CHAPTER 131: NATALIA’S UNREQUITED LOVE STORY

The learning of the tricks of the Mafia trade continued for weeks, and soon Maya had spent a month away from her husband, Dalton, her friends, and the chef career she was building. Now, she was training to become a mafia queen. Life kept beating her down; when would these storms be over, and when would she see her daylight?

She might one day succumb to madness if she doesn’t escape from this grim world. That day might come faster because it is just a matter of time before Vico orders her to kill someone. And when that time comes, she is not going to hesitate like she did before; she is going to pull the trigger faster and blow her head off before she kills any innocent person.

The only thing keeping her from giving in to insanity was her Italian family; they were the only good thing in this fucked-up, grim world; the only normalcy around here. For the past month, she hadn’t seen any other member of the family engage in the atrocities being committed by Vico, Natalia, and their mafia organization, and that made Maya feel comfortable around them.

So comfortable that she always looks forward to having meals with them. That’s what Maya is doing now; she is having lunch with them on the patio, and it is the only time she allows joy to seep into her face. She smiles a lot when she is around them

As her Nonna wanted, Maya has been preparing lunch for the whole family on Fridays for the entire month she has been kept captive in this gilded, twisted, dark prison.

Cooking every Friday is also helping her stay sane.

She also bakes and makes ice cream for her little Italian cousins.

Maya was sitting between her nonna and Zia Arianna, animatedly chatting with them, with Zia Arianna acting as the translator. Sometimes, Maya manages to say a few sentences in Italian. She is rapidly building her Italian vocabulary.

"Everyone enjoys your cooking," Zia Arianna tells her.

A big smile crept onto Maya’s face. "Really?" Her eyes swept over the table. She giggled a little, watching the absolute delight on everyone’s faces.

That’s what she loves the most about cooking: the satisfaction on people’s faces as they eat her food, letting her know she did a great job.

I’m glad they are enjoying my food; it will always be a pleasure to cook for them," Maya says.

"Why don’t you add dinner to your menu on Fridays?" Zia Arianna suggested.

"Sorry, I don’t want to put the family chef out of a job," Maya declined.

Zia Arianna pulled a long face. A few seconds later, she smiled. "Okay, what about on special occasions, like holidays?"

"Sure," Maya nods. But her stomach is sinking inside. The next big holiday is months away. She is really stuck here, huh?

To keep herself from getting lost in her muddled thoughts about being stuck here and having a breakdown in front of everyone, Maya decided to ask Zia a question that she had been eager to have answered.

"Zia, what do you do for a living?"

"I’m an English professor at the university nearby," Zia Arianna answered with no hesitation.

"Oh, then I should start referring to you as Professoressa Arianna."

Zia Arianna laughed. "Just call me Zia; professoressa will be too damn formal."

She proceeded to tell Maya the occupation of every adult at the table, including her husband, Roberto, who is also a professor. Everyone in the family has normal jobs, but Maya can’t fully trust them, even though she has become so fond of them. Natalia was her stripper best friend a year ago; now she is a mafia don’s right-hand man and a cold-hearted killer who kills innocent people. So, who knows when her family members will start revealing their true jobs in this mafia organization?

For now, she is going to pretend they are normal people and enjoy their company.

The meal was half eaten when Natalia made her grand entrance with her signature scowl on her face.

"Osserva il modo in cui tutti mangiano il suo cibo come un branco di lupi affamati. Ma cosa succederebbe se vi avesse dato del veleno lento?" Says Natalia in Italian,as she plucked down on an empty chair.

And then the displeased ramblings and angry look on everyone’s face meant that Natalia had said something so offensive.

Maya could only understand some keywords that Natalia said, such as food, hungry, eating, feeding, and slow poison.

Then it hit Maya. She doesn’t need a translation. Did Natalia imply that she is feeding the family slow poison?

Maya shot a furious look at Natalia, and Natalia just smirked back wickedly.

Maya’s Nonna said furiously to Natalia in Italian. "Hai un cuore così amareggiato, non c’è da stupirsi che quella bella ragazza non ti amerà mai."

Zia immediately translated, "Your nonna said, Natalia has such a bitter heart; no wonder the guy Natalia is in love with will never love her back."

Maya looked at Natalia; it seemed their nonna had hit a sore spot. Natalia had a dejected look on her face.

Maya was taken aback. Natalia is in love with a guy who doesn’t love her back.

Maya is finding it hard to believe this. Natalia has been anti-love for as long as Maya has known her, and she is an evil woman.

Do evil people know what love is?

It seems like they do. When Maya looks into Natalia’s eyes, she can see the love that Natalia has for this guy, evident in her eyes.

Natalia abruptly stood up. "Maya, the don wants to see you after you’re done with lunch." Then she stormed off.

"Who is this guy Natalia is in love with?" Maya asked in a whisper.

Zia Arianna sighed and began to narrate the whole unrequited love story. "Natalia has been in love with this guy since they were kids. They practically grew up together. We all thought they would end up getting married once they became adults. But it turns out the guy never loved Natalia, and the love is one-sided. He merely saw Natalia as a friend. However, Natalia is strong-willed and keeps chasing this guy, begging for his love."

Maya’s eyes widened. "Sorry to say, that’s so pathetic of Natalia. Where is her dignity? Chasing after a man who will never love her."

Zia Arianna smiled wearily. "That’s the stupid blind side of love. Unfortunately for Natalia, this guy is destined to become another woman’s husband. And it was decided by Vico when he was a little boy."

Maya frowned. "Who is this guy, and who is the woman Vico wants this guy to marry?"

Zia took her glass of grape juice off the table and took a sip, a mischievous smile on her face. "You are going to meet this guy soon, and the whole family is happy he is going to marry that woman, and not Natalia, because we all love that woman," she said cryptically, leaving Maya more befuddled.