Page 42 of Married to the Ruthless Mafia Heir

Back at the manor, rest was the last thing on my mind. I knew his build—broad shoulders, high waistline. He'd look good in anything, but I wanted to design something no one else could give him.

I spent the entire day at it, trashing five drafts before I finally had one I liked. The next day I dug out my stash of fabrics and tools, making a mental list of what else I'd need.

Lucia appeared with a tray of fruit. "Elena, you have a visitor."

I was set up in the garden pavilion, my table covered in design books and sketches. I looked up. "Who?"

Luca's head popped out from behind Lucia. He wore a light gray shirt, carried a paper bag, and had that easy smile that could brighten anyone's day.

"Hey, Elena." He came around and sat across from me, pulling several books from the bag. "Brought you something. Thought you might like these."

Lucia set down the fruit with a smile. "I'll leave you two. Call if you need anything."

I nodded, already reaching for my sketches. "I just finished this. But I've never designed menswear before. What do you think? Would Dante... like it?"

Luca studied the sketch carefully. His eyes lit up. "Wow. That's really fresh."

I'd drawn a double-breasted suit with peaked lapels, sharp shoulder lines, a slightly nipped waist, and a hem that ended just above the knee. The chest had subtle contouring for a fuller, more natural line.

On the cuffs, I'd designed a three-button arrangement with a dark-green mother-of-pearl button in the center—one I'd been saving, the same shade as that green dress I loved.

"The main fabric is deep navy, with a matte finish." I pointed to my notes. "Black satin on the lapels. He could flip them up for formal events—make it work as evening wear too."

Luca had taste and talent. He suggested refining the waistline even more, eliminating excess fabric for a cleaner, sharper look. I agreed immediately and started revising on the spot.

Afternoon sun filtered through the vines overhead, casting dappled shadows on the table. Luca sat beside me, our heads nearly touching as we both bent over the sketch.

Time slipped away. Eventually we had a version we both loved.

"Perfect." I looked at Luca gratefully. "Thank you. I never studied design—your input really helped."

"Elena, natural talent beats anything you can learn." Luca picked up his teacup, looking at me with something like envy. "You know how much I wish I had what you have? I'm not good at creating. I'm good at refining. If we ever get the chance, I think we'd work really well together."

His words stirred something in me—dreams I hadn't let myself have in a while.

But reality crashed back in. My life would never have that kind of spotlight. I used to be a maid at Moretti Manor. Now I was the lady of Moretti Manor. My job wasn't to pursue a career. It was to produce an heir.

Seeing my expression shift, Luca changed the subject. "You going to look at these?"

I snapped back, focusing on the books. I hadn't really looked before—there was a Milan Fashion Week catalog, an advanced guide to fabric techniques, and an Italian-language tutorial on suit construction, filled with detailed hand-drawn illustrations.

"I saw them at the bookstore and thought you'd like them." Luca's tone was casual, like it was nothing.

"Thank you." No one had ever supported my designing like this. I picked up the books, meaning every word. "These will really help."

Luca watched me, sipping his tea. After a moment, he set the cup down, his voice quieter. "Actually, there's something else I came to tell you."

I looked up.

"Valentina—the woman my uncle rescued. He told me she came back to New York for one reason: to get Dante back. She's not even trying to hide it anymore."

My hand froze on my teacup.

"And." Luca looked at me with something like pity. "I heard she's already staying at Dante's place in Manhattan."

The air went still.

I stared down at the tea leaves floating in my cup, my fingertips going cold.