Her Mafia Husband's Mistress

Chapter three

Two hours in the cold was not enough to douse Adalina, but it served as a reminder of what had happened. She had dismissed Pedrov even though he had insisted on keeping watch over her. As she walked alone along the corridors of the building, her steps light and soundless, she could hear it echo loudly after her and the footfalls left prints on her heart. She was being followed.

Marcello must be scared for his pregnant mistress.

Was he thinking that a warrior was enough to keep her away if she wanted to attack.

Pedrov had said words of reminder to her before he left; this big house was her home, but it didn't serve the purpose of sheltering her. No place was home; she belonged nowhere. Not with her father nor her husband, she was all alone.

She, Adalina was a pawn used to merge two powerful mafia families. Whether the bond remained was her responsibility and if it severed would it be her fault?

Marcello Martini had broken one of the vows that bound the contract, what would Mikhailov Sokolov do. Was the well-being of his mistress more important than his family?

She rubbed her temple as her head pounded heavily, in a long time, she was tired. And betrayed.

Her father was right, after all, expectations beget disappointments.

Adalina could not contain the wariness that engulfed her as she punched in the passcode to their suite; the matriarch must keep that oneness, but she was matriarch, and there was no home.

His eyes, the same eyes she found fascinating are haunting her; that look that promised wrath should she do anything, those eyes that had never spoken in that manner for her spoke for someone that wasn't her. It stung, still does.

He had an affair, and the evidence stood there glaring to everyone's eyes. Why is it her that is suffering all the humiliation, why?

She pushed the door open and it was pitch black inside. She strained her ears to listen to breaths, but there was none present.

She could not believe that she still had any hope left of him being in their room. Her lashes fluttered as her eyes filled with tears, but they never fell.

Her Adalina Solokov, would not shed tears for an undeserving man.

She pulled sluggishly at her sweatshirt but the craving for a blazing hot bath was evidenced by the sound of tears, flinging off the cloth, she tiptoed into the bathroom with her trousers still on. She was too tired, she needed something to wake her up.

To wake up from the nightmare.

She had just lost her child, her hope. He had just lost his child, they had both did.

She was a few days before delivery and she lost the baby. She could not protect her child and now she could not protect the marriage on the verge of destruction. Adalina was tired.

She palmed her engorged breast that was still lactating in a tight fist, and her other hand pounded her chest.

"What is wrong with me, what is wrong with me", the tightness in her chest growing so fast that her cheat could hardly contain it.

A soft sob left her mouth and she bit her bottom lip to keep it in.

The tightly fitted trousers were now constricting due to wetness. She pulled harshly at them but tripped and banged her head heavily against the translucent glass.

She sat with reddened half-cooked skin on the warm tiled floor and watched with a dazed look as scorched water went down the drain.

Her child. She should be holding by now. Her answered prayer; her reprieve. Her son.

She was barely alive, still mourning, but he deemed her strong enough to take such news.

He had overestimated her endurance.

Her raven hair matted on her head, and the breastmilk a molten magma that trailed down her chest.

She didn't know how long she sat there, but by the time she dried herself it was past two in the morning, and her skin had shrank.

She pulled the duvet over her naked body, unwilling to let anything hinder her sleep, she thought of her baby brother and a small smile pulled at the corner of her lips. Soon after she was asleep.

It was time for lunch when she walked down the stairs, there they sat eating as if it wasn't just last night something happened.

Caralina and Lovetta, these two people were lashes in her eyes. They refuse to go off.

Her eyes trailed down her body to her protruding stomach; this constant reminder was hard for her to swallow.

And why does she have to look so good in it; Caralina was practically glowing in the seat that was meant to be hers. The effrontery.

A magpie trying out the seat of a Phoenix nest.

The facade fits her perfectly, unfortunately, it isn't hers to try.

The heaviness she had barely tried to contain flooded back in, and her chest heaved as she tried to contain the fury.

The moment she stepped into the room, the maids stilled to offer greetings.

" Good afternoon, Madam", their expressions empty as though it was a regular day.

As she walked towards the seat, their neck bowed lower, and their eyes darted towards Caralina in worry.

How ironic. She isn't a ticking time bomb.

"Caralina? Adalina held the back of her chair with a relaxed posture.

Caralina hummed in reply, but her hands didn't stop picking at the plate of food.

" Get up", She ordered softly. Caralina looked up at her and the look in Adalina's eyes promised destruction should she disobey.

The sound of cutleries banging against the table pulled Adalina's attention from Caralina "No manners, you lack manners. Were you taught anything at all. You should have stayed cooped up in that room forever, hiding, because that is the only place you can ever own here", Lovetta's voice was thick with an Italian accent.

The smile on Adalina's lips widened and she looked comical. The words about to spill from Lovetta's thin lips seized.

" Caralina, the Donna ordered you to vacate that seat", Camilla the head of the female warriors reminded in a hardened tone.

Adalina's left brow raised in mockery at Lovetta.

How had she forgotten, she has the female warriors at her disposal as the Donna.

"Seat", Lovetta instructed Caralina.

" This home is mine", she raised a daring brow at Adalina. Caralina smirked victoriously, before casting Adalina a mischievous look.

"Have them removed", Adalina commanded, a notable annoyance tinging her voice. These days, these people evoke emotions she never thought she had.

Camilla signaled to her subordinate and as they made to carry out the order Lovetta bellowed

"How dare you, I am the Matriarch of the Martini"

Caralina placed her right hand on her belly as if to remind them that she carries the Don's heir.

"Was, Lovetta, was. Have you not been told that I married Marcello Martini who happens to be your son, and the current Lord", Adalina bent slightly, with her palms on the table to look into her beweirded blue eyes.

Her teeth gritted in fury " Such disrespect, I shall not condone",

"Then have yourself removed",

Lovetta's chest heaved heavily.

" Speaking of place, I shall see how long you can protect yours", Caralina inputs.

"For as long as she was able to protect her child", Lovetta added viciously.

Adalina's heart dropped to her stomach, and she felt acid rising in her gut. Her head buzzed for a while as though been concussed. Her face hardened.

" You shouldn't worry about the child I failed to protect, you should worry about how you would protect yours", She glanced down Caralina's tummy with feignly concealed wickedness.

"You wouldn't dare, Marcello will kill you", Caralina hugged her belly.

" Watch your mouth", Lovetta added

" I did not say anything about hurting, did I? I hate talking", Adalina glanced meaningfully at Camilla.

"Cooperate with us or you will be forcefully removed", Camilla advised. She had seen Adalina fight her way up; from being a Matriarch by title to one with substance. She is the one her Camilla had chosen to follow. She had failed to protect her, and the scene of her hugging her belly in her own blood begging in desperation for the life of her child would not stop haunting her. She had failed, woefully.

Now a mistress is trying to share her home, her Camilla will not stand for it.

She had no right to judge the Don, but he had failed as a husband.

Lovetta wiped slowly at her clean lips saucily, before slowly rising from her seat " You have not seen the last of me",

Adalina knew she was stalling.

Caralina looked up at Lovetta wanting to protest, but the look in Lovetta's eyes made her shut her lips. She was unreconciled.

They had lost, and she was carrying his heir. No worries, there is still time, yet she could not stop her face from contorting in fury nor could she bring herself to get up from that seat, and her hands gripped the armrests.

"Miss Caralina", Camilla warned.

" It's Madam, Madam", She yelled in correction.

"Your pregnancy has not afforded you that....yet", Camilla softly reminded. Caralina's eyes reddened as vessels stood erect in them.

" Wait till I tell Marcello of this", Caralina threatened before storming off after Lovetta.

"For our sake, I sure hope it never does", someone muttered in the background, and they all smiled.

Hopefully, she will remain a mistress.

Without another glance at the seat, Adalina walked away. Whether she wanted it or not was her business, but no one is allowed to take it.