The Mafia's Pampered Surrogate

Surrogate

Cassandra had started developing a new habit over the past few days. Whenever she saw a black car parked near her apartment, she immediately changed direction.

It didn't matter whether she was coming from college, the café, or the hospital. Black cars had officially become her enemy.

After the debt collectors had given her only one week to pay her father's debt, they seemed to appear everywhere she went, and Cassandra was beginning to feel like she was being hunted.

That afternoon, she had just left the grocery store with a small plastic bag containing bread, eggs, and a few other things she could afford when she noticed two familiar men standing beside a black car across the street.

Cassandra immediately stopped walking. Her eyes widened as she recognized the men from the previous day, and without thinking, she slowly turned around and walked back toward the store.

"Please don't notice me," Cassandra whispered, keeping her head lowered as she pretended to examine the items displayed near the entrance.

She stayed there for several minutes, occasionally peeking through the glass doors. The men eventually got back into their car and drove away, and Cassandra finally released the breath she had been holding.

"Thank goodness," she muttered, stepping outside again.

She had barely taken three steps when another black car pulled up beside her.

Cassandra froze.

The passenger window slowly rolled down, revealing a man in a dark suit sitting inside. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, and unlike the debt collectors, he didn't immediately look threatening. Still, Cassandra wasn't taking any chances.

"Miss Cassandra Hart?" the man asked, looking at her through the open window.

Cassandra tightened her grip around the grocery bag. "Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.

"My name is Marcus. I'm an assistant to Mr. Leonardo Lewis," he explained calmly.

The moment Cassandra heard the name, her expression changed.

Leonardo Lewis.

Even someone like her, who tried to stay away from the criminal world, knew that name. The Lewis family was one of the most powerful families in the city, and Leonardo was supposedly the man sitting at the very top.

People whispered about him, but never loudly enough for him to hear. They said he was ruthless, impossible to manipulate, and extremely dangerous.

Cassandra slowly took a step backward.

"Why are you looking for me?" she asked.

"My employer wants to meet you," Marcus answered.

Cassandra stared at him for a few seconds before shaking her head. "Tell your employer I'm busy."

Marcus blinked. "Busy?"

"Yes. Extremely busy. I have groceries to put away, homework to do, and a brother in the hospital. I'm actually very busy," Cassandra replied, gesturing toward the grocery bag as if it proved her point.

Marcus looked at the small bag in her hand before looking back at her.

"My employer is aware of your circumstances," he said.

Cassandra's expression immediately became suspicious. "That's not comforting."

"He would like to discuss something important with you."

"Then he can call me."

"He would prefer to speak with you personally."

Cassandra took another step backward. "Then tell him I prefer not to speak with him personally."

Marcus sighed quietly.

He had been warned that Cassandra might be difficult, but he hadn't expected this.

"Miss Hart, please get into the car," he said, opening the passenger door.

Cassandra stared at the open door.

"No."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"No," Cassandra repeated firmly. "I'm not getting into a strange man's car just because he says his boss wants to talk to me. Do I look stupid?"

Marcus paused before answering.

"I wasn't going to say that."

"Good."

"I was going to say that if I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have stopped in the middle of the street and politely introduced myself."

Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "That's exactly what someone dangerous would say."

Marcus rubbed his forehead.

"Miss Hart, I'm not trying to kidnap you."

"That's also exactly what someone k********g me would say."

Marcus stared at her in silence.

Cassandra stared back.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then Cassandra suddenly noticed something behind Marcus.

Her face went pale.

The debt collectors had returned.

Two men were walking down the street, looking around as though they were searching for someone.

Cassandra immediately ducked behind the car.

Marcus looked at her in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Shh!" Cassandra whispered, placing a finger against her lips. "They're here."

"Who?"

"The debt collectors."

Marcus glanced toward the men before looking back at Cassandra.

"You know, hiding behind a black car isn't exactly subtle."

Cassandra looked around before realizing she had chosen the worst possible hiding place. "Then help me!"

Marcus sighed, but before he could say anything else, Cassandra quickly opened the back door and climbed inside.

"Drive," she whispered urgently.

Marcus stared at her.

"You just refused to get into my car."

"I changed my mind."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to get caught!"

Marcus shook his head and got into the driver's seat. As soon as he started the engine, Cassandra lowered herself in the back seat, hoping the collectors wouldn't notice her.

The car slowly pulled away from the street, and Cassandra finally sat up.

She looked through the rear window until the men disappeared from view.

"That was close," she breathed.

Marcus glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "You do realize you could have simply told me you were willing to come."

"I wasn't willing to come."

"You just got into the car."

"Under extreme circumstances."

Marcus couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him.

Cassandra immediately frowned. "What's funny?"

"Nothing."

"You laughed."

"I did."

"Then why are you pretending you didn't?"

Marcus shook his head. "You're very different from what I expected."

"That's because you expected me to be terrified and obedient, didn't you?"

"I expected you to at least listen."

"I listened."

"You argued with everything I said."

"That's still listening."

Marcus had no response to that.

Cassandra leaned back against the seat, finally allowing herself to relax now that the collectors were gone. However, her attention soon returned to the reason she was inside the car in the first place.

"Why does Leonardo Lewis want to meet me?" she asked.

Marcus kept his eyes on the road. "He'll explain everything himself."

"That's suspicious."

"It's not."

"It is."

Marcus sighed. "Just wait until you meet him."

Cassandra folded her arms across her chest.

She began wondering what Leonardo Lewis actually looked like.

She had never seen him before, but she had heard plenty of stories. Some people said he was terrifying. Others claimed he had killed people who betrayed him. Cassandra didn't know which stories were true, but she knew one thing.

The man was a mafia boss.

Her imagination immediately began creating a picture of him.

She imagined a gigantic man with broad shoulders, sharp dark eyes, and a scar running from his eyebrow down his cheek. Perhaps he had another scar across his jaw. Maybe he wore expensive black suits and had muscles underneath them because apparently every terrifying man in the stories she had read was secretly built like a wall.

Cassandra swallowed.

What if he actually looks like that?

She imagined him sitting in a dark office, surrounded by terrifying men.

Bring me Cassandra Hart.

She shivered.

Marcus noticed her expression through the mirror.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Cassandra quickly straightened. "I'm fine."

"You look worried."

"I'm imagining your boss."

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I've never seen him before."

"That explains it."

"What does he look like?" Cassandra asked.

Marcus thought for a moment. "He's tall, has dark hair, dark eyes, and usually wears suits."

Cassandra frowned. "Does he have scars?"

Marcus looked at her through the mirror.

"Scars?"

"Yes. Does he have any?"

"Not that I know of."

Cassandra looked relieved.

"Good."

Marcus became curious. "Why were you expecting him to have scars?"

"He's a mafia boss."

Marcus stared at her for a moment before letting out another quiet laugh.

Cassandra frowned. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I'm just wondering what kind of image you've created in your head."

"Probably a very accurate one."

"Probably not."

Cassandra thought about it for a moment.

"Does he have muscles?"

Marcus was silent.

Cassandra immediately pointed toward him.

"You paused."

"I was thinking."

"You definitely paused."

Marcus sighed. "Yes, he works out."

Cassandra's eyes widened.

Great.

Tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed, muscular, and possibly terrifying.

Her situation was getting worse by the second.

"Does he have a girlfriend?" she suddenly asked.

Marcus looked at her strangely.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I don't. I'm just curious."

"He's not married."

"That's not what I asked."

Marcus smiled slightly. "You'll have to ask him yourself."

Cassandra rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

She didn't understand why Leonardo Lewis wanted to meet her in the first place. She was just a college student who worked part-time at a café. She wasn't important, wealthy, or connected to anyone powerful.

The only thing she had was debt.

A ridiculous amount of debt.

And apparently, that was enough to get the attention of one of the most powerful men in the city.

After several minutes, the car finally slowed down.

Cassandra looked through the window and immediately sat upright.

Huge iron gates stood in front of them, guarded by several men dressed in black. Behind the gates was an enormous estate surrounded by perfectly maintained gardens and tall trees.

Cassandra's mouth slowly fell open.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Mr. Lewis's home," Marcus replied.

Cassandra stared at the mansion as the gates opened.

"This is a home?"

Marcus glanced at her.

"Yes."

"It looks like a palace."

Marcus smiled. "You'll get used to it."

"I'm not planning on staying."

"We'll see."

Cassandra frowned at his words, but before she could respond, the car drove through the gates.

She looked around nervously as they approached the mansion. Everything about the place screamed money and power. Even the people working around the estate looked serious enough to make Cassandra feel like she was trespassing.

The car finally stopped.

Marcus turned toward her.

"We're here."

Cassandra didn't move.

She stared at the mansion through the window, suddenly feeling nervous again.

"Do I have to go inside?"

Marcus nodded.

Cassandra swallowed.

She had spent the entire ride imagining Leonardo Lewis as a terrifying scarred mafia boss, and now she was actually going to meet him.

"Just remember," Marcus said, opening his door, "he's not going to eat you."

Cassandra stepped out of the car and glared at him.

"That's exactly what someone would say before the mafia boss eats me."

Marcus laughed as he walked toward the entrance.

Cassandra reluctantly followed.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

Whatever Leonardo Lewis wanted, she would find out soon enough.

And for the first time, Cassandra had no idea that the meeting she was about to have would completely change her life.