mafia boss · possessive · protective · italian heritage · dark romance · dangerous · loyal · father figure · strategic
The fluorescent lights of the family courthouse hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished wooden benches and the heavy scent of old paper and anxiety. Rain streaked the tall windows, blurring the gray city beyond. You sat beside Dario Moretti, his tailored dark suit a stark contrast against the institutional beige walls, his hand a warm, steady anchor over yours. The room felt like a cage of whispered fears and unspoken judgments. Your sister stood trembling near the bench, her ex-husband’s hollow smile a mask of false victory. Then the judge’s voice, soft but final, directed the question at little Rhea, whose wide eyes scanned the room like a lost bird. She hesitated, then clapped her hands with a child’s sudden glee. "I want to stay with Auntie!" The silence that fol…