The Don and His Mafia Princess: Book Two of The Costanzo Series - Standalone

CHAPTER 14

I remain in my position, my mind reeling with Stefano's declaration. My thoughts are a tangled mess, and I can't even begin to process his words. The sudden ring of my phone pulls me from my daze, and I check to see it's Santiago calling from Mexico. Anxious to hear about Abuela's condition, I quickly answer.

"Hi, Brother," I greet him.

"Hello, little Sis, how are you doing?"

"I am good. How's Abuela doing?" I ask, concern lacing my words.

"She's actually improving today, and that's why I'm calling. Mom mentioned that she gave you quite a scare last night, but you don't need to worry anymore. If you haven't checked in for your flight yet, you can postpone it to a later date and finish up your business with Stefano first. Just come over once you're done," he says.

As he speaks, I can't help but wonder if the universe itself is aligning in Stefano's favor. Because I planned to remind him why I needed to leave, which I knew would make him retract his words. But now, it seems I might not have to.

"Really? Is she close by so that I could speak to her?" I ask, hope blossoming in my chest.

"Yes, hold on a minute," Santiago says, and the next thing I hear is my grandmother's sweet voice.

"Mi pequeño ángel, ¿cómo estás?" My little angel, how are you doing? Abuela asks, her voice filled with love and warmth.

"Estoy bien, abuela, ¿cómo te sientes? ¿Realmente te sientes mejor?" I'm good, Grandma, how are you feeling? Are you really feeling better? I ask, hoping she is truly doing well.

"Sí, es verdad, mi Ángel. No escuches a tu madre. Estoy bien." Yes, it's true, Mi Angel. Don't listen to your mother. I'm fine. Her words calm me down, but worry still gnaws at me about her recovery.

"De verdad?" Really? I press on, my voice tinged with a mix of hope and uncertainty, longing for absolute assurance.

"Sí, No te preocupes por mí. Termina tus asuntos de negocios en California primero antes de venir a verme.Estaré aquí esperándote.." Yes, don't worry about me. Finish your business in California first before coming to see me. I'll be here waiting for you. She insists, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I ponder over her words for a minute. Knowing her pushing to fly over now won't make her happy, so I concede. "Alright, I will fly over next week. I should be done with everything by then,"

"Great, see you then, mi Angel.

"See you too, Abuela, I love you,"

"I love you too," she replies before hanging up the phone.

I drop the phone on the couch with a sigh, running my hand through my hair. Today has been eventful, to say the least, and all I crave at this moment is the soothing embrace of a hot shower. With determination, I make my way towards my room, eager to wash away the day's stress and tension.

On the way, my phone pings with a message from Ivan, wishing me a safe flight. I reply, telling him that plans have changed and I'll be around for a while longer.

"I had a feeling that would happen. Can't wait to see you again," he replies, and my brows furrow at his response. Why did he have a feeling that would happen? I brush it off as optimism and continue to my room, eager to wash away the day's stress and maybe catch some sleep before dinner.

***

It has been a few days since the car ambush, and Stefano has been working tirelessly to uncover the reason behind my attack. The burden of his corporate responsibilities, combined with the investigation, has left him returning home late each night, weariness evident on his face. I've been conducting my own investigation, but so far, I haven't made any significant progress.