The Mafia’s Substitute Bride

Leonardo couldn’t understand why his father had chosen today to visit his office and bring up Sofia and her mother. What was he trying to tell Leonardo? The atmosphere in the room grew tense as Alessandro, his father, began to speak.

“I’m sure you’re aware of Sofia’s mother and her questionable character. You already know why Carlo grew disgusted with his wife,” Alessandro said, his voice laden with implications.

“Dad, there’s no need to remind me of that,” Leonardo replied, growing increasingly frustrated. What was his father trying to prove? Leonardo didn’t want to hear anything negative about Sofia.

After a prolonged silence, Alessandro spoke again. “Leonardo, remember that you’re bound to this marriage contract for three years.”

“I’m well aware of that, Dad,” Leonardo responded in a bored tone. If only Alessandro knew what Leonardo truly had in mind for this three-year arrangement. He wanted it to last indefinitely.

“Then you understand that you don’t have to pretend to be in love with Sofia,” Alessandro stated, oblivious to Leonardo’s genuine feelings for her.

“I’m not pretending anything, Dad,” Leonardo asserted firmly. In truth, he had developed genuine affection for Sofia.

“Then why haven’t you obtained her signature on the power of attorney for the Ricci Empire?” Alessandro raised his voice.

“How many times do we have to discuss this, Dad? I’m tired of it,” Leonardo sighed in exasperation.

“No, Leonardo, I’m tired of you. You’re behaving like a disobedient son. I taught you better. You’re allowing your personal life to interfere with our business. Have you forgotten how we rose to this position where no one can touch us? It seems I will lose all my power and influence because of your emotional foolishness,” Alessandro seethed through clenched teeth.

“If you can’t convince her to sign the papers, I will do it myself. Just wait and watch,” Alessandro added, pushing Leonardo to the point of losing control. He couldn’t bear the idea of Sofia facing his father’s wrath, so he looked straight into Alessandro’s eyes, determination in his gaze.

“What do you want to prove, Dad? Why are you bringing up all these things? Can’t you see that I am genuinely happy in this marriage? I’ve found happiness with Sofia. Do you want me to revert to the old Leonardo, the sad, heartless, and ruthless man who never knew how to smile or live for himself?” Leonardo expressed his disgust and frustration.

He couldn’t fathom how a father could be so selfish, unable to see his own son finding joy and love with the woman who meant everything to him. Sofia was more than just a partner; she was the center of his world.

“And let me make one thing clear: I will never leave Sofia. I intend to marry her for real, and my love for her is beyond anything in my life. I love her more than life itself. So don’t even think about taking her away from me,” Leonardo firmly warned his father.

He knew that, despite being his father, he had every right to fight for his love. He wasn’t going to back down, no matter the obstacles in his path.

To his surprise, a smile appeared on Alessandro’s face, leaving Leonardo dumbfounded. His father had never smiled at him like that before.

“This is exactly what I wanted to hear from you, Leonardo. I wanted you to acknowledge that you truly want her in your life. Despite the rumors surrounding Sofia, I know her personally. She is nothing like that. She has a pure soul, just like her mother. Her mother, Lucia, too, was a victim of conspiracy and defamation. Carlo was young and deeply in love with Emma, and he couldn’t see beyond the rumors or listen to reason and Lucia had to suffer. Similarly, Sofia is a helpless, innocent girl with a difficult past. Promise me that you will never make her sad in her life. I want you to take care of her forever,” Alessandro explained, revealing a softer side that Leonardo had rarely seen.

Confused, Leonardo managed to mumble, “But… but a few moments ago, you…”

Alessandro interrupted him with a reassuring gesture, “Yes, I was provoking you. As everyone knows about it how you feel for your wife, I could also see your love for her in your eyes, but you were not ready to admit it. I wanted you to face and accept your feelings. You kept pretending as if she had no effect on you.”

He patted Leonardo on the shoulder, continuing, “However, I still want her to sign the power of attorney because I can’t allow anyone to jeopardize my business. I’ve worked tirelessly throughout my life to reach this position, and being the Supremo Mafia king is a result of my hard work. I want to ensure the safety and stability of our empire.”

As it turned out, Alessandro was not as bad as Leonardo had always assumed him to be.

“Dad, please, leave her alone and her Ricci Empire. She has suffered all her life, and now, finally, she has something she deserves. We have no right to take ownership of her Empire. I request you to forget about it. I promise you that I will work even harder than before and never disappoint you,” Leonardo pleaded with surprising calmness. It was the first time he had ever spoken up like this in front of his father, a stark contrast to his usual reserved demeanor. Clearly, Sofia had brought about some positive changes in him.

Alessandro sighed, contemplating his son’s words. “Alright, son, we can work on that.”

After Alessandro left, Leonardo couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation. He realized that he needed to confess his love to Sofia before it was too late. He had planned to do so and even prepared a proposal for her. Leonardo had entrusted Domenico with making all the arrangements for this special evening. He decided to call Domenico to check on the progress.

“Hey, Domenico, I hope everything is set. Tonight, I’m going to surprise Sofia, and I can’t wait another day,” Leonardo asked impatiently.

“Yes, Boss!!! All the arrangements are made just as you wanted. Everything is according to your instructions. All the best for tonight,” Domenico replied, his voice filled with a hint of excitement.

Leonardo then called Sofia to inform her to get ready for the evening. He planned to send Mark to pick her up and bring her to the venue. However, no matter how many times he tried calling her, her phone remained switched off. This puzzled him, and he grew concerned about her whereabouts. He called Sofia’s bodyguard.

“Where is Sofia?” Leonardo asked Sofia’s bodyguard abruptly.

The bodyguard remained silent for a moment before responding, “Boss, madam has gone to see you at your office, and we are waiting outside the building for her.”

What? Seeing him at his office? Leonardo’s mind raced, and without wasting a moment, he quickly darted out of his office toward his secretary’s desk.

Leonardo’s voice turned threatening as he interrogated his secretary about Sofia’s visit.

“Did Sofia come here to meet me?” he demanded, his tone tense and forceful.

“Y… Yes, sir. She came here, and I wanted to inform you, but she stopped me and went straight to your office. She left after a few minutes. I thought she had met you before leaving,” the secretary stammered, her voice shaking with nervousness.

His mind raced with confusion and worry. Why would Sofia come to his office and leave without seeing him? What was happening? He felt clueless, unable to understand her actions.

His heart sank as a terrible thought crossed his mind. Did she overhear the conversation between Alessandro and himself? If she did, how much did she hear? He closed his eyes, attempting to control his heavy breathing and the anxiety flooding his chest.

A wave of panic washed over him. What if she misunderstood everything? The fear of losing her gripped his heart, and he couldn’t bear the thought. Losing her was not an option; she was his entire world. The mere possibility of such an outcome felt like his entire life was crumbling around him.

Without wasting a moment, he picked up his phone and dialed Mark’s number, wanting to locate Sofia immediately.

“Mark, find and locate Sofia right now,” he roared into the phone, urgency and frustration lacing his voice.

“Boss… what happened… I mean, we can track her immediately with the help of the tracker in her ring,” Mark responded hesitantly, sensing the gravity of the situation.

“Then do it right now, damn it,” Leonardo shouted in irritation, his impatience growing with every passing second.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

He couldn’t fathom that Sofia had left him. The thought infuriated him, and he felt like he would burn the entire world down if it meant finding her again.

“I will find you, Sofia Leonardo Morelli,” he vowed to himself, his determination to bring her back evident in his words. “Once I locate you, I’ll never let you go. You’ll be locked inside my house forever.”