyed me closely. “What’s going on? You look like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Enzo told me the ambush went fine. You should be happy,”

I hesitated. Dahlia wasn’t just my assistant. She’d been here for years, and even when I didn’t try to make it obvious, I considered her a friend, someone I could confide in when things felt too heavy. And right now, they were crushing me.

“It’s Sergio,” I admitted, sitting on a stool by the island. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. One moment, I’m telling myself I have to stay focused, and the next, I’m letting him kiss me.”

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t look surprised. “Ah. The infamous Sergio. Enzo told me about him and how he was worried about the fact you two grew up together.” She smirked. “So, how was it?”

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Dahlia, this isn’t funny.”

“I’m not laughing. I’m just curious. You’re not exactly the ‘kiss and tell’ type.” She nudged me gently. “So, spill. Was it good?”

“Good?” I huffed. “It was incredible, which is the problem! I can’t let myself feel this way about him. I can’t afford to.”

Dahlia leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Why not? He’s clearly into you, and from what I’ve seen, you’re into him too. What’s stopping you?”

“Everything.” My voice cracked slightly, and I looked away. “My father is still missing. I’m supposed to be finding him, not getting distracted. And then there’s Alex... and the past.” My throat tightened. “What if I let Sergio in, and he leaves, too? Everyone I care about seems to disappear eventually.”

Her expression softened. “Mirella, you’ve been through a lot, and I get why you’re scared. But you can’t let your fear control you forever. And I don’t know him, but I have a feeling that he is a good guy for him to get you off your game like this,” she teased with a wink and a smirk still playing on her face.

I swallowed hard. “It’s not that simple. And let’s not forget I am still faking it with his father. ”

“Love never is,” she said gently. “But you deserve to be happy. And maybe Sergio is part of that happiness.”

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed on the counter. I picked it up, my stomach sinking slightly when I saw Sergio’s name on the screen.

“Mirella, you need to be here early tomorrow,” his voice came through, tense and direct. “My father wants to see us.”

I frowned. “Why? What’s so urgent?”

There was a pause before he answered. “We’ve confirmed that it was The Raven who intercepted our shipment.”

My heart skipped a beat. How could he have found out? What else does he know? Fuck. “The Raven? Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Sergio responded in certainty, his tone clipped. “We’re going after her. My father wants her to pay for what she’s done.”

I gripped the phone tighter. “And what does that mean, exactly?”

“It means you need to be here. This isn’t just about the shipment anymore,” his voice softened slightly. “Just be ready.”

The line went dead before I could ask any more questions. I stared at the phone, unease settling in my chest like a stone. Why do I have to be there? Was my cover blown?

What else isn’t he telling me?

Dahlia was watching me with concern etched on her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Sergio’s father,” I responded quietly. “He’s planning something. And it involves The Raven.”

Her brows furrowed. “Do you think it’s safe for you to be involved? Shouldn’t you speak to Enzo first about it?”

I sighed, rubbing my temples. “I don’t know. But I don’t have much of a choice.”

Dahlia placed a hand on my shoulder. “Just be careful, okay? Whatever’s going on, don’t lose sight of what’s important to you.”

I nodded, though my mind was already spinning. I had tried to keep my two worlds from clashing, and now, with Raven in the picture, things were about to get even more complicated.

But the question still remains.

Does Sergio know I am The Raven?