Mafia Wife

"Father," she says quietly, "we need to talk."

Giovanni, her father, is a man who runs his empire with the cold precision of a king on a chessboard. He knows something isn't right.

Bella meets with him in his office, a space that reeks of power, dark leather chairs, a polished mahogany desk, and shelves lined with books of law and war.

"Bella," he greets her without looking up. "Sit."

"About what?"

Bella hesitates for a moment before speaking, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her. "About Roberto."

The name hangs in the air, and Giovanni doesn't flinch.

"Your husband is a valuable asset," Giovanni says coolly.

"But he is not beyond reproach."

The weight of his words settles between them like a thick fog.

Bella's pulse quickens, her mind racing.

"I know," she murmurs, her fingers tightening around the edge of her chair.

"He's... distant. Cold, even.

And there are rumors about his business dealings outside of the family."

Giovanni leans forward, his gaze piercing.

"Rumors, yes.

But there is something more, Bella.

He is becoming a liability.

" He studies her, his eyes hardening with something almost imperceptible, a trace of disappointment.

"You married him for more than just love. You know that. This marriage was meant to be a power move. But his loyalty is starting to waver. And that cannot be tolerated."

Bella bites back the sting of his words.

It's true.

She married Roberto not for love, but for duty.

But somewhere along the way, she had allowed herself to believe that their relationship could be more, something real.

Something worth fighting for.

And now, with Roberto's betrayal looming over them, she's not sure where to place her loyalty.

"I will handle it," Bella says, her voice firm, though her mind is clouded with uncertainty.

She stands and walks toward the door, but before she exits, she turns back to her father.

"Father, do you think this empire is worth the price we're paying for it? The blood, the lies, the deceit?"

Giovanni's expression softens for the briefest moment.

"We do what we must to survive, Bella.