CHAPTER 14
The room was heavy with unspoken tension as Luca stepped into Marcello's office.
Marcello sat behind his desk, eyes sharp and expectant, a faint smile playing at his lips.
"So," Marcello began smoothly, "you've been... distracted lately. Is there something weighing on your mind?"
Luca met his gaze evenly, refusing to show any sign of unease.
"Just the usual burdens," Luca replied, voice steady.
Marcello leaned forward slightly.
"You've always been loyal, Luca. But loyalty can be complicated."
He let the words hang between them, searching for any flicker of hesitation, this was a test he had wanted to know if his second in command would confide to him about the fragile secret he's been keeping away, even though he already knew the answer to that.
Luca's jaw tightened.
"I serve the family with everything I have. Nothing more, nothing less."
He'll protect it of course
Marcello studied him for a long moment, then nodded.
"Good. Just... remember, some secrets can either protect us or destroy us."
Luca's expression didn't change, but inside, his mind raced, what does the Don know? But he didn't let him see the surprised look on his face, he knew the statement meant something deeper that only he knew
Her
But the real challenge was keeping Mia's existence a secret from the world.
Luca sat at his desk, after the small talk with the Don.
He knew Marcello was watching not just his moves, but the quiet corners of his life he fought to protect.
His thoughts went immediately to Mia his princess and the fragile peace she depended on.
Luca tightened his grip on the edge of the desk.
Marcello's curiosity was a risk, yes, but it was also a challenge Luca was ready to meet.
He would not let anyone, not even the Don's right hand, uncover Mia's existence lightly.
Plans and precautions formed in his mind layers of protection, silent warnings to those closest to him.
Because some secrets were worth guarding with every breath.
And Luca Vitello was nothing if not a guardian.
She had drawn lines and shadows, trying to capture feelings she couldn't always put into words.
There was a peacefulness here, a fragile bubble she clung to away from the chaos she sensed but didn't fully understand.
Sometimes, she thought she heard faint footsteps or sensed a presence nearby, but when she looked up, there was nothing.
She told herself it was just her imagination, a trick of the mind.
Yet, deep down, a small part of her wished someone would come close not to threaten, but to see her as she really was.
She closed her eyes and let out a slow breath, trying to hold onto the calm.
Being around people was exhausting the anxiety always creeping just beneath the surface.
But here, with her drawings, she could speak without words and create without fear.
Her thoughts drifted to Luca her protector, her anchor.
He always told her she was stronger than she realized. She frowned at the thought
Mia wished she believed that more.
Still, she smiled faintly, adding a few more delicate lines to her sketch.
Maybe, one day, she would find the courage to step beyond this quiet room.
But for now, she was content to be unseen, and to find strength in her own silent world.