Chapter 158

Layla

The morning we were set to head back to New York, I repacked my bags and brought them downstairs. While Eva was busy wiping down on the counters in the kitchen, I noticed Stasia standing out on the back deck.

She was leaning against the railing, overlooking the gorgeous ocean view. I instantly noticed she wore that same melancholy look she had when she was driving the day before yesterday.

I gave an acknowledging nod to Eva before stepping out onto the deck.

“It really is beautiful,” I said.

Stasia merely hummed in agreement while her gaze remained fixed on the world in front of us.

“Stasia, is something wrong?” I asked. “You know you can tell me anything.”

She slumped her shoulders back and tilted her head to the side. Letting out a long withheld breath, Stasia turned to glance at me.

“Layla, I haven’t been completely honest with you,” she confessed. I kept quiet, prompting her to talk. “When Irena first reached out to us, and I found out that you were now linked to the Marcello family, my thoughts were solely of Matteo.”

“Of course, I was going to help you any way that I could alongside Eva, but my interests were personal. Years ago, when word had gotten out about Matteo’s disappearance, I ended up slipping into my own dark place,” she explained. “I refused to believe that he was truly dead. A man like him isn’t someone who could ever be taken out so easily. I was stuck in such a state of denial, that I actually contemplated moving to the East Coast years ago just to search for him myself.”

“What did it feel like when you saw him after all that time?” I asked.

“...Heartbreaking,” she answered. “That wasn’t the Matteo I knew. That wasn’t the man I fell in—”

Stasia’s words became caught in her throat. She didn’t need to verbally speak the words. I knew all too well what she was feeling.

I turned to my head to glance at the breathtaking scenery, taking it all in before we had to leave it all behind.

“Fucking Marcellos,” I muttered.

Stasia let out an airy laugh. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Fucking Marcellos.”

A long pause of silence passed between us. I debated about pushing the subject further, but I knew I would regret it later on if I didn’t say anything at all.

“Will you give him a chance now? For what it’s worth, you’re the only one who truly knows who Metto is. Not even Aldo really knew since he tried leaving the Marcellos behind years ago. I mean, I guess Carlo could have been the one to fill him in; but, I’m pretty sure those two would have ended up killing each other.”

The two of us shared another laugh.

She took in a long breath and considered her words carefully. “I suppose, at the very least, I should try. Are you prepared to head back home?”

Well, I knew that question was bound to come up. Was I ready?

In certain ways I was. I missed Eli terribly and was excited to show him all the things I picked up for him while I was here. And yes, I missed Aldo. But I knew, without a doubt, that he and I were in for a serious, much-needed discussion as soon as I got back.

“I think so,” I said. “What I’m not really sure about is if my expectations are going to be possible in his world.”

She turned her head and gave me a soft smile. “Only one way to find out then,” she commented.

We made it back to the city by the early evening. Right as Eva pulled the car up to the house, the front doors flew open and Eli came barreling down the stairs to reach us.

“Mommy!”

I was swiftly engulfed in a warm, tight hug and broke out into a gracious smile. I brushed my hand through his hair, feeling the familiar silken locks. I was home.

“Hello, sweetheart,” I said. “How are you, how was your long weekend?”

“It was nice,” he said quietly. “Dad and I spent time together.”

I gave him a smile and nodded. “That’s good.”

“Are you better now?” he asked bluntly.

I clenched my jaw, catching whatever immediate answer was trying to come out. “Yeah...I think so.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a tall figure standing in the distance. When I turned my head, I saw Aldo. He looked as though he was fighting back a smile while suppressing a wave of unsettled nerves.

The feeling was mutual.

“Thank you for this,” I said to the twins. “I didn’t realize how badly I missed simply being myself.”

Eva grinned. “I know it wasn’t easy and it probably could have been a longer trip, but...I hoped that it helped.”

“It did,” I claimed. “I’m just worried about what it will mean going forward.”

The two nodded their heads. “You have our numbers,” Stasia said. “Should anything come up. Call us.”

I grabbed for my bags and watched their car leave the estate. I muddled up my courage and headed toward the doors where Aldo remained waiting for me. He reached out and took the bags from my hands and leaned down to kiss my head.

“Welcome home, love.”

“Thank you,” I said softly.

He quickly picked up the heavy look in my eyes, telling him that we needed to talk. He silently nodded and led us toward the privacy of our bedroom. Placing the bags down, he brought us over to the bed and sat down.

He curled his hand around my own. “Whatever you have decided to do, I need you to know that I support it.”

I tried to keep my tone as even as possible even though my heart was clenching with both admiration and worry. “Okay...Aldo, I don’t want to have anything to do with the real business that goes on in the Marcello family.”

His brows started to lift as I went on explaining.

“That side of me you saw when I stepped into your position—I will never do that again. I can’t. I cannot allow such a horrible and grizzly persona to take control because that’s not who I am. It’s bad enough that I had to kill in order to keep myself and Eli safe. What I’m saying is, I don’t want to continue living on this dangerous and uncertain path.”

Aldo’s hand tightened around me as if I was at risk of vanishing. His entire body went utterly rigid with intense fear for what my final decision would be.

My throat grew tight with emotion. “But, I also came to realize that I can’t live a life without you in it,” I said roughly. “I tried once before and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Aldo took in a sharp breath and pulled me against his chest. He curled his hand through my hair and held me close.

“Is it possible for this kind of relationship to exist?” I asked him.

“We’re going to make it possible,” he said. “Everyone already respects you for everything that you’ve done for the family. If you wish to stay away from the more unsavory parts of it, that’s perfectly fine.”

I pulled back to look at him. My brows pulled together in doubt. “Really?”

How could he be so sure that this would work out?

“Yes,” he stated. “I would soon abandon the Marcello family completely if it meant having the chance to make things work with us. You and Eli are what comes first for me, Layla. Always.”

I felt the tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. Suddenly, a knowing smile curved his lips.

“What?” I asked, feeling nervous.

“I think I found a way for you to get your medical license back.”