Shadows of love and loyalty

Dawn in the shadows: mafia family's morning ritual

As the first rays of sunlight gently filtered the the curtains, I opened my eyes to the luxury of my opulent bedroom, a privilege of being born into a wealthy family. The grandeur of our mansion seemed almost surreal, cocooning me in aworld of extravagance and comfort. With a sense of privilege, I greeted the day and head downstairs to the breakfast room, where my elegant mother room, where my elegant mother was already seated.
"Good morning, dear how did you sleep?" My mother said in a calm tone.

"Morning, mom. I slept okay, but there's something important we need to talk about. When the maid gave us our daily allowance this morning, I noticed a substantial amount missing."
"You're sure about that? Maybe it's a mistake or something."
" I double-checked, mom. It's not a mistake. I'm certain someone took a significant portion of our money."
"That's concerning. We've always trusted our staff, but this is quite a breach of that trust."
"Exactly, I did some investigating and found that it was Maria."
"How did you find that out."
"I overheard her talking on the phone last night,she was bragging about how she managed to get away with it, thinking no one would notice."
"I see. But before we do anything, we should discuss this with your father. He'll know how to handle it properly."
"Actually, that's what I did. I went to Dad's office this morning and told him everything."
"You did? Oh dear, you know how can be when it comes to these things."

"I know, but I felt it was the right thing to do. Maria needs to be held accountable for her actions, and dad's the best person to make sure that happens."

"Well, you certainly don't lack courage. Let's hope this all gets resolved without causing too much trouble with n the household."

At that moment, one of the maids enters the room with the breakfast cart. The maid, Maria, has an average build with a ponytail of dark hair. She wears a crisp uniform with a name tag pinned neatly. The trays variety of it items: freshly baked croissants, a colorful fruit platter, a carafe of orange juice, and silver pot of steaming coffee. The aroma fills the room as the maid sets the tray on the table.

"Good morning, ma'am, miss I have your breakfast." She said before starting to set up my mother's ice tea.
"Thank you,"

Maria nodded before turning around and opening the large double doors that led into the kitchen. I turned around and shared a look with my mother.

"Lessons like thee are never easy, but they're important nonetheless. Let's see what father decides and go from there."

Just a the conversation seemed to settling, the door opened with a quiet but purposeful creak. The family's imposing bodyguard, Asher, enters the room. His tall, muscular frame is accentuated by his tailored suit, and his expression holds a sense of urgency and authority.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's something you something you should know. Maria is wanted by the boss. He's ordered us to locate her immediately."

I looked at my mother as we realized the situation has escalated beyond what they had anticipated. The gravity of the situation sinks in as they realize that Maria's actions may have put her in grave danger.

A short while later, Asher returned from the kitchen with Maria in tow. Her expression was a mixture of trepidation and resignation as they approached my father's office. The heavy oak door swung open, revealing a room shrouded in shadows. As they closed behind them, leaving me to imagine the tense conversation unfolding within walls.

"Hey, sweetheart, I was thinking it might be fun to head to the mall today. What do you think?"

"Ugh, Mom, I've got so much studying to catch-up on, honestly I'm in the middle of binge watching this show."