CHAPTER THIRTEEN- Threads of Trust
904 Words
Standing barefoot on the tiled kitchen floor was Elena, trying to roll out dough under the warm guidance of Lidia, the estate’s head housekeeper. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of rosemary, baked bread, and fresh tomatoes. The sun peeked through the wide windows, casting streaks of gold on the marble counters. It was peaceful—almost too peaceful.
Lidia hummed a song softly in Italian, her fingers moved with practiced ease as she sliced onions.
“You’ve gotten better,” the older woman smiled, looking at Elena’s clumsy attempt at shaping ravioli.
Elena began laughing, smearing a little flour on her cheek. “Better is still far from good.”
“Nonsense. You’re learning. It takes time,” Lidia replied with a warm, motherly tone. But her eyes—Elena noticed—didn’t quite match the softness of her voice. They darted around the kitchen often, and her posture would stiffen every time someone entered.
There was something off.
Elena had spent the past few days shadowing Lidia in the kitchen to keep herself busy—and sane. But today, something about Lidia’s quiet unease clung to the air like smoke.
Before Elena ask her what the matter was, the kitchen door opened.
Luca stepped in, his black shirt rolled up to the sleeves, revealing a forearm laced with scars and a silver watch. “Lady Elena, the boss wants to see you in the study now.”
Lidia gave him a tight-lipped nod before returning back to her stew.
Elena dusted her hands on her apron before removing it, feeling her stomach full with nerves.
She walked towards his study which was on the second floor, just off the hallway lined with old family portraits. She knocked before entering cautiously, then she saw him standing there—by the window, dressed in a sharp Navy blue suit, hands in his pockets, she did notice his gaze was cool but softer than the last time they spoke.
“I have something for you,” he said.
Her brow lifted. “What’s that?”
He brought out a small black envelope from the side drawer and handed it to her. Inside, a beautiful sleek black credit card gleamed under the light.
“I meant to give this to you the day after our wedding, but the bank was delayed.”
“A black card?” she blinked, surprised.
“For whatever you need. Clothes. Accessories. Security upgrades for your devices. Whatever makes you comfortable here.” His tone was unreadable.
Elena opened her mouth to respond, but he cut in with a note of warning. “Luca will remain with you. You don’t go anywhere alone. That’s not up for discussion.”
“I understand,” she murmured.
“And Elena,” he added, his voice lower, “you’re not just my wife by name. People are watching. They want to see if you’re worthy of being a queen. There’s going to be a meeting... with the Five Families.”
Her heart stilled.
“Do I need to say anything?” she asked quietly.
“No,” Leonardo replied. “Just be there. Stand beside me.”
He paused and looked at her for sometime—she couldn’t understand what the look meant. Then he turned back to his desk, silently dismissing her.
***
Later that afternoon, Luca drove her into the city. The car was sleek and bulletproof, with blacked-out windows and a quiet hum that masked the world outside. She noticed them—two bikes and a black sedan following at a respectable distance.
“Are those your people?” she asked, her fingers curling around the card in her lap.
Luca gave a small smirk. “What gave it away? The matching sunglasses or the synchronized lane changes?”
Elena laughed despite herself. “You’re actually funny.”
“You’d be surprised,” he winked. “I wasn’t always Mafia muscle. I studied acting for six months.”
She raised an eyebrow in mock surprise.
“Okay, it was one workshop. And I flunked out. But I did play a tree in a school play once. Hey, why don't we come up with a code word like ‘Cardinal’, what do you think?”
“I like it,” she replied
Her soft laughter filled the car. For the first time since the wedding, the nervousness in her chest loosened a bit. Luca had a way of making things feel less heavy.
“Is this life... always like this?” she asked, staring out the window.
Luca hesitated. “It has its shadows. But not all of us live in the dark. Leonardo—he walks a tight line. Keeps a lot of people safe.”
Elena turned to him, her voice small. “And Lidia? Do you trust her?”
His jaw tensed slightly.
“She’s been here since Leonardo’s father ruled. She’s loyal. But… keep your guard up. Always.”
She nodded, taking that advice to heart.
After hours of shopping, trying on designer dresses, and selecting shoes for the upcoming meeting, they returned to the estate as the sun began to dip.
As she stepped inside, Elena felt the weight of it all. The rumors in the underground. The meeting ahead. The unspoken warnings in Leonardo’s gaze.
But something was shifting.
She was no longer just trying to survive.
She was starting to learn how to stand.
- Writer
