She Walked Into the Mafia Boss’s Room to Clean—Then His Family Walked In While He Was Still in a Towel
Chapter 14
One year after their wedding, the Moretti estate no longer looked like a fortress.
The gates remained.
Security remained.
But the fear was gone.
Matteo had transformed the legitimate businesses.
He created employee ownership programs.
Expanded scholarships.
Opened a foundation in Margaret’s name.
Sofia ran it.
She helped families who had been trapped by powerful people for years.
Her mother’s name finally became associated with protection rather than fear.
Matteo’s family adjusted slowly.
Bianca loved Sofia.
His mother treated her like a daughter.
Even the older staff eventually stopped whispering about the towel incident.
Mostly.
One afternoon, Sofia was walking through the upstairs hallway when she saw Matteo.
He was carrying a box.
“What are you doing?”
“Cleaning.”
She stared.
“You?”
“Yes.”
She laughed.
“Should I call the newspapers?”
He looked at her.
“I found something.”
“What?”
He opened the box.
Inside was the old white towel.
Sofia gasped.
“You kept it?”
Matteo smiled.
“Of course.”
“Why?”
“It reminds me of the worst first impression I’ve ever made.”
She laughed.
“You were standing there.”
“Correct.”
“With nothing but that.”
“Correct.”
“And then your entire family walked in.”
“Correct.”
She shook her head.
“You’re terrible.”
“I married the woman who walked into my room.”
“That’s true.”
They smiled at each other.
Then Sofia noticed something beneath the towel.
An old photograph.
Her mother.
Matteo’s father.
And a little Matteo.
Her mother was holding his hand.
Sofia stared.
“She knew you.”
“Yes.”
“But this was before I was born.”
“Yes.”
“What were they doing?”
Matteo looked at the date.
“Helping another family.”
Sofia frowned.
“Who?”
He turned the photograph over.
A name was written there.
The Bell Family.
Sofia recognized it.
The Bell family had once been one of the Moretti organization’s biggest enemies.
Yet her mother had protected them.
Matteo’s father had helped too.
“Maybe that’s why your mother trusted our family.”
Sofia smiled.
“Maybe.”
Then she heard a voice behind them.
Bianca.
“Are you two hiding upstairs again?”
Sofia laughed.
“No.”
Bianca looked at the towel.
Then gasped.
“Oh my God.”
Matteo sighed.
“Don’t.”
Bianca started laughing.
“You kept it!”
Sofia covered her face.
“I hate this family.”
Bianca smiled.
“No, you don’t.”
Sofia looked at Matteo.
He smiled.
“No.”
