~The lost one~

chapter 43

** Giovanni's POV**

After dinner, Simi headed to her room, and the rest of us scattered—some going back to work, others to the gym or heading out.

I found myself lingering, almost unwilling to leave the dining room, feeling a strange buzz in the air. I mean, I couldn't remember the last time we all sat down together like that. Everyone. In the same room. No fights. No yelling. Just... eating dinner. And for what? Because Simi showed up? She hasn't even been here a full day, and somehow the atmosphere has shifted,

like someone opened a window and let fresh air in.

It was weird, but in a good way.

As I made my way back to my room, I realized the house felt warmer—like it had taken on some new energy I hadn't felt in years. Everything looked the same—the grand halls, the dim lights, the expensive art pieces lining the walls—but it didn't feel the same. For the first time, the mansion didn't feel like a cold fortress. It actually felt like a home again.

And I knew it was because of Simi. She brought something back with her, something we all needed but were too stubborn to admit. I couldn't put my finger on it, but it felt damn good, like I could finally breathe for the first time in a long while.

When I got to my room, I didn't even bother turning the lights on. I just sat on the edge of the bed, my mind buzzing. Then, something tugged at my memory.

That box.

The little one I'd hidden away in the back of my closet. It held all the letters I wrote to Simi over the years. Letters she'll never read, things I never had the guts to say out loud. When the days got hard or I missed her so bad it hurt, I wrote to her. I poured everything out onto paper because it was the only way I knew how to deal with it. And I kept them to myself. Not because I was ashamed or anything, but because it was my thing. My way of dealing with the emptiness that came with her being gone.

I thought about pulling out the box, reading through the letters, but then I thought better of it. Nah. Tonight wasn't the night to go down that road. Maybe another time. Instead, I grabbed the controller and started up Call of Duty.

Sometimes, you just need to zone out and blow off some steam, and nothing does that better than shooting virtual enemies in the face.

I lost track of time as I got into the game, but around 10:15 PM, my phone buzzed on the desk. A message from the family group chat: **Meeting in the room on the second floor in an hour. Vittorio's orders.**

I grinned. Perfect. That meant I had at least an hour to play. **Let's goooo!**

Half an hour into the game, something pulled me out of my focus. My thoughts drifted to Simi again. I wondered if she was sleeping yet or if she was lying awake, thinking about everything she'd been through. I didn't know her well enough to tell if she was the type who could just shut it all out or if it would keep her up at night. "I should probably check on her later," I thought, "Just to be sure she's okay." Not that I'm overprotective or anything. I mean, I hadn't seen her in years, but still... she's family. And family watches out for each other, right?

The hour flew by, and before I knew it, it was time for the meeting. I grabbed my jacket and headed to the second floor. As expected, when I walked into the meeting room, everyone else was already there. Oops. Guess I was a little late. Not that it mattered—Vittorio wasn't exactly punctual himself, so it didn't look too bad. I just slipped into my usual spot, which, of course, was empty since I'm the third oldest.

Dad sat at the head of the table, his usual spot, looking as unreadable as ever. Each of my brothers sat in their designated chairs, lined up from oldest to youngest, leaving my seat, the third one, open for me. I slid into the comfy leather chair and took a quick glance around.

Everyone was here: Luca, Antonio, Rancho, Enzo, and Fabio. All lined up like some kind of mafia roll call.

As I leaned back in my seat, I couldn't help but feel curious. What was this meeting about?

The business was running smooth, no major issues to deal with. There hadn't been any threats from rival groups, no crazy situations we needed to handle.

So, why the sudden family meeting?

I stayed quiet, waiting for Vittorio to start talking. My brothers seemed equally puzzled, except for Luca, who looked like he knew something the rest of us didn't.

Classic.

Always keeping things close to his chest.

I glanced over at Antonio, who gave me a small shrug, like, No idea what's going on either, bro.

Rancho was scrolling through his phone, looking completely uninterested, while Enzo and Fabio were whispering to each other about something I couldn't quite catch.

Hey, think this is about Simi?" Fabio suddenly whispered to Enzo, loud enough for me to hear.

"Wouldn't be surprised," Enzo muttered back, raising an eyebrow at me. "She did just drop into our lives out of nowhere. Maybe Dad's got something to say about it."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't deny the thought. Simi had changed the atmosphere around here, no doubt. Whether this meeting was about her or not, she was definitely on everyone's minds.