CHAPTER 41

Lucius POV.

I got back home late in the afternoon. I couldn't get back home last night because of work I was held up in the office. I couldn't come back early in the morning either as I called for a general mafia clan meeting.

By the time I got to the bedroom, I didn't find Anna there. I was already getting upset but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and check her bedroom.

But she wasn't there either, angrily I shouted for Dominick who rushed to my side.

“Where is Anna?”

“Sir …sir she went out for lunch with her friends, she said she'll be going to Blue Ridge restaurant. She had wanted to go alone but I insisted she go with Wolf. I assumed she already told you,”  Dominick said, slightly shaking.

I took a deep breath trying to still my temper, “Dominick I'm not blaming you but Anna should never leave this house, receive any visitors or anything without me knowing. Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir, crystal clear”.

“You may leave.”

Dominick nodded and left. I was angry she left the house without letting me know, my anger came from a place of worry. Now was quite a sensitive time and I couldn't risk her safety.

I left her room to mine to wait for her to return. What I couldn't figure out was why she decided to have lunch with the same people she had betrayed and abandoned her.

Could she have been lying about the whole incident to gain my pity and compassion? I decided to first shower and get myself a drink.

As soon as I got out of the bathroom and wore my clothes from the camera, I saw Anna at the door. I opened the door automatically from the switch and she came in.

I didn't feel at top capacity to have the conversation about why she was seeing her friends and if she was seeing her friends could she also be seeing her ex-boyfriend too.

I didn't want to let the thoughts linger. They felt too hurtful to think about, I just also realized how unguarded I've let myself become with Anna who is a stranger.

And if I truly find out that she deceived me I wouldn't know how to handle the betrayal. The first thing I needed to address was her going out without my permission.

When she got back and did.

As I did I saw the anger in her eyes and I knew she wanted to respond especially since I didn't sleep at home and I didn't communicate with her either.

I had to make a point by re-emphasizing it and I loved her whole reaction to my presence as I backed her against the wall. I almost got carried away and started kissing her but I managed to drag my attention away.

I loved the fact that she was this quiet in my close presence. She couldn't be her normal spit-fire self, as though the cat cut her tongue.

She couldn't say a word till I let her go, it was then she spoke her mind but before I could respond to me. Before I could respond she banged the door shut behind her.

I knew I should go after her and offer an explanation but more than I do she had a lot of explaining to do herself.

I sat on the bed feeling frustrated, since Anna came into my life my emotions have become very unstable. I laughed out loud thinking to myself she had no idea who I was.

Me Lucius Moreti, the head of the most dangerous mafia clan in the world, has to explain my whereabouts to her, it would even put her at risk more often than she'd imagined.

I took up my glass of scotch from the nightstand table and added some more cubes of ice before sipping, my stomach growled and I suddenly remembered I hadn't had a decent meal since yesterday.

I pressed the intercom intending to notify the kitchen that I'll be needing a meal sent to my room. I won't be having dinner with Anna, today I think I would need to give Anna space and gain some clarity in my mind.

But the sound of my phone aggressively ringing stopped me, I picked up the phone feeling slightly irritated that my lunch was being distracted. “Hello,” I said my tone was sharp.

“Sorry Boss, I just wanted to inform you that we've found out the identity of Monterio's son.”

That got my attention immediately. “Good work, do you have a location yet?”

“Not yet boss, he seems to know we're onto him seriously. I'll be honest and admit it's either he has really good intuition or we have to consider the possibility of a mole.”

“That's almost impossible in our clan. All our members are very loyal and faithful.”

“You're right boss it's not like we've had any new additions too. Maybe he is getting his information some other way we don't know about”

I can't lie when he said new additions the only person that came to my mind was Anna but I knew it was but a fleeting thought, a mere baseless suspicion.

“What's the name of this supposed heir if I may ask?”

“ His name is Chase Lancaster Monterio.”

The first name seemed oddly familiar, like I had heard of it recently but it wasn't important enough for me to want to know more or even place a face to the name.

“Alright, good work, keep an eye out and send me a file on him. I want to know everything about him. Who he lived with, who his friends were, everything”.

“Yes, boss.” I disconnected the phone feeling somewhat satisfied. At least I could finally know who the heir is and ensure he is not trying to carry on his father's will.

My stomach growled again angrily letting me know this time, it was time for food and it couldn't be put on hold. Pressing the intercom I spoke to the butler “ Inform the kitchen I'll need my lunch immediately and if should be brought up to my room, including a fresh batch of ice.”

“Yes sir,” my butler responded.

All I had to do now was sit back, relax, and wait for my meal.

***

Anna's POV.

I stared at the message from Chase not knowing what to make of it, several emotions crossed my mind. I opened it and left it not knowing how to respond.

Why was he sending a message now? Fresh angry tears stung the corners of my gray eyes. I started typing a response telling myself it was just to hear him out.

‘Hello’ I texted back, I didn't expect to see him typing almost immediately, my heart was literally in my ass right now.

Weirdly all the old feelings I had for him were fighting to resurface in this moment but the sting of his betrayal pushed them back down.

He sent back ‘I have a much better understanding of what happened to you now, I'm sorry I couldn't be there when I heard the conversation with your parents I assumed you were pregnant. But now seeing who you married I know it was a forced arrangement’

Although everyone knew the Moretti family to have legit billionaire businesses, everyone knew on a low they weren't just a part of the mafia but the mafia themselves and shouldn't be messed with.

His message disarmed me. I didn't expect him to apologize and show compassion for the situation I had found myself in at first.

I knew I had to say something in response to his message. I couldn't just leave it on read ( seen )with shaky hands. I typed back ‘Thank you.’ The reason I didn't say more was because I knew deep within me.

If somehow this had been his original disposition, I  wouldn't have married Lucius although I  can't deny what I  now feel for my husband which scares me.

I knew I couldn't express the hurt of my betrayal because it would sound like I didn't want my marriage. And regardless of whatever I felt for Chase, I'm with Lucius now.

Chase didn't send any response back much to my relief, I'm sure he felt disappointed with my response that had nothing.

I needed to have my meal, I got up and rang for Jolyn but there was no response. After like a minute Constance enters my room which surprises me as she has been avoiding me.

“Good afternoon ma'am, how can I be of service to you?” she asked, her head slightly bowed.

The way she addressed me made me burst out in hysterical laughter “Oh please Constance you can drop the act, it's just you and I here you don't have to act so formally”.

But still, her head remained bowed and she said nothing, which made me feel frustrated as to whether this was how everyone was going to treat me like some figurehead and not a real person in this house.