My Husband is a Mafia Boss

As we stood in line at the movie theater concession stand, the scent of buttered popcorn and sizzling hot dogs filled the air. My friend, Lily, and I were debating what snacks to buy for the movie. "I'm thinking nachos with extra cheese," I said, eyeing the tantalizing display. Lily wrinkled her nose. "I don't eat meat, I'm not a carnival." I blinked, trying to stifle a laugh. "You mean carnivore, Lily?" She grinned sheepishly. "Right, carnivore. Well, you get what I mean. Let's go for the popcorn instead." I just chuckled as we made our selections, Lily opting for a large bucket of buttered popcorn, while I decided on the nachos with a giant soda on the side. As we walked towards our movie, Lily was already halfway through her bucket of popcorn, we saw Christopher with his girlfriend at the end of the line, heading for the theater room opposite ours. We waved at him. His girlfriend, sensing us, immediately tugged at his sleeves and urged him to get to the front of the line. Of course, Christopher did as she asked. God knows she might raise another hell inside the theater if he doesn’t listen to her for once. Lily just clicked her tongue, shaking her head as she frowned at her cousin. “I swear it’s the shortest people with the worst tantrums.” She took a sip from my soda, and I pushed her off. “What does he even see in her? With their height difference, I swear that s**t counts as a long-distance relationship. And look at what she’s wearing. Rainbow? Really? She looks like the puddle at a gas station!” “Okay, that’s enough.” I pushed her towards the line for our theater and gave everyone who heard her little rant an apologetic smile. “People can hear you, you know?” I swear, Lily is a sweet person. She’s just a little ... how do you say this? Harsh, I guess? We were finally told to come in after a couple of minutes in line. As Lily and I made our way to our seats in the crowded theater, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement bubbling up inside me. We'd been waiting weeks to see this movie, and finally, the moment was here. But as we reached our row, I quickly realized that getting to our seats was not going to be that easy. The row was packed with people, and trying to squeeze past them without stepping on toes or spilling popcorn was like navigating a maze. This is why I told Lily to come in at least an hour early. But of course, she didn’t listen. "Excuse me, sorry, excuse me," I muttered, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment as I accidentally brushed against a stranger's arm. Lily laughed beside me, her voice filled with amusement. "I swear, they must have shrunk the aisles in this place!" Finally, after what felt like an eternity of awkward shuffling and apologizing, we managed to slip into our seats. I sighed in relief as I sank into the plush cushion, grateful to finally be settled. But just as I was about to relax and focus on the movie, Lily nudged me with her elbow, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Psst, Ava, check it out," she whispered, nodding her head towards the row behind us. I turned around, my curiosity piqued, and a pair of dark, deep-set eyes met mine. I whirled my head to face the screen so fast I swear I heard something snap. With his tousled hair, sharp jaw, and clean-shaven face, I could almost swear that he was a model. "He's cute," Lily whispered, her voice barely containing her excitement. I nudged her with an elbow knowing all too well that he might be listening, and pushed away the feeling of a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Don’t be too obvious!" But Lily was beyond caring about subtlety. She leaned back in her seat, her eyes fixed on the cute guy behind us, and let out an exaggerated sigh. "Sorry, I just can't help myself. It's not every day you find eye candy at the movies!" “Eye candy? Who the f**k says that?” She turned to me. “Me. I said that.” I just shook my head, unable to suppress my laughter, and sank down on my seat, biting down on a nacho. The theater was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the flickering screen as eerie music filled the air. I sat on the edge of my seat for what felt like thirty minutes, gripping the armrests as if my life depended on it. Next to me, my friend Lily was equally just as tense, her knuckles turning white from her grip on the popcorn bucket. Suddenly, a jump scare erupted on the screen, causing me to yelp and physically fly off of the seat. In my frenzy, I forgot that I was still holding onto my soda. When I got back to my seat, I noticed that it was already empty. I remember only drinking half of it. Where the hell did the rest— "Oh s**t!" I exclaimed, mortified, as I turned around to face the guy behind me who looked like he just gone for a swim, the soda dripping off of his hair and down his chin. He wiped it off of him, his eyes widening in disbelief as he took in the mess that now adorned his expensive-looking shirt. "Seriously?" he exclaimed, his voice a mixture of shock and annoyance. "I-I'm so sorry!" I stammered, frantically searching for napkins or anything to help clean up the mess. But as I dabbed ineffectually at the stain, it became apparent that the damage was done. The soda had seeped into the fabric, leaving an indelible mark that no amount of blotting could erase. "I'll pay for the dry cleaning!" I blurted out, my cheeks burning with embarrassment even though I knew that I only have like a dollar left in my wallet. He glared at the side of my head as I turned to Lily for help. Lily just bit the inside of her cheek and looked at me with a flushed expression. The guy stood up from his seat and tapped me on the shoulder, urging me to follow him. I stared hard at Lily, but she just shook her head at me. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, flashing me her wallet which was now also empty apart from a random coupon that was now two months expired. I just sighed and stood up. ... GIOVANNI CARUSO’S POV As the soda dripped down my white shirt, I felt a surge of anger rising within me. "Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed, glaring at the girl who had just spilled her drink all over me. She winced, her eyes widening in horror. "I-I'm so sorry!" she stammered, frantically dabbing at the stain with a napkin. "Great, just great," I muttered, running a hand through my hair in frustration. Realizing that we needed to resolve this issue as soon as possible, I gestured toward the men's bathroom. "Come on, let's see if we can clean this up." We ducked into the bathroom, the fluorescent lights casting a harsh glow over the tiled walls. I grabbed a wet paper towel, took my shirt off, and began scrubbing at the stain, hoping against hope that it would miraculously disappear. But as I scrubbed, the stain only seemed to grow larger, spreading across the pristine white fabric like a stubborn shadow. "It's not coming out," the girl said, her voice filled with dismay. I sighed, feeling a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach. "There's only one solution," the girl said suddenly, her eyes wide with realization. I glanced at her, curious. "What do you mean?" She hesitated for a moment, her expression conflicted. And then, without warning, she turned and bolted out of the bathroom, leaving me standing there, half-naked. "Hey, wait!" I called after her, but it was too late. She was gone, disappearing into the crowded hallway like a ghost. I stared after her for a moment, feeling a mixture of anger and bewilderment. And then, with a resigned sigh, I realized that she had ditched me. She made a mess of my shirt and now she’s embarrassing me by leaving me all alone like this? And half-naked at that, too? Who the hell does she think she is?