A Ghost Stands Between Me And The Mafia Boss I Love Chapter 03
Lorenzo’s hand stopped midair.
His gaze followed mine to Bianca’s wrist.
The kitchen went eerily quiet.
Bianca quickly hid her hand behind her back.
“If you want it, I’ll give it back.”
Her eyes reddened in seconds.
“I just wanted something to remember Valeria by.”
Lorenzo frowned.
“Celeste, it’s just a bracelet. Why do you have to make this so ugly?”
“Valeria liked Bianca when she was alive. And Bianca has contributed a lot to the Moretti family over the years.”
“Consider it a small gift Valeria left for Bianca.”
A small gift.
I looked at him.
“So something passed down to the Moretti heir can also go to Bianca?”
“Who exactly is Valeria’s heir?”
Lorenzo drew a deep breath, like he was holding himself back.
“Celeste, have you forgotten why Valeria died?”
The words landed like a curse. And in my head, a swarm of ghosts began to howl.
Mom died in my place. I have no right to anything that belongs to the Moretti family.
I stood there, feeling the blood drain from my body.
My vision doubled. My ears started ringing.
Bianca’s face slowly morphed into Valeria’s.
The dead woman stood beside Lorenzo and pointed at me.
“Celeste, why are you still alive?”
“Why wasn’t it you who died?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and started counting.
One. Two. Three…
“Celeste?”
Lorenzo finally noticed something was wrong. He grabbed my shoulders.
“Are you hallucinating again?”
I opened my eyes.
Valeria was gone.
All that remained was Bianca’s worried, young, innocent face.
The next second, Lorenzo lifted me into his arms.
He turned to Bianca. “I’m taking her to the hospital first.”
The car went straight to NYU Langone.
Lorenzo arranged for my usual psychiatrist. Just as we were about to enter the exam room, his phone rang. He glanced at it, and his expression shifted.
“Celeste, go in first. There’s an urgent family call.”
He patted my head and walked toward the stairwell.
I didn’t go into the exam room. I followed him quietly.
The stairwell door wasn’t fully closed, and I could hear him keeping his voice low.
“Don’t cry, Bianca. She had another hallucination, that’s all. She just can’t handle stress right now. Once I calm her down, I’ll come to Chelsea with you to look at those paintings.”
“Keep wearing the bracelet for now. Be good, and don’t overthink.”
I leaned against the cold wall and listened to him use that same gentle voice on another woman.
Even my illness had become his excuse to soothe Bianca.
I didn’t push the door open. I turned back to the hallway and sat on a bench alone for a long time.
Until Lorenzo came back.
“What did the doctor say?”
His face held only perfect concern again.
I looked up at him. “He said my condition has gotten worse.”
A flicker of weariness crossed his eyes. “It’s okay. We’ll take it slow.”
He took my hand and led me out of the hospital.
At noon, he took me to a restaurant in SoHo I used to frequent.
Halfway through the meal, Lorenzo checked the time.
“I have to go to Boston tonight.”
I looked up.
He immediately explained. “A shipment for the family’s trading company got held up at the port. I have to deal with it personally.”
Boston.
But on the phone earlier, he had clearly promised Bianca he would see the paintings tonight.
I lowered my head and stirred the soup.
“Do you really have to go?”
Lorenzo held my hand. “I promise I’ll be back in two days. Just make sure you take your meds, okay?”
I slowly pulled my hand away.
“Okay.”
“You should go.”
