The Mafia Lord's Redemption

Chapter 3

The next morning, Amanda watched from her room window as the rain fell, its droplets drumming a steady beat on the ground. Her thoughts were occupied, and the gloomy dawn was an exact replica of how she felt.

The knock on the door slightly interrupted her thoughts. Without even turning, she said a small, “Come in.”

The door opened and silent steps walked in. She could hear the sound of Italian shoes, making her know that it was Kyle.

“We need to talk,” he said in a very serious tone.

With a small smile on her face, She turned towards him. His face was unreadable as he stood there in his black suit, his hands in his pocket.

“What about?” she asked with folded arms.

“I think we should get a divorce,” Kyle said as his jaw tightened.

For a few seconds, the words hung between them. She had expected many things to happen, this wasn't one of them. Not so fast at least.

"A divorce,’ Amanda repeated, moving away from the window as she was unable to keep calm. “What about my family's debt?” She asked.

“Consider it paid in full,” He replied dryly without missing a beat. “The divorce papers will be arranged by my attorney and I'll make sure you have everything you need.”

Amanda closely looked at him, searching for any hint of the man who had whispered promises on her skin two nights earlier, she searched for any c***k in his mask, but she found nothing.

“Why now, Kyle? What changed?” she asked. still unable to believe what was happening before her.

“Nothing has changed,” he replied flatly, “I don't feel anything towards you, I have never felt anything towards you. This arrangement is no longer needed.”

Amanda stepped closer to him, watching his eyes closely, “That's a lie,” she said, hoping what she said was true.

A muscle in his jaw jumped involuntarily, “Believe whatever you want,” Kyle said flatly.

“What about two nights ago and…”

“That was a mistake,” Kyle interrupted, “A moment of weakness that won't be repeated.”

“What about the other days and nights? Those are sure more than a moment of weakness,” Amanda reminded him.

“Same difference,” Kyle said simply, averting her eyes.

“You're just going to throw me out?” She asked, her anger giving way to the hurt she felt, “after all this time?”

Kyle's calm composure faltered for a moment as he sighed, “You can stay until you find another place, I'll provide all you need to start your life afresh.”

“Oh how generous of you,” Amanda said bitterly, “What if I don't want a divorce?”

For a moment, his eyes flashed with surprise or maybe it was hope Amanda saw, then just like that, it disappeared and Kyle stiffened again. “I won't discuss this again and there will be no negotiations either. Our marriage is over, Amanda.”

Before Amanda could answer, the loud chime of the doorbell resounded through the large hallways of the mansion, making Kyle frown as he looked at his watch.

Just as he was about to speak again, a soft knock on Amanda’s room door made him pause again.

“Sir,” Jenkins began as Kyle stepped out of her room, his usually serious face showing a hint of discomfort, “Mr Jason has arrived,” he said.

Kyle's shoulders suddenly stiffened, “what?” he asked, his tone barely repressing anger.

“He is in the main hall, Sir, and he has some…luggage with him,” Jenkins said

Without another words, Kyle pushed past Jenkins leaving Amanda standing behind him with her brows furrowed in confusion. After a few moments of pause, curiosity surpassed her anger and she followed him.

Close to the main entrance stood a guy who could only be Kyle's half-brother, Jason Bardolf. He had the same sharp cheekbones and piercing blue eyes as Kyle, but he was shorter and thinner. Where Kyle's eyes were a cold blue, Jason's were warmer, crinkling at the corners as he grinned when he saw Kyle charging towards him.

“Hello brother,” Jason greeted with a bright smile on his face, “Surprised to see me?”

Kyle stopped a few feet away from Jason and asked, “ what the hell are you doing here?”

Setting down the expensive designer bags he was holding, Jason replied, “This was still my house, last time I checked or have you suddenly forgotten our father's will?”

“You said you would not be back for at least one year,” Kyle said, rolling his eyes in anger.

“Plans change, brother,” Jason replied, his smile never leaving his face, “Prague became boring, so I thought I'd check in with my favorite half-brother,” he added as he looked behind Kyle and towards Amanda. “And you are my lovely sister-in-law, I suppose?”

Feeling the tension from Kyle's stress, Amanda took a careful step forward, “Amanda Lopez,” she confirmed, “You must be Jason.”

“The one and only,” he said as he stepped around Kyle, took Amanda's hand in his and kissed her knuckles dramatically. “Stunning. However, I have to say that you're not Kyle's usual type.”

“That's enough. Amanda, go back upstairs,” Kyle ordered, his tone taking a possessive turn.

“There's no need to order her around, Kyle, she is not one of your employees,” Jason said politely.

“This is still my house,” Kyle said as he took a threatening step towards his brother.

“Our house, It's our house, Kyle,” Jason said, his smile dimming slightly, “Dad was very specific about that in his will.”

“That's a decision I question every day,” Kyle snapped, then took a brief calming breath and asked in a lighter tone, “Why are you reallt here, Jason?”

“Can't a man just visit his family anymore without interrogation?” Jason asked, innocently spreading his hands wide open.

“Not when that man is you,” Kyle retorted immediately. “Last time you showed up unannounced, you almost burned down the west wing with your so-called experiments.”

“It was just a small fire,” Jason tried to argue, “plus, I've matured since then.”

“That was arson, and the police would have been involved if I hadn't covered for you,” Kyle said again.

As Amanda quietly watched both brothers, the tension between was as obvious as watching a stiff and competitive tennis match, she recognised the familiar patterns of long-standing tension and conflict.

Choosing to ignore his brother, Jason picked up his bags and asked, “my old room is still vacant, right?”

“Jason, I won't do this with you again, not this time,” Kyle murmured dangerously as he blocked Jason's path.

“Do what?” Jason asked in an innocent tone that held a note of challenge. “I just got home, brother. Let me refresh your memory since you seem to have forgotten, our father specifically asked that we both live in this house when he left it to us.”

“You show up here, unannounced,” Kyle began, his hands clenched into fists, “when you know damn well…”

“When I know what?” Jason cut in, his cheerful mode giving way to how he truly felt. “Is it that you've been running our Dad's company without me being involved or that you left me out of the choices that affected my inheritance?”

“You've never wanted any part in the business,” Kyle replied.

“What if I've changed my mind,” Jason asked.

Both brothers now stood head to head, the same barely restrained anger showing on their face. As Amanda calmly watched the duo, she noticed Kyle's control ebbing away as the dangerous energy she had always felt around himtcame to the surface.

“Kyle,” She called out suddenly, stepping forward, “This is not the time,” she said to him.

Both men turned sharply towards her, as if surprised she had intervened. Refusing to back down, she looked straight into Kyle's eyes.

“Your brother just arrived,” she said calmly, “we were also having a conversation. Why don't we all take a moment, get settled, before continuing this discussion.”

Though Kyle narrowed his gaze, she could see that his shoulders loosened a bit. “Fine,” he conceded, “Jenkins would show you to your room,” Kyle said through gritted teeth.

Jason's eyes widened a bit in surprise as he looked at Kyle, and then at Amanda, “It looks like your wife has schooled you, Amazing.”

Kyle took a step towards Jason, ready to give him a punch, but Amanda touched his arm gently, her eyes pleasing for him to stop and to her surprise, he did.

“It was nice meeting you, Jason,” Amanda said politely, “I'm sure there will be plenty of time to get acquainted during your stay.”

With a curious glint in his eye, Jason tilted his head, “I look forward to it as well, Sister-in-law,” he said, then turned to follow Jenkins. As he got to the stairs, he called over his shoulder, “Oh, and Kyle? We have to talk about that package from Berlin. I was told there were certain…problems.”

Kyle's face immediately darkened again, but he stayed silent until Jason disappeared inthe direction of the west wing. Then with a

Kyle's face darkened again, but he stayed silent until Jason disappeared up the stairs. His eyes met Amanda's with a mix of hesitation and gratitude.

“You should not have interfered,” he said to her, his tone sounding more calm than a few minutes before.

“He is your brother and this is apparently his home as well,” she replied bluntly

“You just stopped me from breaking his face,” Kyle said looking at her.

“Yeah, I gathered,” she said dryly, “Consider it my parting gift before our divorce.”

Something unreadable flashed across his face, “This changes nothing between us,” Kyle said in a more serious tone.

“Oh really?” she asked as she raised her eyebrows, “It seems like your life just got a lot more complicated.” She turned to leave, but then paused,m and asked, “By the way, what's the shipment from Berlin?”

“That's none of your business,” Kyle said, his expression turning immediately cold.

“Nothing ever is,” she said as she climbed the stairs. Even as she walked away, she could feel Kyle's eyes following her.

Just then, a thought formed in her mind, “two can play,” she whispered to herself.