Fall For My Ex's Mafia Father novel Chapter 23

And yet here I was, in the place she’d so desperately left. Why did I let myself get so wrapped up in this world? I cower away from my father.

“Enough,” Kent’s voice rings out behind me, cool and calm.

Alden turns angry eyes to him but Kent holds his ground.

“I’m pleased to announce,” Kent says, his teeth gritted, making clear that his pleasure is only a formality. He nods pointedly at the ring on my hand, “that our agreement, years ago, to unite our families through marriage is holding strong. Your daughter is engaged to my son. I anticipate that the wedding will be swift, in the next few months, if it can be arranged.”

My father’s growl is low in his throat. “This is a trick,” he says. “How can they be engaged, when you just found her yesterday?”

Daniel is quick to answer. “We met before, by some miracle,” he says, giving Alden a small but earnest smile. “We were already dating, actually.”

No mention, conveniently, of the fact that we broke up.

I look between Daniel and his father, and then over at mine, and suddenly realize that Daniel is in on this. He and his father carefully planned this meeting, this conversation. In one swoop, they gave Alden back his daughter and claimed me as their own.

Now they have the one thing Alden wants more than anything: the last remaining piece of his lost love.

I am suddenly angry again. It doesn’t matter what I want at all, whether or not I want to marry Daniel. Because Daniel, too, is a player in this game, moving me around like the pawn that I am.

I open my mouth to protest, but Alden interrupts me.

“Good,” he says, looking between the three of us, perhaps realizing that he has no real leverage in this game. “This is the best arrangement. A uniting of the families.”

He turns his attention back to me and I see his face soften again. Truly, he is a man of many moods and swift changes.

“It is wonderful to meet you, daughter, on this the occasion of your engagement.” He gives me a formal little bow and raises my left hand to his face, kissing both my fingers and the ring.

When he releases me, I give him a small smile. Then, I surprise myself by speaking, despite my wariness around him. “I – I’d like to know more about my mother,” I say in a rush.

He raises his eyebrows, surprised. When he says nothing, I continue.

“David – my dad – he didn’t talk about her a lot. I think talking about her past made her sad. But, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d…like to know more.” I twist my fingers together, anxious.

He nods slowly, putting his hands in his pockets. “And I’d like to know you more, Fay. You are my daughter, my blood. It’s only right we should spend some time together, get to know each other,” he glances at Daniel here for a moment, “though I understand your fiancé is your priority now, as a husband should be.”

I look between them, not understanding the politics. But Alden continues before I can figure it out.

“We’ll spend some time together,” he says, rocking back on his heels and considering me, a little fondness on his face. “Get to know each other. And, though it may take me some time,” he rubs his hand across his chin, frowning and considering, “I’ll do my best to tell you what I can of your mother. She was…a remarkable woman.”

I give him a small smile and his eyes go sentimental, soft. “Beautiful, Fay,” he says softly. “You’re beautiful, like her.”

I bite my lip, tears coming to my own eyes.

One thing was for sure - I wanted to know more about my mother, about what drew her into this world, what forced her out. Knowing more could open so many doors to the mysteries of my life, my identity.

But at what price would that knowledge come?