Her Ruthless Grand-Father: A Mafia Boss

Chapter 2

“And that concludes our lesson for today.” The governess said and I almost hopped out of my seat, if not for the heavy dress I was wearing. It was almost like our uniforms and we were made to wear it everyday to this lesson.

As I stood up, my dress was feeling even heavier now that I was moving. The fabric clung to me, pulling at my shoulders, and I sighed, trying to ignore the way the corset bit into my ribs. All this again, was so unnecessary.

I was still trying to walk around my desk when it happened.

As I tried to walk, a sharp tug pulled at my feet. Before I could steady myself, I tripped on the long skirt of my dress. The floor came up fast. My knees hit first, followed by my palms, which slapped against the cold stone with a loud, painful thud.

A laugh echoed from behind me, sharp and cruel. Olivia. Of course.

“Well, look at that. Leah’s finally found where she belonged,” she snickered.

I pushed myself up quickly, my face burning, but Olivia wasn’t done.

“You know, I almost feel bad for you. Almost. It must suck being so dumb that even your own dress tries to trip you.” Her voice was sweet like honey, but the venom was there, too. She looked at Alessia, who was already grinning.

“I’d say she’s got no sense of grace, but I guess that’s obvious,” Alessia added, eyeing me with a smirk. “Maybe we should teach her how to walk next time, huh?”

The governess, who was supposed to be the one to teach us discipline and proper behavior, just looked away like she hadn’t seen anything, again. It was like this every single time. They could get away with anything. The governess would never lift a finger, and I just had to take it.

I could feel the tears prickling at the back of my eyes, but I blinked them away quickly. I couldn’t let them see me break. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. Though I was so close to doing that.

I stood up, brushing off my dress, and without saying anything, I turned to leave the room. The laughter followed me, echoing in my ears, but I just kept walking, my fists clenched by my sides.

I made my way upstairs to my room, passing aunts and uncles that barely recognized my existence. my feet heavy with every step. It felt like the world was pressing down on me today, can't I ever get a day of peace?

The door to my room creaked as I opened it, and I stepped inside.

It was a simple room, nothing fancy, but it was mine. There was a large window on one wall, framed by simple white curtains. The sunlight streamed through, casting warm light across the wood floors and the soft, neutral colors of the room. My bed was made perfectly, the sheets smooth and clean, I like feeling like I at least had control over that.

I walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a light blue floral sundress, the fabric soft against my fingers. It wasn’t much, but it was the closest I could get to feeling comfortable in this place. The soft material flowed down to my knees, perfect for the midday heat. I quickly changed, my hands moving automatically, used to the routine by now.

I pulled my dark red hair into a tight bun at the back of my head, every strand pulled neatly into place. The dress was simple, but the way the sunlight caught the fabric made me feel a little less trapped, a little less suffocated by this place.

I didn’t have time to linger. I could already hear the sound of the maids bustling downstairs. It was time for lunch.

—

When I got downstairs, the smell of fresh food filled the air, making my stomach growl. The kitchen was bustling as usual, but I didn’t pay much attention to any of it. I knew my place by now. The maids were laying out the food, preparing it for the family. I always had to wait for them to finish, for my grandfather to be served first.

It didn’t make sense to me, but during every lunch, I was to carry my grandfather's special bowl of soup made just for him, directly to him before sitting down to eat with everyone. We all ate together. All twenty of us, in the house.

That's was how it had always been. I was always last. Even though the food was delicious, even though I was starving, it didn’t matter. I waited to be handed the bowl and then go last of all the maids to serve him directly.

And then came the moment when the head maid approached me. I was just about to ask when the soup would be given to me.

“Signorita Leah,” she said, her voice clipped but polite, “Signor wants you to take the soup to the garden today. He’s eating alone with you.”

I blinked, surprised. My grandfather? Eating with me? Heavens, did something happen?

“He wants me to join him?” I asked, unable to keep the confusion out of my voice.

The head maid gave me a tight nod. “Yes. You are to bring it to him and join him there.”

I swallowed, unsure of what to think. Grandpa rarely ate alone. And I’d never been asked to join him.

“Thank you,” I muttered, and she nodded and left, then, before I could second guess myself, I walked to the counter where the soup was.

It felt strange, like something had shifted. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but I had to do as I was told. I grabbed the tray, careful not to spill anything, and walked out into the garden where my grandfather was waiting.

I wonder if I did something wrong.