Chapter 5 - The Mafia Boss Who Had Never Learned How To Be A Father
Three weeks later, Theo was still coming to my diner.
At first, Adrian hated the idea.
"My son doesn't need to spend time in a restaurant."
I crossed my arms.
"He needs normal."
Adrian didn't understand.
Because normal was something he had forgotten existed.
Theo needed pancakes on Sunday mornings.
He needed jokes.
He needed someone asking about school instead of security.
And slowly...
Adrian learned.
The city still feared him.
But Theo saw something different.
One evening, Adrian sat at the counter while Theo finished homework.
"You know," I said, "you're terrible at parenting."
He looked at me.
Most people would have been afraid.
I wasn't.
"I know."
That answer surprised me.
"You know?"
"I know how to protect him."
He looked at Theo.
"But I don't know how to be his father."
For once, he sounded like a normal man.
Not a mafia boss.
Not a powerful businessman.
Just a father who lost too much.
"You can learn."
Adrian looked at me.
"You really believe that?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
I smiled.
"Because your son already believes it."
That night, Theo gave Adrian the watch.
"Keep it."
Adrian looked confused.
"Why?"
"Because Mom gave it to me so I wouldn't forget love."
The boy smiled.
"And you need it more than me."
Adrian looked down.
For the first time, tears appeared in his eyes.
Not many.
Just enough.
The storm that had followed that little boy into my diner was finally disappearing.
But none of us knew the biggest storm was still coming.
Because the man who betrayed Adrian Moretti had one final move.
And this time...
He wasn't coming after the mafia boss.
May you like
He was coming after the family Adrian had finally built.
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