I Was The Mafia’s Maid Now I’m Their Regret Chapter 04
“Cosima, your grandmother was admitted to the family’s private clinic. You’ll go take care of her for a few days.”
Mom announced it suddenly over dinner.
“We can’t leave unfamiliar people around her. Outside caregivers don’t understand the rules of silence.”
My fork stilled.
“Why me? My finals are coming up.”
“Why can’t Nico go?”
Mom shot me a displeased look.
“Your brother is the heir apparent. He can’t stay there overnight. And besides, he doesn’t know how to take care of people.”
“What about Francesca, then?”
“Your sister is busy rehearsing. She’s going to represent the Marino Family at the winter gathering. How could she possibly have time?”
Mom’s tone grew sharper with every word.
“You don’t even have a formal role in this family. And it’s not like you’re getting into any great college anyway. School isn’t that important for you.”
Me again.
It was always my turn to give way.
“Fine.”
I lifted my head.
“But I have one condition. After Francesca’s performance, I want to go to Iceland with the whole family. Put my name on the travel and security detail.”
It was the last time I would ever ask for something I wanted.
Mom didn’t look pleased, but she finally agreed. My father didn’t object.
The day I went to the clinic, my grandmother was lying in bed and greeted us warmly.
“Cosima is going to be working so hard for me. This old body is just failing me.”
Mom immediately handed over the fruit she had brought, then gave a soft cough and a pointed look in my direction.
“What are you standing there for? Peel an apple for your grandmother.”
I picked up the knife and lowered my head to peel it.
That night, my grandmother’s snoring was a constant rumble.
I didn’t fall asleep until late. Not long after I finally did, she kicked me hard in the calf.
I curled up, a sharp pain shooting through my leg.
“Help me to the bathroom. Now.”
“I’m up.”
I gritted my teeth against the pain, climbed out of bed, and helped her up.
On the way back, I said quietly,
“Grandma, next time you need me, could you just call my name gently?”
She waved a dismissive hand.
“You’re too soft.”
The next morning, the moment I opened my eyes, I saw her holding my admission letter.
“Aurelia Academy?”
She frowned as she read it.
“This has to be fake. How could someone with your grades get a letter like this?”
“Your sister knows how to maintain the Family’s relationships. Your brother will inherit your father’s position. If you run off to study this sort of thing, who’s supposed to stay home and do the work?”
Her hands jerked, and the letter ripped clean in two.
I froze, then lunged for it.
But she was faster. In a few quick motions, she tore the entire letter to shreds and threw it in the trash.
That was my Aurelia Academy admission letter.
I had ground myself down for three years to earn it.
I had used every scrap of time left over from their chores and errands to compete, to work on projects, to get that single sheet of paper.
Because of it, I hadn’t slept properly in a week.
My grandmother sat on the bed, her face a mask of innocence.
“I’m doing this for your own good. A Marino daughter can’t set her heart on the outside world. What you should be learning is how to hold this estate together.”
I stood by the trash can, picking up the torn pieces one by one, my eyes burning.
But I knew that even if I broke down sobbing right then, not a single person would stand up for me.
When I got home, I intended to tape the letter back together.
But when I pushed open the door, the house was empty.
I opened Instagram and discovered that Francesca had been selected to perform at the winter gathering in Iceland. Mom, Dad, and Nico had already gone with her to the allied Family’s event.
Without me.
Silently, I posted photos of myself taking care of my grandmother in the family group chat.
No one asked how I was.
No one noticed the dark circles under my eyes from sleepless nights.
Mom only sent the same kind of message she always did.
“Who’s checking the estate tomorrow? The safe house supplies need to be restocked, too.”
Tomorrow, no one else would be home.
Only me.
And in that moment, all I felt was relief.
This time, I had lost again.
I left the encrypted family group chat and dragged every one of their numbers into my block list.
I fed the guards’ shift schedule and the backup ciphers into the incinerator, made sure I wasn’t taking any Family documents, and booked a 2 a.m. flight to Boston.
As I packed, all I had besides the taped-up admission letter were the certificates and trophies I had saved over the years.
There wasn’t much.
It was everything I owned.
Before I left, I deleted my fingerprint from the estate’s smart lock and set the spare key outside my father’s study.
My father had never given me a formal role, never allowed me near the ledgers or the business. Now, he had no oath he could use to stop me from leaving.
I pulled my suitcase behind me and walked out of the place I had lived in for eighteen years.
From now on, I would get what I wanted for myself.
Aurelia Academy was only the beginning.
One day, they would understand that Cosima was not just someone at the Marino estate to be ordered around.
Cosima was Cosima Marino.