Why the Mafia’s Wife Kills Chapter 18
By our third year of marriage, my studio had opened a branch.
Lucius’s company went public in New York.
Its value doubled.
We were both busy, but we never missed dinner together.
On weekends, we took Sunne to the park.
Meanwhile, the Lombardi Group collapsed.
I didn’t know the details.
Those shares meant nothing to me anymore.
I had no financial worries, no longing for my old life.
The day the news broke, Dante showed up at my door.
He wore a wrinkled suit. His hair was messy.
His eyes were sunken. He looked like a homeless man.
“Simone.” His voice was rough.
“I… I have nowhere to go.”
“Come in.” I said.
Dante sat on the sofa, stiff and awkward.
All his old pride was gone.
Sunne was playing with toy blocks.
She stared at him curiously.
I poured him a glass of water.
“Drink this.”
“Thanks.” He took it. His hand shook.
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
Dante shook his head.
“The company failed. They made me the scapegoat.
The family disowned me.
They only care about saving what’s left.”
Dante looked up at me.
“Simone, I dream about the past every night.
I dream about you.
I’m going crazy.”
“Then go see a doctor.”
“I did. It didn’t help.”
Dante stood up and paced the living room.
“Simone, can I… can I borrow some money?
I’ll pay you back as soon as I find a job.”
I said nothing.
I looked at the broken man in front of me.
I felt no joy. Only pity.
“How much do you need?” I asked.
“Ten thousand.” Dante said.
“No-five thousand is enough.
Just to rent a place and find work…”
“I’ll give you two hundred thousand.”
i said.
“No payback. But this is the last time.
Dante, take the money and leave this city.
Start over sotnewhere else.
Don’t come back to find me again.”
Dante froze. His eyes reddened.
“Why?” he asked.
“Why are you helping me?”
“Because of Sunne.”
I looked at my daughter.
“I want her to know her mother isn’t cold-hearted.”
I looked back at Dante.
“At least you led me to the man who truly loves me.”
Tears rolled down Dante’s face. He wiped them quickly.
“Thank you.” he said.
“Simone, thank you.”
I handed him a card with two hundred thousand dollars inside.
He took it, looked at me one last time, then turned and left.
He paused at the door.
“Simone… does Lucius treat you well?”
“He does.”
“Good.”
Dante smiled bitterly.
“Live well. I’m… leaving now.”
The door closed.
Sunne ran over and hugged my leg.
“Mommy, why was he crying?”
“Because he made mistakes.”
I lifted her up.
“Will he fix them?”
“I hope so.” I said.
When Lucius came home that night, I told him what happened.
Lucius didn’t say much.
He just held me in his arms.
“But I respect your choice.
If you wanted to help him, then help him.
Just make sure you know what you’re doing.”
“Thank you.” I said.
Life went back to peace.
Dante took the money and left the city.
Some said he went to Las Vegas.
Others said he moved abroad.
I didn’t know where.
I didn’t care.
Lucius’s business kept growing,
but he came home every night on time,
to be with Sunne and me.
Sunne turned three and started preschool.
Lucius dropped her off and picked her up every single day.
He said he wanted to watch his little girl grow up.
On weekends, we went on picnics.
Sunne ran around on the grass.
Lucius and I sat on the blanket watching her.
“Lucius.” I said suddenly.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For loving me.
For teaching me how to love again.”
Lucius smiled and leaned in to kiss my forehead.
“You idiot.” he said.
“I should be thanking you.
For marrying me.
For giving me our perfect daughter.
For making my life complete.”
Sunne ran back and threw herself into our arms.
“Mommy, Daddy! Look, flowers!”
She held a tiny wildflower, light purple petals.
“For Mommy.”
Sunne handed it to me.
“Mommy pretty.”
I took the flower and smiled.
“What about Daddy?” Lucius teased.
Sunne thought for a second, then ran off.
She picked a yellow flower and gave it to Lucius.
“Daddy pretty too!”
We both laughed.
The sun was warm.
Sunne’s laughter sounded like wind chimes.
I leaned my head on Lucius’s shoulder
and watched our daughter run across the grass.