Dangerous Secrets: My Mafia Stepbrother

It was indeed a conundrum, one that left Isabella feeling trapped in sorrow and helpless atmosphere. She knew that having two bodyguards accompanying her was unusual for a doctor. She also wished for a life where she could live like a regular person, but that was no longer possible. Without her bodyguards, she’d be at risk of capture, dismemberment, rape, and a cruel death. She couldn’t accept such a gruesome fate.

Yet, having bodyguards made her stand out among regular people. She was an anomaly among them.

“Isabella, who are you involved with that you need such extensive security? If it’s Clark Campbell, I think you wouldn’t be threatened by his enemies in Chicago,” Pippo inquired.

“Why do you say that?” Isabella was immediately curious. Pippo seemed to be well-versed in this area, and she, someone deeply involved with the Mafia, didn’t seem to know as much as he did.

Pippo shook his head. “I just think, generally, the Mafia’s enemies tend to stay within their territory. Considering how far we are from Canada, his enemies wouldn’t venture this far to assassinate you.”

Isabella found Pippo’s reasoning valid. However, she didn’t want to share too much information with Pippo. They were ordinary people, and knowing about her issue would serve no purpose. The fewer people who knew about her affiliation with the Mafia, especially her colleagues, the better. They were doctors focused on saving lives, a world apart from ruthless Mafia members. Knowing she was part of a Mafia family might change how they perceived her.

Just then, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to find Emanuele.

Emanuele’s face was heavy, and he directed his gaze at Isabella. “Dining with a friend?”

Isabella nodded, slightly surprised. “Why are you here?”

Emanuele, typically a busy person, showing up like this was unexpected.

“Get up, there’s something I need to discuss with you,” Emanuele said.

He then turned his pale brown eyes to Pippo. His gaze was cold, sharp, and his expression resembled ice, as if he could freeze someone at any moment.

At this moment, he was assessing Pippo, who paused and then greeted Emanuele. “Hello, may I ask who you are in relation to Isabella?”

“Family,” Isabella replied immediately. “Sorry, Pippo, my brother has come to find me with an urgent matter. I have to leave with him.”

“That’s okay,” Pippo said, showing understanding.

Isabella stood up, and she turned to Emanuele. “Let’s go.”

She didn’t want Pippo to interact too much with Emanuele, fearing it would expose her current situation. The fewer people who knew she had ties to the Mafia, especially her colleagues, the better. They were all doctors dedicated to saving lives, completely different from the Mafia, who showed no regard for human life. And her association with the Mafia could alter their perceptions of her.

Pippo watched as Isabella and Emanuele left, a cruel smile playing on the lips.

Outside the restaurant, once they were in the car, Isabella asked, “What’s going on? Why did you come to find me so urgently?”

“Your mother called you for dinner tonight, but you went out to eat?” Emanuele said, his expression unpleased.

Thinking about it, Isabella was equally annoyed. She had arranged to meet Pippo today to use it as an excuse for not going home. Chloe was leaving in a couple of days, and she intended to grit her teeth and endure it. She never expected that her absence at dinner would lead Emanuele to personally come and take her back.From NôvelDrama.Org.

“I made plans to meet a colleague to discuss the possibility of working at the hospital after I graduate.”

Isabella’s determination to secure a future surprised Emanuele, who looked at her with a hint of amazement.

However, he still wanted to tell Isabella a cruel reality: “Isabella, after you graduate, you’ll have to get married. You’ll live with Clark in Canada. How can you stay here as a doctor? In the future, you’ll be the wife of the Canadian boss, a queen in a high position. Your job will be to serve Clark and manage his subordinates. Do you understand?”

During this period, Clark was not in Chicago, and Emanuele had not mentioned him. She had tried to plan her future despite not knowing where Clark was. But now, Emanuele brought up this matter, and Isabella suddenly realized that her dreams seemed to be slipping away.

She had always wanted to be a doctor and help others, but Emanuele now cruelly told her that she could never be a doctor in her lifetime. It was like a death sentence for her future.

Emanuele gazed at Isabella. He watched as her face filled with pain, struggle, and despair, as if her light were slowly fading away.

Her suffering and despair seemed to be his stimulant. “Isabella, don’t meet with your colleague privately in the future,” Emanuele added. Somehow, hearing that Isabella had met with Pippo in the restaurant from Tony made him particularly unhappy. He had put aside his work to check the situation.

“We didn’t have a date; I was just asking about my job,” Isabella defended herself.

“Regardless, Isabella, I don’t want you to meet him alone in the future,” Emanuele said impatiently. It was as if Isabella’s rebuttal had annoyed him. His tone suggested that arguing further could lead to him saying something threatening, like wanting to kill her.

Isabella had learned to avoid risks in advance. But soon, she found that Emanuele was taking her back to the Lombard mansion.

She started to panic. “Emanuele, I don’t want to come here. Can you let me out? I can go shopping or hang out with my friends.”

She simply didn’t want to come here. Being near the mansion made Emanuele nervous. His heart raced, his muscles tensed, and his breathing slowed down.

Emanuele stared at Isabella and seemed to be carefully observing her reaction. She appeared to be genuinely afraid of her cousin. What was the reason for this? He had heard Sophia say that the two sisters had a good relationship. But now, Isabella was strongly resisting seeing Chloe.

As they neared Chloe’s house, Isabella’s face grew paler, as if she might faint at any moment. “Are you really this afraid of Chloe?” Emanuele furrowed his brow, puzzled by Isabella’s reaction.

“No, I’m not afraid. I just thought that since you had kicked her out last time, she would be angry if I went to her now. My mom would scold me for that,” Isabella replied, trying to sound strong. She couldn’t let Emanuele see that there was something wrong.

Isabella was concerned that if Emanuele sensed something was amiss, he might torture her, something she might not be able to endure.

Seeing Isabella like this, Emanuele didn’t say anything further. He watched the car approach the mansion, and Isabella felt a sense of despair. But just before they reached the house, Emanuele directed the driver to change course, steering them away from the mansion.

Isabella hadn’t expected Emanuele to listen to her. She turned to look at him, her eyes no longer filled with indifference or annoyance but rather a hint of surprise and gratitude.

The fact that Emanuele was delighted because of her happiness was a surprise. However, his happiness quickly turned into anger, and he couldn’t help but wonder if he was going insane. After all, he was a Mafia boss who could control life and death at will, yet he was now feeling elated because Isabella looked happy? Was he losing his mind?