The two switched mafia princesses.

Chapter 19

As the first light of dawn began to filter through the hospital windows, a nurse approached them. "You can see Rafael now," she said softly.

Luca, Nicho, and Dmitri exchanged relieved glances before quickly making their way to Rafael's room. As they entered, they saw Rafael lying in the hospital bed, his face pale but peaceful. The sight of their brother, alive and stable, brought a wave of relief.

Luca stepped forward, taking Rafael's hand. "Hey,Raf You're going to be okay. We're all here for you."

Rafael stirred slightly, his eyes fluttering open. He looked around the room, his gaze finally settling on Luca. "Luca... what happened?"

Luca smiled, though his eyes were filled with tears. "You were shot at, but you're going to be fine. Just rest now. We'll take care of everything."

Rafael nodded weakly, his eyes closing once more as he drifted back into a peaceful sleep.

Back at the lake house, the first rays of sunlight began to filter through the windows, casting a warm glow over the sleeping occupants. The events of the previous day had left them exhausted, but the promise of a new day brought a glimmer of hope.

Valentina woke to the sound of birds chirping outside. She sat up, stretching her sore muscles, and looked around at her sleeping siblings and friends.

As the others began to stir, Valentina made her way to the kitchen to start breakfast.

"Hey has anyone heard anything yet from Luca about Raf." Dante said walking into the kitchen.

Valentina glanced over her shoulder as she cracked eggs into a bowl. "Not yet," she replied, her voice tinged with concern. "But no news is good news, right?"

Dante nodded, though worry was etched on his face. "Yeah, I suppose. I just hope he's okay."

As the smell of sizzling bacon filled the kitchen, the others began to gather around the table, drawn by the promise of breakfast and the need for comfort.

Issabella, still in her pajamas, rubbed her eyes and took a seat. "Any updates?" she asked, echoing Dante's concern.

Valentina shook her head. "Not yet. But Luca promised he'd call as soon as there's any news."

Just as she finished speaking, Valentina's phone buzzed on the counter. Valentina quickly wiped her hands on a towel and picked it up, her heart racing as she saw Luca's name on the screen.

"It's Luca," she announced, putting the phone on speaker so everyone could hear.

"Hey, Val," Luca's voice came through, sounding tired but steady. "Raf woke up for a bit. He's stable, but he's still pretty weak. The doctors say he's going to need some time to recover, but he's going to be okay."

A collective sigh of relief swept through the room. Issabella wiped away a tear, and Dante clapped a hand on Valentina's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"That's great news, Luca," Valentina said, her voice breaking with emotion. "Thank you for letting us know."

"Of course," Luca replied. "Listen, I'll stay here with Raf for now, but you all should come by later. He'll want to see everyone. Especially Valentina."

"We will," Valentina promised. "Take care of him, Luca. And take care of yourself too."

"I will," Luca assured her. "See you all soon."

As the call ended, the room was filled with a renewed sense of hope. Valentina turned back to the stove, her movements lighter now.

"Who was that?" Carlos said walking into the kitchen rubbing his eyes.

Valentina turned to face Carlos, her eyes still glistening with emotion. "It was Luca," she said, her voice a mix of relief and joy. "Raf woke up. He's stable, but he needs time to recover."

Carlos let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "That's a huge relief," he said, a smile breaking across his face. "I was so worried."

"Yeah, we all were," Issabella added, her tone soft but filled with gratitude. "But he's going to be okay."

Dante nodded, his expression more relaxed now. "We should all head to the hospital later. Raf will want to see us."

Valentina nodded in agreement as she resumed cooking. "Definitely. But for now, let's eat and gather our strength. We need to be there for him."

As the group settled around the table, the atmosphere was markedly lighter. The scent of breakfast filled the air.

Carlos took a seat next to Issabella and reached for a piece of bacon. "Mum would you join us when we go to visit Rafael?"

Issabella taking a sip of her coffee. "I have some business I have to attend to but I'll catch up with you all soon as I'm done."

"How about Dad I haven't heard anything from him since yesterday?" Carlos added.

"I'll check on him later on, you all know your father. His a very busy man and he'll only call once he has time." Issabella replied taking another sip of her coffee.

"I know but we were attacked the other day shouldn't he be here I mean the family's mansion was destroyed, burnt down to the ground, Two of he's sons are hospitalized and all he's thinking about is work." Carlos fumed as he looked at his mother.

"How dare you speak like that of your father does everything he can to provide and protect this family, has always put the family first, even if it doesn't always seem that way. And here you are making look like your father doesn't give a damn about your brothers." Issabella said sharply with her eyes flashed with a mix of anger and hurt.

"Does he? Does he actually care about them, about us the family? We don't even have any damn clue as to why he went for that business trip. He just disappeared like he always does." Carlos argued back irritatingly.

The tension in the room was palpable as Carlos and Issabella exchanged heated words. The rest of the group fell silent, their eyes darting between mother and son. Not knowing how they should try stop the argument.