The Mafia's Queen

|Ch 29| The Mafia's Queen

"An angel in disguise"

On the other side of Rome Estephano was in his room looking at Stephanie's photograph.

The flimsy crinkled photograph having been positioned between his thumb and pointer finger for ages so much so that it was a miracle the ink hadn't transferred to his skin with how long he had desperately clutched the photograph.

The piercing sound of a soft tune echoing through the enormous white marbled mansion makes its way to Estephano's bare room. The sound of the door opening and loud chatter which he heard all through just the smallest crack of his door, caused his stomach to churn with dread of what his future held.

Dinner would be torture, that was for sure.

It seems that the Cortes family had arrived an hour early, no surprise there. The Cortes family and leaders of the cartel in Latin America were reliable and VERY punctual when it came to meetings and clearly, business dinners, which was exactly what this was, to Estephano at least.

On a contrary to what Estephano thought about this gathering, his father and disgracefully even his mother saw this initial gathering as the first of the many family dinners the trio would be having for here on out.

It was a shame that they all believed Estephano would be foolish enough to marry Athena. He would not marry someone he did not love. If he couldn't have Stephanie then he wouldn't have anyone. 

Staring out into the starry night sky his mind once again draws back to the image of Stephanie. And with the image of her beautiful rosy cheeks, silk golden locks and petite frame he begins to wonder if she too was looking at the moon, thinking about him.

Was she reminiscing on the memories they created in such a short time frame or what about the connection they shared when they were in the secret room, their secret world... Was she thinking about those minutes like he was?

'No, of course not. She's probably cuddling with her blue-eyed boy.' He scoffs bitterly before throwing the small glass cup back and emptying the poisonous liquid into his mouth.

What's a little scotch to numb the pain or even forget his problems.

"Stephanie..."He mutters touching the fogging glass window of his room.

His pointer finger smoothly tracing the surface until 'Stephanie' was elegantly scribbled over the fogged up window.

Estephano goes to take another sip of his drink when nothing comes from the now empty glass leaving him frustrated and unquenched. Giving off a loud groan when he hears his mother sweetly call him down to greet their guests he clenches shut his eyes before tiredly resting his warm forehead against the cool glass.

When he didn't come down Melanie's heels clanking up the white marble staircase could be heard and Estephano didn't even react to the sound of his door being pushed open nor did he give his mother his attention when her small hands rested on his shoulder. Her motherly instincts telling her her son needed her to comfort him, but he didn't want her comfort. All he wanted was a certain blond female to be in his arms.

When Estephano didn't turn to look at her Melanie sighed and gently led her son to the edge of his bed where she sat to his left, her hand clutching onto his in a motherly manner. It was silent for five minutes, which Melanie used to gather her thoughts and words.

Hesitantly she swallows the lump in her throat and her soft voice fills the room like a silent echo, "Honey, everyone is waiting for you. Why don't you come down." She says softly, her knees brushing with his.