CHAPTER 2: THE SECRET THAT CONNECTED SERENA TO THE MAFIA FAMILY
The laughter inside the dining room suddenly felt very far away.
Serena stood in the hallway gripping her phone.
Emergency custody.
Tomorrow morning.
Her chest tightened.
She closed her eyes for one second.
Just one.
Because mothers don't get the luxury of falling apart.
Not when children are depending on them.
Then she inhaled.
“Tell me everything,” she said.
Her lawyer sighed.
“Daniel filed an emergency petition claiming unstable employment.”
Serena laughed softly.
The bitter kind.
“Of course he did.”
“He also included photographs.”
Her stomach dropped.
“What photographs?”
“Your apartment.”
She froze.
The peeling paint.
The old heater.
The overdue utility notices she had forgotten to hide.
Her lawyer continued.
“He's arguing that Lucia would have a more secure environment with him.”
Secure.
That word angered her.
Because Daniel never wanted Lucia.
Not really.
He wanted control.
Winning.
Punishment.
Then her lawyer said something else.
“He's wealthy now.”
She nodded slowly.
She knew.
A new business.
A bigger house.
A new wife.
Suddenly he wanted to play father.
Seven years late.
Then another sentence came.
“And he hired one of the best attorneys in Manhattan.”
Serena closed her eyes.
Wonderful.
Just wonderful.
Then she smiled.
“Okay.”
Her lawyer sounded surprised.
“Okay?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
“Because I finally have a job.”
“Actually…”
She glanced toward the dining room.
“…I may have more than that.”
Inside the dining room…
Victor sat perfectly still.
Four boys were eating.
Eating.
Actual food.
At the same table.
Without war.
Without destruction.
Without tears.
It felt unnatural.
Miraculous.
Terrifying.
Then Marco pointed toward him.
“You have to eat too.”
Victor blinked.
“I am.”
Marco frowned.
“No.”
“Dinner.”
“Not wine.”
Victor almost smiled.
Almost.
Then Serena walked back inside.
The boys instantly noticed.
Children always do.
Especially children who are afraid people disappear.
Tommy looked up.
“You came back.”
The words broke something inside her.
Because they sounded exactly like Lucia.
She smiled.
“I did.”
Then Victor immediately noticed her expression.
The smile was there.
But her eyes had changed.
“Problem?”
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
“A personal one.”
Victor didn't pry.
He simply said…
“Sit.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“Eat.”
She laughed softly.
“You don't have to—”
“That's not a request.”
The boys instantly grinned.
“Dad voice,” Nico whispered.
Serena laughed.
Then sat.
For the first time in weeks…
She ate a warm meal.
A real meal.
Not leftovers.
Not crackers.
Not coffee pretending to be dinner.
Then Marco suddenly asked…
“Do you have kids?”
She smiled.
“One.”
All four boys immediately leaned forward.
“A girl?”
She nodded.
“Lucia.”
“How old?”
“Seven.”
Nico grinned.
“Can she fight?”
Serena laughed.
“Yes.”
The boys immediately cheered.
Victor shook his head.
“Wonderful.”
Then Alessandro asked softly…
“Does she have a dad?”
The room became quiet.
Serena smiled carefully.
“Yes.”
Then she added.
“He just forgot how to be one.”
Victor froze.
Something about that sentence hit him harder than expected.
Because he understood.
Perfectly.
Then Tommy quietly asked…
“Will he take her away?”
Serena froze.
The room instantly became silent.
Then she answered honestly.
“He's trying.”
The boys looked devastated.
As if someone had threatened their own sister.
Then Marco slammed his fork down.
“No.”
Everyone blinked.
“No?”
Marco shook his head.
“Bad dads shouldn't win.”
Nico nodded aggressively.
“Ever.”
Alessandro agreed.
“That's a rule.”
Tommy whispered…
“Definitely a rule.”
Serena laughed through tears.
Because somehow…
Four little boys she had known for two hours…
Already cared.
Then Victor stood.
“Boys.”
They immediately looked at him.
“Bedtime.”
Groans exploded everywhere.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
The negotiation continued.
But eventually…
The quadruplets marched upstairs.
Then Serena stood.
“Thank you for dinner.”
Victor nodded.
“Stay.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“There's a guest room.”
She hesitated.
“My daughter…”
“Bring her.”
She froze.
Victor shrugged.
“Children deserve stability.”
Her eyes instantly filled with tears.
Then suddenly…
The housekeeper entered.
Holding an old photograph.
“Sir…”
Victor looked confused.
“What's this?”
The housekeeper swallowed hard.
“We found it in Mrs. Isabella's storage room.”
Victor instantly stiffened.
His late wife.
Nobody touched her things anymore.
He took the picture.
Then froze.
Completely.
Because standing beside Isabella…
Was Serena.
Twenty years younger.
Holding flowers.
Smiling.
Victor stared.
Then slowly looked up.
“What is this?”
Serena looked confused.
Then her eyes widened too.
“Oh my God.”
She walked closer.
And immediately recognized it.
A summer camp.
Twenty-five years ago.
Then Victor looked stunned.
“You knew Isabella?”
Serena nodded slowly.
“We were best friends.”
The room went completely silent.
Victor's hands trembled.
“That's impossible.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
He swallowed.
“Because Isabella spent years looking for you.”
Serena froze.
“What?”
Then Victor whispered…
“She never found you.”
The housekeeper pulled out another item.
An envelope.
Yellowed with age.
Never opened.
Written in Isabella's handwriting.
To Serena.
If you ever find this… please come home. If anything ever happens to me, help Victor remember how to laugh again. Help my boys remember how to trust people.
Serena instantly burst into tears.
Then Victor stared at her.
Completely speechless.
Because suddenly…
Nothing about tonight felt accidental anymore.
Then another voice came from the stairs.
Tommy.
Half asleep.
Holding a stuffed dinosaur.
He looked at Serena.
Then smiled.
“Mom sent you.”
The entire room went silent.
Because for the first time in years…
May you like
Nobody corrected him.
END OF CHAPTER 2.
