CHAPTER 130: YOU DON’T BELONG

"How does it feel? How does it feel for you to finally know the truth?" she asked slowly and clearly.

I clenched my hands in my lap as I tried to remind myself to remain calm. I must not play into her hands.

"What truth?" I asked innocently.

"What else? The fact that Raphael is some kind of Mafia Prince and that his entire family business isn’t just about wealth and power, but also about blood and some shady other stuff," Rosabella said as her eyes gleamed knowingly.

I swallowed hard, but there was no denying that Rosabella knew the truth. And now she knew that the secret had been exposed to me, undoubtedly by none other than Josh.

Her directness caught me off guard, and for a moment I didn’t know what to say. It was already too late for me to deny it, and all I could think about was my poor mother, who was so ignorant of it all.

"You don’t belong in this world, Abigail. You’re such a nice girl," Rosabella said with clear, mocking pity in her voice.

My entire body stiffened as I stared at her from across the table. I wanted to get up and leave, but I knew that wasn’t the right solution. I needed to find a way to turn the situation around-a way to get her on my side or find a way to use her to my benefit.

"You don’t belong in this world, and neither does your dear mother. She is too kind and too loving. You two will never survive in this world," Rosabella said with a firm nod of her head.

"What is it that you want?" I snapped at her.

"Should you really be using a tone like that with someone who is offering to help you?" Rosabella asked before scoffing at me.

"You? You’re trying to help me?" I asked in clear disbelief.

Rosabella only laughed a little louder before she stared at me directly from across the table.

"I’m here to offer you a way out. If you want to leave-like really, really want to leave-I can help you with that. But time is running out, and you need to decide soon because Raphael and Bennett won’t be gone on their business trip forever," Rosabella said before smiling calculatingly at me.

My thoughts immediately spiraled out of control when I finally understood the purpose of her visit. Unbelievably, Rosabella was offering me a chance to escape the mafia world.

However, it just sounded too good to be true that she was offering to help me. I couldn’t help but think this was nothing more than a trap. Rosabella had never hidden the fact that she didn’t want me around Raphael. If anything, she wanted me gone as soon as possible. I could understand why-from her perspective, I was nothing but a nuisance and someone standing between her and Raphael, even if she was oblivious about our forbidden relationship.

I didn’t want to trust her, but if there was the slightest chance that she could truly help my mother and me escape safely from this world... could I really ignore that chance?

As if Rosabella could sense my hesitation, her expression suddenly softened before she reached out her hand and placed it on top of mine.

"I’m not your enemy, Abigail. If anything, I am your friend and your ally in this situation. I know that you’re scared, being thrown into this dangerous and unknown world, and I know that you fear your mother is at risk.

"But that’s why I’m telling you-if you seriously want to leave, I can help you, and I can give you a chance to do so," Rosabella said, looking directly at me.

For once, I could sense that her words were genuine. Whether she truly meant well for my mother and me or was just doing this for her own personal benefit, it was clear that she was serious about helping me escape-if I wanted to.

I stared down at the cup of tea in front of me as my thoughts tangled inside my mind in a terrible mess. I asked myself if I could really do it. Most of all, I wondered if I could really leave Raphael behind.

Rosabella reached into her bag and slid a small piece of paper across the table toward me.

"This is my number. If you decide you want to escape, call me. But don’t wait too long-as I said, time is running out. You need to make your decision quickly, and I hope you make the right one," she said.

I took the paper with shaky hands. Rosabella nodded her head in satisfaction before sitting back and watching me closely.

"Just think about it. Think about what’s really best for you and your mother," she said simply.

As I watched her stand up and leave, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to think about anything else apart from the offer she had just made.

...

Time was running out.

That night, I lay in bed staring at the ceiling as sleep evaded me. I could not fall asleep no matter what because my mind was racing.

My thoughts were torn in two completely different directions. On one end, there was our safety. If I didn’t leave now-if I didn’t take Rosabella’s offer-I might not have another chance of getting out of this life before it was too late.

However, on the other side, I couldn’t stop thinking about Raphael and how much I would miss him.

I felt a deep ache in my chest, one that I hadn’t expected. The mansion felt so empty without him here, and I hated how much I noticed his absence. I closed my eyes as I began to wonder if I could live a life without Raphael.

I tried desperately to block out memories of him-the way he would look at me, the way his voice softened whenever he called my name, and the way he held me in his arms and made me feel safe.