Mafia's Obsession

• L •

Sophia's chest tightened, her vision blurring as tears filled her eyes.
How could he do this?
He knew how important this cafe was to her, how hard she had worked to make it on her own.
She hadn't even taken money from her father, determined to prove her independence and capability. And yet, here was Luciano, secretly funding the majority of it, keeping her in the dark.
A lump formed in her throat, and she wiped at her cheeks, catching stray tears that betrayed her anger, disappointment, and hurt. She felt betrayed by the one person she trusted completely.
Just then, her phone buzzed, interrupting her spiraling thoughts. It was Luciano.
"Hey, I'm outside," he said. "Ready to go?"
Sophia didn't respond, too stunned and heartbroken to answer him. After 15 minutes of waiting, Luciano must have sensed something was wrong, because she heard footsteps approaching. He entered and spotted her sitting by herself, her shoulders slumped, her face streaked with tears.
"Sophia?" he said, his voice laced with worry as he walked over to her. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Sophia didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the paper in her hands. Luciano's eyes dropped to the document, and recognition dawned across his face. His expression changed from concern to guilt as he took in the bold letters.
"Sophia..." He stepped closer, his tone gentle. "I can explain. Please, just listen to me-."
She looked up, her voice trembling. "Explain? Luciano, I worked so hard to make this happen on my own. This cafe means everything to me, and you know that. How could you keep this from me?"
He took a deep breath, searching her face. "I know it seems wrong, but I just wanted to help. I didn't want you to struggle—"
"I wasn't struggling!" she interrupted, her voice rising as she clutched the receipt tightly in her hands. "I was doing fine. I didn't need you to swoop in and rescue me, Luciano. I wanted to make this happen without anyone's help."
"I know, Sophia," he replied, his voice filled with regret. "I didn't mean to undermine you. I just... I wanted to make sure you had what you needed to make this place everything you dreamed of. It was meant as support, not control."
Sophia stood, folding her arms tightly across her chest. "But you didn't ask me! You knew why I waited this long, you knew how much I wanted to make it on my own! You didn't even believe in me."
His jaw clenched, and he took a step closer, his hands reaching out, though he hesitated, sensing her anger. "Sophia, I believe in you more than anyone. I swear, I never intended to make you feel small or incapable. You're stronger and more capable than you even realise."
She shook her head, her voice softer but filled with sadness. "Then why did you hide it? Why not tell me? You went behind my back."
Luciano's shoulders slumped as he let out a slow breath, his hands dropping to his sides. "You're right. I should have told you. I should have trusted that you'd understand my intentions."
Sophia's eyes searched his, the hurt and betrayal still clear in her gaze. "I don't know if I can forgive this... I could've easily asked my dad for help if I wanted to. It would've taken him 2 seconds to buy any property I wanted but I wanted to do this alone, to do it myself, you knew how important that was for me but you did it anyway."
A long silence fell between them, each grappling with their own emotions. Luciano took a step closer, his gaze imploring. "Sophia, please. Give me a chance to make this right. I'll do whatever it takes to rebuild your trust."
She looked away, tears still slipping down her cheeks. "I need some time," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I need to figure out how I feel about all of this. About us."
"Sophia-" He said but she cut him off.
"I need you to leave me alone...please"
Luciano nodded slowly, respecting her need for space. "I'll be outside, waiting for you."
He turned and left, giving her the space she asked for, leaving Sophia alone with her thoughts, heartbroken yet torn.
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