"What do you an you want Emma? She’s just a child." I asked slowly, my voice shaking with rage, which I tried to control.
He didn’t flinch seeing my reaction; instead, he replied calmly, which unexpectedly fueled my anger, "I know."
"Then why? What could you possibly want with a six-year-old?" I spat out, slamming the table so hard that even my hand went numb for a mont. Everything on that desk jumped.
Almost everything flew in the air, and the mont everything settled, an awkward silence fell as the tension rose in the surrounding, nearly making any person choke, but not . Not this ti.
My breaths were ragged as I did my best not to jump on him, grabbing him by his collar to get my answers.
He was silent for a few seconds, his jaw tightening slightly as he was about to lose his shit, but I did not care. Emma was the only one whom I could all mine.
At least for now, and this stranger who is everything in the world but safe. He asked for her as if he were borrowing a pen.
His eye narrowed, but he kept his cool as he stated, "Because she isn’t just any child, Elena."
I felt the world tilt a little. "What do you an?"
He sighed and kept his mouth shut before he leaned forward, putting his elbows on the desk.
His voice was low now, asured, " In my world, one person could be jeopardized for every reason, and one of them was not having an heir."
I froze as my stomach twisted, warning of an upcoming storm.
"What are you trying to say?" I demanded, though I knew what he was about to say, yet I hoped it might be entirely different from what I was thinking.
He exhaled slowly, his fingers tracing the edge of the desk, almost as if he was choosing his words carefully, "I can’t give you the right answer," he said at last.
"Not one that will make you understand, but if you let her be introduced as my daughter... officially, then I will do anything for you. Anything you ask. And Emma..." he paused, his gaze softening slightly, "Emma would get a na. A legacy. A whole empire to herself."
The words hung in the air, thick and suffocating. It stung badly.
I stared at him, my pulse pounding in my ears.
He was offering everything...power, security, influence, but for the wrong reason.
A bitter laugh slipped out of before I could stop it, "You are offering an empire to a child who still sleeps hugging a stuffed rabbit."
He did not flinch. For a mont, if he had any heart, was he just so emotionless psycho?
"I am offering her a future, Elena. Sothing better than what you can give her now." His words stung like venom, spreading all across my body like lightning.
That was it. I thought to myself.
That one line made my blood boil again.
I moved closer, my tone sharp. "Better? You think power and money make things better?"
He tilted his head slightly, unbothered, "It makes things safer."
"Safer?" I repeated, my voice rising despite myself.
"Do you even hear yourself? You think giving her your na, a mafia na, will make her safe?"
His expression darkened, but I didn’t stop.
"She’s not so naless orphan you can just claim, Matteo. She’s mine. She has a na, and she definitely has a family."
My throat tightened as the words poured out faster, stronger. "She’s the only pure thing left in my life, and I will not let you drag her into your ss just because you need an heir to polish your image."
He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "Enough."
The word ca out sharp, final.
I could feel my entire body trembling from anger, fear, and protectiveness. All of them were tangled together.
He sat still for a mont, watching , his expression unreadable.
Then he said, "You don’t understand what kind of world you are up against, Elena. A na like mine can protect her from things you can’t even imagine."
I t his gaze head-on.
"And what about the things that na will bring to her door? You can give her an empire, Matteo. Fine, but can you give her a long and happy life where she doesn’t have to look over her shoulder every second?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
He didn’t answer. He couldn’t.
His face hardened, the muscles in his jaw flexing as if he wanted to argue but knew there was no point.
And that silence...that heavy, defeated silence told everything I needed to know.
I know I was right.
No empire, no wealth, no power in the world could give Emma peace.
Only love could. And love didn’t need a na, or a title, or a damn empire.
My voice ca out low, controlled, but with enough steel to cut through the air."Emma doesn’t need your protection, Matteo. She needs her mother, and as long as I am alive, she will have that."
He looked away briefly, his fingers curling into a fist on the table. I could tell he did not like being told no... not by anyone, and especially not by .
I took a slow step back, straightening my posture, "This conversation is over."
When he didn’t respond, I turned sharply and walked toward the door. My heart was pounding in my chest so hard it felt like it might burst out.
I was almost at the door when his voice stopped .
"Elena." His voice made stop in my tracks.
I froze but didn’t turn.
His tone was calm again, too calm, "You might think I am the villain here, but soday, you will see that what I offered was not a threat. It was a shield."
I turned slowly, eting his eyes across the dimly lit office.
"Maybe," I paused before I completed my sentence, "But shields can crush just as easily as they protect."
His expression didn’t change, but I could see sothing flicker in his eyes. Maybe frustration, maybe sothing else entirely.
I reached for the door handle, but before walking out, I looked back one last ti,"If you ever co near her without my permission, Matteo, I swear you will regret it."
My voice was low, but it carried enough venom to make even him pause.
He leaned back in his chair, arms crossing lazily, "Are you threatening now?"
I gave him a cold smile, "No. I’m promising you."
And with that, I walked out, slamming the door behind .
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