Goodbye, Mafia Prince No More Tears Chapter 12
Don Dominic found out the day before we were set to finalize everything.
He didn’t say much. He secured me a lawyer, then quietly
transferred Cavallo Holdings shares and a few properties into Astrid’s name.
I didn’t refuse.
Dominic’s eyes were wet. “Viola, you’ve been through too
much. You wanted this back when you were still in the
hospital, didn’t you?”
I had.
Rose, the passerby who’d called the ambulance and stayed by
my side, saw that no family came. Just Sofia.
She was worried about me, worried I might do something I
couldn’t take back. She took two days off work and stayed.
That was when I found out she was a single mom.
She understood because she’d been through it herself.
Her husband cheated while she was pregnant. She delivered alone.
She found a lawyer, divorced him, won custody, and built a
life on her own. Her kid was doing great.
She was the reason I finally had the nerve to go through with it.
*After he lost that woman, Romeo was in a dark place. You
were good and kind, and I thought if you stayed, he’d come
around eventually. I was wrong to push you two together.”
I looked down. “Grandfather, it wasn’t your fault… Who can
really say whose fault it was?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll still bring Astrid to see you.
Dominic wiped his glasses and nodded.
“All right…”
When I came out, Romeo was waiting outside with his hands
in his pockets.
He spoke. “Viola, do you know where I first saw you?”
shook my head.
He said, “The day you came to meet my grandfather with
your father. I watched you from upstairs. You were so young
and so nervous, but your eyes were bright. After that, I kept
hearing your manager talk about how good you were. And I
kept finding reasons to be where you were. I think I’d already
fallen for you. I just didn’t know it.
I went still. All those run–ins, I remembered every one.
He’d arranged them.
But so had I.
We’d been falling for each other at the same time, and neither of us knew.
But we never found each other in time.
I blinked. “Okay. We still have to sign the papers tomorrow.
Don’t forget.”
A long silence. Then, quietly, he said he wouldn’t.
The next day, we walked out of the courthouse after signing the papers.
His eyes turned red again.
It was the second time I had seen him cry.
He asked, “Viola, can I still visit you and Astrid?”
nodded. “You can.”
When she’s older, can I go to her parent–teacher
conferences? Can I take her to a theme park?”
I looked at him in surprise.
He’d heard everything I said to my mom.
He knew about my regrets and my pain.
He was trying to give Astrid everything I never had.
I didn’t answer directly.
“When she’s old enough, you can, if she wants you to.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
After the divorce, it was just me, Astrid, and Sofia. Life was good. Really good.
My mom came around eventually. She showed up to apologize and brought a set of custom–made jewelry for Astrid.
But she still had no intention of divorcing my dad.
I knew she couldn’t change overnight.
Some things go too deep to undo that fast. I just hoped she’d find her way.
Romeo visited Astrid often.
But Astrid never seemed particularly close to him.
Astrid’s first word was Mommy.
I was at my laptop finishing a proposal. She was on her play mat with her toys. And then she just looked up and said it.
“Mommy.”
It came out clumsy and small, barely a word at all. My hands froze over the keys.
I went to her and picked her up. Her tiny fist grabbed my collar, and she pressed her face into my shoulder, babbling softly.
I must have done this exact thing to my own mother once.
But she probably never listened the way I was listening now.
I held Astrid in my arms.
It didn’t matter anymore. I knew now how to take care of myself, and how to love my daughter the right way.
I was going to be there for every part of it.
I was going to love her so much she’d never have to wonder.
No matter how crazy work got after that, I always made time.
I was there for all of it: every milestone, every new thing.
Ellie watched us one afternoon and shook her head. “I get it now. You’re raising yourself all over again, through her.”
I smiled and didn’t deny it.
If no one was going to save me, I would save myself.
Everyone deserves to chase their own happiness at least once.
THE END