Bound To My Mafia Stepuncles novel Chapter 99

Chapter 99

Aria’s POV

The sun had barely risen, and yet, my bags were packed. I had thrown together only what I needed–the essentials. Clothes, my sketchbook, and

a few personal items, I had no desire to stay another minute. Not after the way things had gone the day before.

I stood in the hallway of the house, staring at the front door. The ranch behind me had always felt like home, but now it felt like a place I couldn’t escape fast enough. It wasn’t just the ranch, it was everything. The triplets, their broken promises, the betrayals. The tension had been too much for me to handle, and I wasn’t sure if I could ever go back to the way things were.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself for what was coming. I had made up my mind. I was leaving. There was nothing left for me here–not right now. I needed space. I needed peace. But most of all, I needed to be away from them.

Before I could reach for the door, I heard footsteps behind me. I froze. I knew who it was. Matteo, Dante, and Enzo. They must’ve sensed that something was off, and now, they were here. I could hear them talking softly as they approached.

“Aria, don’t do this,” Enzo’s voice broke through the silence, deep and urgent. I could hear the pain in it, the confusion.

I didn’t turn to face them. I couldn’t look at them. Not now. Not after everything. I kept my hand on the door, pretending I wasn’t listening, but I was. I was listening to every word they said.

“Please, don’t leave,” Matteo’s voice came next, softer than his brother’s, filled with a gentleness that only seemed to make the pain sting more. “We’re sorry. We’re so sorry for what happened. We didn’t mean to hurt you.”

I clenched my jaw, taking a shaky breath. My heart raced, but I still couldn’t face them. “I can’t stay,” I whispered, my voice cracking despite how much I tried to sound strong. “I can’t stay here with you. Not after everything.”

There was a long silence. I could feel their eyes on me, could almost hear the frustration in the air. They didn’t understand, but they would. Eventually, they would.

“Aria,” Dante said, his voice steady but thick with regret. “We didn’t want any of this. Please, just give us a chance to explain. We’re not trying to hurt you.”

I could feel the sincerity in their words, but the anger I’d been holding in for so long surged again. How could they have let everything get this far? How could they have listened to Cassandra, knowing what she was like? What she had done to me?

I spun around, finally facing them, and the look on their faces nearly broke me. They were all standing there, their expressions a mixture of worry, guilt, and helplessness. But none of that mattered to me anymore. The hurt was too deep, and I couldn’t pretend that it didn’t exist.

“You don’t get it,” I said, my voice cold. “You had a chance to stand by me. You had a chance to trust me. But instead, you let her fill your heads with lies. And you didn’t even come to me, didn’t even ask. I can’t trust you anymore.”

Dante stepped forward, but I took a step back, shaking my head. I couldn’t do this. Not now. I wasn’t ready to forgive them. I wasn’t ready to even think about how to fix things.

“Aria,” Enzo said softly, but there was a certain edge in his voice now, something raw and broken. “Please don’t leave. We’ve made mistakes. But we’ll do whatever it takes to fix this. You don’t have to go.”

I felt my chest tighten at the words. I wanted to believe them. I wanted to forgive them, to go back to the way things were, but it wasn’t that simple. They had betrayed me, whether they realized it or not. And that betrayal hurt more than anything.

“I need space,” I said, the words coming out like a relief. I felt a small weight lift off my shoulders just by saying it aloud. “I need to can’t do this anymore.”

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Enzo’s eyes softened, but I could see the hurt in them, the silent plea that I’d come back to them, that things could be fixed. But I wasn’t ready. for that. I wasn’t ready to face them after everything that had happened. I couldn’t.

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Chapter 99

“Aria, please,” Matteo said, his voice trembling. “Don’t go. Don’t leave us.”

I shook my head slowly, taking one last look at them. The words they spoke were full of emotion, full of regret, but I couldn’t let that way m Not now. Not yet.

“I need time,” I repeated. “I’m leaving. I have to. I’ll come back when I’m ready,”

And then, without another word, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.

For a moment, I felt their eyes on me as I walked away. I could hear them calling after me, their voices getting quieter, but I didn’t turn back. I couldn’t. Not now.

I walked out of the house, stepping into the fresh morning air. The sun had just begun to rise, and the world felt different. The air smelled of grass and earth, and I could feel the tension slowly leaving my body. But it wasn’t peace I was seeking. It was distance.

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