My Lover is the Son of a Mafia Leader

.58

"Ivo," I said, his name slipping past my lips. 

Ivo's eyes softened as he regarded me, a hint of amusement playing at the corners of his lips. "Calista," he replied, his voice a low rumble.

A surge of memories and unanswered questions flooded my mind, as if a dam had burst, releasing a torrent of emotions. Seven long years had passed since we last saw each other, and yet, here we were, unexpectedly reunited again in this coffee shop. I'll never get used to this. Every time I see him, it feels like it's the first time.

I couldn't ignore the powerful mixture of emotions that welled up within me—curiosity, apprehension, and a trace of the lingering affection we had once shared.

As the silence hung between us, I couldn't help but wonder what Ivo had been up to all these years. The mysteries surrounding his involvement with my grandfather's business only added to the intrigue. There was a part of me that yearned to delve into the depths of our shared history, to uncover the truths that had been concealed for far too long.

Summoning my courage, I took a deep breath and continued, "It's been a while. How have you been?"

Ivo's gaze never wavered, his eyes holding a glimmer of something familiar. His lips curved into a half-smile, a response that held more meaning than his words alone. "

It has indeed been a while, Calista. I've been... navigating through life, as we all do. Is that what they call you now?"

His words caught me off guard, and for a moment, I was at a loss for how to respond. The implication of his question hit me like a wave, reminding me of the changes I had undergone in the years since we last crossed paths. I wondered how much he knew about my life, the persona I had crafted for myself, and the person I had become.

With a flicker of vulnerability in my eyes, I met his gaze and replied, "Yes, Calista is who I am now. A lot has changed since we last saw each other."

The weight of unspoken emotions hung in the air, and I couldn't help but sense the uncharted territory that lay before us. Our paths had diverged, and yet, destiny had seen fit to bring us back together. As I stood there, locked in a gaze with Ivo, I knew that the choices I would make in the coming moments would have profound implications for all involved.

But before we could delve deeper into the conversation, my phone chimed, signaling an incoming message. I stole a quick glance at the screen, recognizing Kev's name illuminated in bold letters. The conflicting emotions within me intensified, torn between the past and the present.

"Excuse me," I said, my voice tinged with regret. "I have to attend to something."

Ivo nodded, his expression betraying a mix of understanding and disappointment. "Of course, Calista. We'll have a chance to catch up soon."

With that, I turned away, my heart heavy with conflicting emotions. As I walked towards a secluded corner of the coffee shop, I couldn't shake the feeling that my encounter with Ivo had ignited a flame from the past, one that threatened to consume the fragile balance I had managed to maintain in my life.

Taking a deep breath, I unlocked my phone and read Kev's message. It was a simple question, but it held a weight of expectation. I knew that my response would determine the path our relationship would take from this point forward. As I typed my reply, I couldn't help but wonder how my connection with Ivo would impact not only my decisions but also the lives of those entangled in this intricate web of emotions.

Is he not mad at me? I wondered, my mind swirling with a mixture of confusion and hope. Why was he looking at me with such softness in his eyes? It had been so long since we last saw each other, and in that time, I had left him without any explanation. Had he moved on, as his engagement seemed to suggest? Perhaps he no longer needed answers from me about why I made the choice I did seven years ago.