The Don's Legal Eagle's Baby: An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance

15. Emilio

”It was my father,” I admitted, watching Griselda”s face pale in shock.

Her features contorted in disbelief, mirroring the very reaction I had when I first learned of this years ago. I remembered that moment vividly — overhearing my father and uncle arguing.

FLASHBACK

I was chilling outside by the pond, just messing around with the fish, when a buzz from my phone made me jump. It was my older brother, Carlo, basically telling me, ”Dude, you”re gonna be in big trouble.”

I checked the time and cursed under my breath. It was way past midnight. I knew I was in for it. My old man didn”t mess around when it came to curfew. Breaking it was like signing up for a punishment deluxe.

I jumped up, brushing off the dirt, and panic-fueled adrenaline made me extra careful. I had to get to my room without anyone noticing. Each step felt like I was diffusing a bomb—slow and nerve-wracking. I peeked around corners, making sure no one was around before I moved on.

I climbed up the stairs, and every creak felt like it echoed through the whole house. My room was on this floor—thankfully, away from my older brother.

He”s a nice guy and all, but having your own space is the dream. Still, luck had a funny way of messing with you. My haven was just a door away from my dad”s study, where he spent more time than I would ever understand.

How unlucky.

The unfairness of it all felt like a heavy weight on my chest. Why did I have to share a wall with Dad”s study? It was a constant reminder that he was always watching, always monitoring my actions. I just wanted some breathing space, a place where I could be free.

As I climbed up the stairs, dread swirled in my stomach. I could already hear the loud voices coming from the study, and fear clenched my heart. Sneaking past them seemed nearly impossible when they were this worked up. If they caught me, how severe would my punishment be?

But maybe they were too distracted by their argument to notice me. I held on to that sliver of hope and crept forward, trying to be as quiet as a mouse. The argument between my father and uncle was fierce.

The closer I tip-toed, the more I caught snippets of their conversation. My heart raced as I recognized my uncle’s voice, speaking in Italian.

”Tradimento, Mathias! Tutto questo a causa del tuo tradimento (Betrayal, Mathias! This is all because of your betrayal),” my uncle, Luigi, accused in a heated tone.

I froze in my tracks, my eyes widening. Betrayal? What were they talking about?

My father”s response was strained, ”Non pensavo che i Mancini lo avrebbero scoperto. (I didn”t think the Mancini would find out.)”

Luigi”s voice grew louder and more accusing, ”Sei stato distratto! Questo pasticcio è colpa tua, perché hai tradito la famiglia Mancini (You were careless! This mess is because of you, because you betrayed the Mancini family).”

I was a captive audience, my mind racing to process what I was hearing. Betrayal, Mancini family, and my father being accused? It felt like I had stumbled across a secret that I was never meant to know about. At this point, I had forgotten about trying to sneak into my room.

My father argued back, frustration lacing his words, ”Possiamo occuparci della famiglia Mancini. Non sono più potenti come una volta (We can handle the Mancini family. They are no longer as powerful as they once were).”

Their argument continued, the Italian words flowing like a torrent as I struggled to keep up. My mind raced, filled with questions. What had my father done, and why had he done it?

I tried to comprehend the meaning of what I had heard. Lost in my jumbled thoughts, I hadn”t realized when my dad and uncle ceased their heated discussion. The creaking of the door as it was yanked open jolted me back to reality.

In front of me stood my uncle, his face contorted with rage. I glanced past him, meeting my father”s eyes. The storm of fury within them sent a shiver down my spine. I knew I was in for it.

The two words he uttered sealed my fate for the night.

”Vieni qui. (Come here.)”

END OF FLASHBACK

Seeing Griselda”s face now, I couldn”t help but be reminded of that time in my youth. Her voice carried a tinge of disdain as she commented on how she seemed to dislike my father more and more.

A small laugh escaped my lips at how her feelings mirrored my own. It was hard not to harbor similar sentiments towards my father, given our complex history.

”Yeah, he doesn”t make it easy,” I admitted, trying to keep the mood light, although it was becoming increasingly difficult.

She sensed it, too. I could tell by the curiosity in her eyes. She wanted to know about the rift between my father and me but that was a chapter I wasn”t ready to read from out loud just yet.

I glanced at the time. ”Getting late. You should get some rest,” I offered, my tone gentle, trying to convey that some things were better left unspoken for now. “We’ll be picking up your things in the morning.

She seemed to get the hint, and I was grateful for her understanding. She glanced at her phone.

”You”re right,” she agreed, setting our plates in the sink. Then, she made her way toward the guest room, ready to call it a night.

However, before she disappeared into the room, I couldn”t let the moment pass without expressing my gratitude. She had given me a chance. I needed her to know how much that meant to me.

”Griselda,” I called out, stopping her just before she entered the room.

She turned to face me, her eyes meeting mine with a mix of curiosity.

”Thank you,” I said sincerely.

She responded with a small smile before disappearing around the corner.

Maybe there was hope for the two of us.

The morning sun cast a gentle glow across the city as I drove, the hum of the engine filling the otherwise silent car. The atmosphere between Griselda and me was somewhat awkward, both of us lost in our thoughts.

Suddenly, a beep from my car interrupted the quietness, signaling an incoming call from Enzo. I saw Griselda glance over, her curiosity piqued. With a small smile, I swiped to answer the call, connecting to Enzo on the other end.

”Emilio, siamo pronti per la sperimentazione del nuovo prodotto. Stai arrivando? (Emilio, we”re ready for the new product testing. Are you on your way?)” Enzo”s voice came through the speakers.

”Sì, sarò lì presto, (Yes, I”ll be there soon,)” I replied, glancing at Griselda, who was listening intently to the conversation even though she couldn’t understand.

”Va bene, a presto, (Alright, see you soon,)” Enzo said before ending the call.

Griselda looked thoughtful for a moment before finally speaking up, ”I could have gone to pick my things up by myself if you”re busy.”

I glanced at her in surprise. ”Lo hai capito? (You understood that?)”I asked in Italian.

She smirked, a playful glint in her eyes. ”While I”m not proficient in speaking it, I understand more than you”d think. My mother was of Italian descent, after all. Come on, wasn’t it obvious from my name?”

I chuckled at how I had been fooled. Luckily, I hadn’t discussed any important matters around her. It seemed there was more to Griselda than met the eye.

”I see,” I replied, returning to English.

The journey continued in a lighter atmosphere.

We arrived at Griselda”s apartment, and I prepared to follow her inside to help with the packing. However, she stopped me as I began to unfasten my seatbelt.

”I can handle it myself,” she said with a warm smile, sensing my intention to assist.

Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, I agreed, ”Alright, if you”re sure. I”ll wait for you here.”

She disappeared into her building, and a few minutes later, she returned with a couple of pieces of luggage. Stepping out of the car, I helped her load them into the back.

As we set off again, an idea sparked in my mind. I thought it might be a good opportunity to show Griselda a glimpse of my work. I turned to her and asked, ”Do you mind if we make a quick detour?”

Curiosity flickered in her eyes as she questioned, ”Where are we going?”

”I want to show you something,” I replied, not giving away the surprise.

She hummed, studying my face for hints, and then decided, ”Okay.”

With her agreement, I changed direction, heading toward the location of my secret lab where Enzo and some of my trusted workers were awaiting my arrival.

I couldn”t wait to share this part of my world with Griselda, hoping it would further bridge the gap between us and allow her to understand me a little more.

As I drove into the hidden entrance of our secret lab, a familiar excitement cloaked me. The routine security checks began, verifying my identity and the car I was driving. The heavy doors slowly opened, revealing the brightly lit, cutting-edge facility that was concealed within.

I parked the car in its designated spot and gestured for Griselda to follow me as I stepped out. Enzo, always watchful, approached us, his eyes narrowing in surprise at the sight of Griselda.

”E’ saggio? (Is this wise?)” he questioned quietly.

I raised an eyebrow, smirking. ”Griselda understands Italian, Enzo.”

Enzo”s surprise was evident, glancing between Griselda and me, silently communicating his concern.

I reassured him, patting his shoulder. ”It”s okay, Enzo.”

Griselda walked over to join us.

”What is this place?” she asked, her eyes scanning the high-tech setup.

I couldn”t help but smile with pride. ”Welcome to my secret lab. It”s a highly secure facility, accessible only to a select few.”

Her eyes widened in amazement. ”But what do you do here?”

I began explaining, leading her through the lab. ”This is where we work on modifying vehicles and equipping them with special features.”

She was genuinely intrigued. ”Special features? Like what?”

I started walking her through the diverse modifications our team was currently working on, feeling a genuine sense of pride as I elaborated on our projects.

”We focus on enhancing vehicle capabilities, such as advanced navigation systems, self-driving technology, safety features like collision avoidance, and even integrated communication systems. Of course, this is what we work on for the cars available to the public.”

“What about these cars here? Are these cars available to the public?”

“Not at all.”

“Then what special modifications do these cars have?”

”Let me show you,” I said, excitement bubbling as we approached a sleek, unassuming sportscar. ”One of our special modifications is altering the car”s structure so it appears as an ordinary vehicle to the naked eye.”

Griselda watched in awe as the car”s appearance morphed before her, subtly changing its contours and colors until it looked like an everyday sedan.

”This is a hologram covering, but there”s more,” I continued, leading her toward another car. ”We”ve integrated a system that allows access to local CCTV networks discreetly.”

She nodded, clearly fascinated by the blend of technology of stealth and espionage.

”Incredible,” she breathed.

”Indeed,” I grinned, proud of what we had accomplished so far. ”And you know what? We”re constantly working on new ideas.”

She arched an eyebrow, recalling my earlier conversation with Enzo. ”You mentioned a new feature you”re working on?”

”Ah, yes,” I replied, turning towards her with a wide smile. ”We”re in the process of developing a mechanism that enables us to record conversations from a distance. Imagine the possibilities for intelligence gathering and surveillance.”

Her eyes widened at the concept. ”That”s...wow.”

”Exactly,” I chuckled, swept up in her awe.

Griselda seemed genuinely intrigued, asking more questions about our projects, their potential applications, and the ethical considerations we took into account. It felt exhilarating to share my passion with an outsider interested in my line of work.

We strolled through the lab, and I continued explaining each project, emphasizing the potential impact of our work. Her curiosity drove her to ask more questions, and I was more than happy to answer.

”But what are these modifications used for?” Griselda asked when I finished showing her around.

”They serve various purposes,” I began, gauging her reaction. ”But a significant part of it is to deal with the Mancini family.”