Matteo hadn’t brought any clothes when he impulsively came to see Emily at the Valentino mansion, so he had to borrow some from Alessandro. Alessandro arrived at the guest room to deliver the clothes himself. “Thanks, buddy,” Matteo said with a grin, clearly in a very good mood. Alessandro observed the brightening of Matteo's face, a stark contrast to the gloomy and anxious demeanor he had shown the night before. “Where is Emily?” Alessandro asked, taking a seat on the couch beside the window. “She went downstairs to help Aria get the kids ready for school,” Matteo replied as he walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. “She loves Gia and Maximo very much.” “So, everything’s settled?” Alessandro asked again, eager for his lawyer friend to fill him in on the details from the very beginning. “Yeah, everything is sorted now,” Matteo called back from the bathroom as he discarded his bathrobe and began putting on the white shirt and jeans Alessandro had given him. When Matteo emerged from the bathroom, he found Alessandro sitting on the couch, showing no signs of leaving the room. “Should we go down and help the ladies with breakfast?” Matteo suggested, but Alessandro narrowed his eyes, recognizing that his cunning lawyer friend was trying to dodge the conversation. “They have house staff to help them with breakfast,” Alessandro dismissed his suggestion. “Now, if your excuses are all exhausted, can we talk man to man?” His patience was clearly wearing thin. Matteo sighed, realizing it was no longer possible to evade his mafia friend's questions. He took a seat on the bed, distancing himself from Alessandro. They sat in silence for a long moment, their eyes locked in an unspoken exchange. The Italian don raised his brows, silently demanding his lawyer friend to speak. Taking a deep breath, Matteo finally broke the silence. “I love Emily and want to marry her.” Alessandro’s expression softened, a small shift that encouraged Matteo to confide further. “I proposed to her, and she said yes.” “When were you about to tell me, Matteo Vinci? I never thought we had secrets between us,” Alessandro complained sullenly, and he had every right to feel that way. He had confided everything in his life to Matteo, with nothing hidden between them. But when it came to such a significant decision about his life, Matteo hadn’t even informed him, and Alessandro was hurt, even though he never showed it. Matteo meant more to him than he could imagine. Matteo smiled, knowing his mafia friend all too well and how easily he could be grumpy. The truth was, he wanted to announce to Alessandro and Aria about Emily and their relationship, but then so much happened in the span of a single day, and he hadn’t had time to tell anyone about it. “Come on, dude, don’t be upset with me,” Matteo winked mischievously.“I was about to tell you first, as soon as Emily agreed to marry me. But then... this scandalous news happened, and a misunderstanding occurred between me and her, and… she ran here.” Matteo chose his words carefully, avoiding any mention of the hurtful treatment Emily had endured from his family. “Emily mentioned that your mother and fiancée went to her, threatening that she should leave you,” Alessandro challenged, his expression hardening. He had overheard the tense argument between Emily and Matteo the night before, and he’d been waiting to confront his friend about it.Matteo nodded, his gaze dropping as he avoided Alessandro’s intense stare. “They won’t interfere anymore. I’ve made it clear to them that I’m not going to marry Lia; it’s Emily I want,” Matteo replied firmly, his tone resolute. Alessandro studied him for a moment, assessing the conviction in his voice. “And you’re sure they’ll respect your decision and don't trouble Emily again?” “They don’t have a choice,” Matteo replied, a hint of defiance in his voice. “Emily is the woman I love, and no one will change that.” “It’s better if they don’t get involved,” Alessandro said sternly. “You know how much Aria cares about Emily and how protective she is for Emily. I won’t tolerate anyone who tries to harass her best friend, and you know the consequences, Matteo.” Matteo nodded, understanding the seriousness in Alessandro's tone. He knew better than anyone how ruthless his mafia friend could be when it came to protecting his family and friends. If his family dared to cross that line again, he wouldn’t be able to shield them from Alessandro’s wrath. Matteo had already warned them; family or not, he wouldn’t allow anyone to harm the woman he loved. Knowing Emily’s traumatic past, Matteo was more cautious than ever. He vowed to be her shield, standing between her and any trouble that might arise. She was the woman he loved most, and he wasn’t willing to let anyone or anything harm her again. “Don’t worry, Alessandro,” Matteo promised, his voice steady and resolute. “Emily is my life, and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her.” Alessandro nodded, his expression serious. “I expect you to treat Emily well, always,” he demanded authoritatively, fully aware of Matteo’s reputation as a notorious womanizer. If I find out you’ve broken her heart, I’ll forget you’re my childhood friend and make you regret the moment you even think about betraying that innocent girl.” His tone left no room for doubt; this was the mafia don speaking, not just a concerned friend. Matteo met Alessandro's gaze, the gravity of the threat clear between them. “That day won’t ever come,” he assured, determination firm in his voice, the sincerity in his eyes reflecting his heart’s resolve. Just then, Aria’s voice sliced through the tension. “No, Matteo Vinci, I won’t let this go so easily.” Both men turned to the door where Aria stood, her expression cold and her brows furrowed. She crossed her arms, her posture signaling that she had come to confront Matteo directly.Now what had he done? Matteo thought inwardly, his heart thumping loudly in his chest with an unknown fear.