The Older Mafia Boss Had Given Up on Dating—Then His Curvy Friend Secretly Set Him Up With Her
Chapter 14
Daniel was arrested at the airport.
He had tried to leave the country.
Federal investigators had been waiting.
Vincent was arrested two days later.
The investigation lasted months.
Marcus testified.
Adrian testified.
Sophia testified.
Elena never had to enter the courtroom.
Marcus accepted responsibility for the crimes he had personally committed.
Some charges were reduced because of his cooperation.
Others remained.
He lost businesses.
He sold the mansion.
He gave up the life that had once seemed impossible to escape.
When everything was finished, Marcus moved into a modest house near Elena’s bakery.
It had three bedrooms.
He joked that it felt enormous.
Elena laughed.
“You finally learned moderation.”
“I’m still keeping the guest room.”
“Why?”
“For Sophia.”
“She’ll probably move in permanently.”
Marcus groaned.
Sophia walked through the front door carrying boxes.
“I heard that.”
Elena laughed.
Marcus smiled.
For the first time, the house felt like a home.
Months later, Marcus took Elena to a small garden behind the bakery.
There were roses along the wall.
A wooden bench beneath a tree.
He held a small box.
Elena stared.
“Marcus.”
“I know I’m older.”
She smiled.
“Thirteen years.”
“I know.”
“And complicated.”
“Very.”
“And you’ve made mistakes.”
“More than I can count.”
She waited.
“But you changed.”
Marcus nodded.
“I had to.”
He opened the box.
Inside was a simple ring.
“No diamonds?”
“I thought you might prefer something that doesn’t make customers stare.”
Elena laughed through tears.
“You’re learning.”
He took her hand.
“I don’t know what the next twenty years look like.”
“Neither do I.”
“But I know I want them with you.”
Elena looked at the ring.
Then at him.
“Yes.”
Marcus exhaled.
She smiled.
“Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He hugged her.
Behind them, Sophia quietly wiped a tear from her cheek.
She had started this with a secret dinner.
She had no idea it would end with Marcus Bellini finally finding a life he had stopped believing he deserved.
