A Lifetime With You by Athrhteera

Chapter 82

Matteo

"Let's talk outside," Mikhail said before gesturing for me to follow him.

I trailed behind him down the hallway until we reached the balcony near his office, where it was secluded and quiet. Angelo and Luca were down the hallway, watching us from afar but I had assured them to stay calm as long as everything was going according to plan. Alexei was in the room with Alena, keeping her company until the doctor came.

The night sky was clear with stars and I immediately thought of my wife, about her obsession with stars. She enjoyed a night out to count the stars until she fell asleep and it was one of the things I loved about her, she enjoyed the simplest things.

Most women were hard to impress. They were impressed with money and fancy items. Alena was the perfect type of woman who had proved me otherwise because of her simplicity. I had never met a woman who enjoyed looking up at the stars as much as she did. "Do you smoke?"

The question had caught me off guard. Not because I didn't smoke but because I hadn't smoked in awhile, only during certain occasion. Most of the men I knew were heavy smokers, some were social smokers and the rest never liked to smoke. Sometimes, the smell of smoke could cause me a headache.

"Sometimes." I replied, looking at Mikhail.

He took his pack out before handing

one to me and I took one cigarette.

I had borrowed his lighter to light up the cigarette, placing it in between my lips afterwards before I inhaled the nicotine. It had been months since I last had a cigarette and I almost forgot the taste of it-I wasn't a big fan of smoking, especially ever since I met my wife. I assumed this was one of his ways to bond or to avoid the awkwardness.

"Do you think I'm a bad father, Matteo?" He asked, catching me off guard for the second time.

"Why do you ask that question?"

Mikhail exhaled the smoke before he continued to speak, "Alena's not happy. Not with me."

I kept quiet, waiting for him to continue speaking. Instead of trying to be honest about it, I decided it was best to keep quiet.

I didn't expect him to speak about personal things with me, especially since he pointed a gun at me.

you

"I know didn't come here to talk business. So, let's talk about whatever it is you came to discuss. Man to man. Father-in-law to son-in-law." He added, surprising me but I had kept my cool, not wanting to assume we were a one big happy family.

Mikhail probably felt guilty when he saw Alena's condition. He wasn't stupid and he knew he was the cause of her stress. Maybe, this was one of his way to redemption, he tried to make things right by hearing me out. I just didn't know if it could turn out good or bad. "I want to bring Alena home with me. I'm still her husband,"

you think you can "You failed to protect her twice. What makes you think you'll be able to protect her again? What makes gain my trust after what happened to her?" The questions were straight to the point. Even though I didn't have an answer to his questions but I knew my responsibility.

I had blamed myself for what happened to Alena. I knew I should've been more protective over her but at the same time, I

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Chapter 82

to take away her freedom. She deserved her free will and her own space, I

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to get hurt. I only want what's best for her and I know after what happened, it's not easy for you to trust me. We're talking about your daughter's life." He nodded, "You brought

glanced down at

love."

"We live in the same dangerous world, Mikhail. We both have the

happy now and it's my

at him. He was older, way older but he was also wiser-he had been in the mafia for decades and he had more experience when it came to deal with enemies. The Russians and the Italians weren't exactly friends to begin

it didn't exactly bring happy tears

father. I might even do the same if I have a daughter,"

villain in Alena's eyes. She sees me as the bad guy who wants to take her away from her beloved husband. She doesn't see me trying hard to protect her or prioritise her safety. All she wants is her freedom," he replied. "Because she's not a child anymore, Mikhail. She's

understand the

can't keep

ones to be their target. It's the woman we love. It's the family we have. I thought you know better

"What else am I supposed

need to always keep that in your

be in the mafia

look at me,

before I met her but for us to live a normal life, it's something I have to give up. Luca would be just fine to take over

been my whole life. In order for Alena and I to have a normal life, where we were able to feel safe, I had to let go of my spot in the mafia. I had to choose a different path. Once I

talked about

our conversation before Marco. I just haven't brought it up

nodded, "When do you

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Chapter 82

the person that kidnapped Alena. Once

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My eyes wer

the man who hurt my wife. He had

for him to be

after he had received

he knew the spots to hurt, he knew the ways to hurt. If I compared myself to Luca, he a lunatic when it came to torturing someone. He never showed any sympathy and it was as if he