Chapter 36


    Luca’s POV


    “Have you been disrespecting my wife all these while… because she’s quite younger than you?”


    I demanded in a quiet voice, purposely making use of the word ‘quite’ despite the fact that she was way


    younger than Sofia.


    But she has never, ever mattered here in the mafia. It doesn''t matter how old you are and how old the


    rest of the people are. Once you are in a spot or position that demands people to automatically give


    you respect, then that’s what they were supposed to give you without any questions or hesitations.


    “What? No sir, it isn’t as it seemed. I never intended for it toe off as disrespectful.” She started


    exining herself immediately, and I could see the fear surrounding her whole bodynguage.


    Like I could even do a thing to her… if she hadn’t been disrespecting Sofia all these while, that is.


    “I only asked if you’ve been disrespecting her, that’s all.” I rephrased calmly and watched her eyes


    widened fearfully once again.


    “I haven’t.” She replied and I nodded my head before inquiring, “Why did you sound guilty back then?”


    “Oh, that.” She said as she rubbed her palms which I had a feeling we’re wet with sweat, against the


    material of the dress she had on.


    “It’s because,” She paused and swallowed before continuing after a few seconds, “It’s because Mrs


    Ri had insisted on us referring to her as her first name, ever since the first day we got introduced to


    each other.” Matilda exined and I stared at her quietly without saying a thing at first.


    “She did?” I inquired and she nodded her head immediately.


    “Yes, she did. I insisted at first, I told her it was disrespectful for us to refer to her in such an informal


    manner but she had insisted and insisted, until I had no choice but to give in.” She exined and


    paused to drag in a slow breath before continuing again, “I’m so sorry if that had offered you, like I


    predicted. I’ll go back to referring to her the right way and inform her about how you weren’t pleased


    about it, like I had told her at first –“ she continued before suddenly pausing in the middle of what she


    was saying when I raised my hand up.


    “Since she asked you to refer to her that way, then it’s alright.” I finally said and watched as she blinked


    as if she hadn’t gotten what I said at firstly.


    “Are you sure, sir?” She asked and nodded her head a few secondster when I didn’t reply to her and


    instead continued to stare at her.


    “When did you all finish having dinner?” I asked as I dug my phone out from my pocket and turned my


    data on instantly to watch as multiple notifications flooded my phone immediately. I was hoping it would


    have been really long since they had dinner, that way, Sofia would have been hopefully asleep before I


    made my way into our bedroom.


    “Not too long away.” She replied immediately, “Would you like me to fetch Sarah for you?” She asked


    almost immediately and I was d she wasn’t still shaking in unnecessary fear, moments ago.


    “No, there’s no need for that.”


    “I’ll need you to help me make something I can have for dinner though.” I started to say once again and


    watched as Matilda nodded her head immediately, appearing almost too eager to still make something


    else tonight, like she hasn’t scheduled to do tonight.


    “What would you want me to make?” She asked and I shrugged my right shoulder once. “Something


    really light and quick. I have a very bad headache and want to make use of some drugs once I have


    what you’re going to be making, so I’ll appreciate it if you whip it up as fast as you can.”


    She nodded her head and was already cracking eggs into the mixing machine before I was done.


    I got on one of the chairs in the kitchen against the counter and shrugged out of my suit jacket. I


    discarded it on the chair beside me and proceeded to unbutton the first five buttons of my shirt. Once it


    felt like I could drag in more deep breaths without my suit buttons dragging and scratching against the


    line in the middle of my chest and abs.


    A couple of texts had arrived from James when I picked my phone back up from the counter and


    started going through the notifications.


    James: Yo fucker.


    James: You home yet?


    James: Text me when you finally get home.


    And then, thirty minutester.


    James: You bastard, you’re currently online without checking my texts?!


    James: I’m beating your ass up tomorrow whenever you see tomorrow.


    I snorted as I started typing out a reply for his over dramatic self.


    Luca: You know you cannot win me in a hand to hand fight.


    James: Bullshit, I’ve gotten countless more training just because of that. I’m definitely beating your ass


    up tomorrow, you little wife wouldn’t be able to recognize you once I’m done with you.


    I barked out a smallugh as my eyes quickly ghosted over his text.


    Luca: Shut the hell up, James. Also I am not sure if I’ll being to work tomorrow.


    I sent in my reply and reached behind my head to caress my neck, a few feet away from the spot


    behind my hair. My muscles hurt.


    My whole muscles.


    It hurts everywhere.


    I think I might seriously need a full body massage at this point, with how the pains and cracks in


    different parts of my muscles were only getting worse, day after day.


    The smell of what Matilda was preparing wafted into my nose and I breathed in the scent of the food


    without thinking right before my phone dinged on the counter.


    It was a text message from James, and more notifications pop ups from a couple of apps which I


    haven’t opened throughout the whole of today.


    James: What? Why?


    I typed back a reply immediately, feeling the pounding in my head increase a little bit.


    Luca: I honestly don’t have a particr idea. I’ve been feeling really ill, like I’m about to fall sick, which I


    cannot afford to, at the time being, at least.


    I sent in the reply and continued to type another message without stopping.


    Luca: And I don’t want my body to force me to finally take a break by falling sick, which was why I had


    decided to take the day off tomorrow and just sleep in.


    I tapped on the send button just as a text from James popped up on the screen, after showing the three


    dots at the side of the phone where a new text from him was going to appear, seconds ago.


    James: Did you say you’re feeling ill? Were you feeling sick throughout the whole of today without


    bothering to tell me?


    I sighed as I proceeded to reply to James’ text.


    Luca: I didn’t think it was a serious headache at first, until it increased as the hours went by.


    James: Luca! I had no idea, I’d have insisted you leave for home even before we finish all or scheduled


    appointments, those are not as important as your health.


    I could just imagine saying these same words directly in my face in a serious voice and a face void of


    yfulness, not caring that I was his leader at that particr moment.


    Luca: It’s a good thing I didn’t tell you about it then. Also, it’s no big deal, ok? That’s why I’m deciding to


    stay in tomorrow.


    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I sent the message the moment I had typed it and ced the phone on the counter before reaching


    from the cuffs link on my right wrist and undoing it immediately. I reached for the left one and I did the


    same thing to it, and then I rolled the right sleeve up my arm once I was done, and did the same thing


    for the other arm.


    A reply from James came in just as I was lifting the phone up from its spot on the counter.


    James: I’de see you tomorrow once I’m done in the office. You stay home and get as much sleep


    as you need. Forget about the office throughout the whole of tonight and tomorrow, I’ll take care of the


    ones I can and leave the ones I can’t for you, whenever you get well enough toe back to the


    hospital.


    I started to type in james’ reply even before I hadpletely read his text. I shifted in my seat


    absentmindedly, nced up to see Matilda dishing the food she had prepared onto a te.


    Luca: You will note here tomorrow.


    I sent in the first message before continuing to type in another reply.


    Luca: I’m not dying, stop sounding like this. Tomorrow is Friday, which means I have the weekend to


    stay at home and continue to rest. I''ll definitely be at work on Monday.


    I typed and sent the message across just as his own message popped in here.


    James: Damn, right I wouldn’t. I’m worried about you.


    Luca: Fuck you, James.


    Luca: Don’t you daree here tomorrow.


    James: Are you sure, man?


    I rolled my eyes at that, James could be overbearing sometimes, and this was a perfect example.


    Luca: I am. Quit fretting.


    James: I can''t help it.


    Luca: Well you better find a way to help it, it’s getting annoying and assuming we were having this


    same conversation in person, I’d have punched you in the face, a long while ago.


    James: And I am the dramatic one.


    Luca: I’m ignoring you after this particr text. I’m fine. Don’t blow my phone up incase I don’t reply to


    any of your texts tomorrow because I most definitely won’te online until I’ve gotten enough rest.


    I dropped my phone and cradled my head in my palm when it started to pound really badly for a


    second.


    “Here’s your meal, Mr Ri.”


    I looked up at Matilda standing on the side of the counter with a tray in her hands. Her eyes widened as


    she took in my facial expression and she dropped the tray on the counter and blinked once.


    “Oh my God, your eyes look really red and almost swollen, is the headache getting worse every now


    and then?” She asked and I nodded my head after a few seconds of remaining silent.


    She pushed the tray towards me and I pulled it towards mepletely and nced up at her as the


    enticing taste wafted and danced its way into my nose.


    “Thank you for this, Matilda.” I said to her and watched as a small smile found its way on her cheeks.


    “You’re wee.” She replied before fetching me a bottle of water and a ss cup.


    “Would you like a drink with it, sir?” She asked and I shook my head immediately as I picked up the fork


    knife that was aligned neatly on one part of the tray. “No, don’t bother about that.”


    I didn’t tell her about the fact that I wasn’t sure I’d be able topletely stomach the food she had


    prepared, not because of her cooking was bad or something, but because I think the sickness was


    starting to affect my appetite, so I wouldn’t to stomach a drink at the moment wouldn’t because it would


    most definitely sound reasonable to anyone’s ear.


    I forked a little piece of the scrambled egg on one part of the te and was thankful that it had gone


    down my throat without any hassle.


    Matilda appeared beside me with a few drugs in her hands which she set on the table beside me


    immediately.


    “This right here is the regr pain killer, just a little bit stronger than the regr ones.” She paused and


    touched the second tablet pack. “This one is more focused on fighting body pains, I noticed you


    massaging your neck countless times while preparing your dinner, so I figured out that you’re also


    battling with body pains.”


    “You have no idea.” I said right before I inserted another forkful of food into my mouth and almost rolled


    my eyes when she stared at me fondly, like the way Sarah would look at me assuming she had been


    the one in ce of Matilda, at the moment.