Chapter 7 POV Mande

I was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables, when I heard the front door slam. The sound echoed through the house, and I froze. It wasn't unusual for Makidi to come home angry or frustrated-being a Mafia boss meant his days were rarely peaceful-but this felt different. There was an urgency in the way he stomped through the house, his footsteps heavy and uneven.

I peeked around the corner and saw him standing in the middle of the living room. His shirt was soaked with sweat, clinging to his broad chest, and his face was flushed. His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair, pacing back and forth like a man on the brink of an explosion.

"Makidi?" I called out cautiously, wiping my hands on my apron. He didn't answer, didn't even look at me.

He suddenly turned and slammed his fist onto the coffee table, the sound making me flinch. "I knew it," he growled, his voice low but filled with venom. "I knew something was off. All these years... I was right."

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn't know what he was talking about, but I had a sinking feeling it was something big.

"Makidi," I said again, stepping closer, my voice steady despite the fear bubbling inside me. "What's wrong?"

He finally looked at me, his dark eyes blazing with anger and something else-pain. "I just came from a meeting," he said, his voice raw. "I found out... Nicolas isn't my son."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My knees felt weak, and I gripped the edge of the counter to steady myself. This was it. The secret I had kept for years, the truth that Julianna had sworn me to protect, was finally out.

I tried to keep my expression neutral, but I could feel my hands shaking. "What... what do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He stared at me, his eyes narrowing. "Don't play dumb, Mande. You've been in this house long enough. You were there when Julianna was alive. Did you know about this?"

I opened my mouth to speak but hesitated. What could I say? That I had known all along? That Julianna had made me swear on her deathbed never to tell him? That I had carried this secret like a burden for years, praying he would never find out?

"Mande," he said, his tone sharp and accusing. "Tell me the truth."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "Makidi, I..." I trailed off, unable to meet his gaze.

"Goddammit, Mande!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the house. "Did you know?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded. "Yes," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I knew."

He froze, his expression a mix of shock, betrayal, and fury. "How long have you known?"

"Since the beginning," I admitted, my voice trembling. "Julianna... she told me. She made me swear never to tell you. She said it would destroy you."

He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "Destroy me? She destroyed me the moment she lied about Nicolas. She let me believe he was mine. She let me love him like a father, and now... now I find out it was all a lie."

I wanted to comfort him, to tell him that Nicolas still loved him, that he was still the man who had raised him, but I knew it wouldn't help. Makidi wasn't a man who dealt with betrayal lightly, and this was the ultimate betrayal.

He sank onto the couch, his head in his hands, his broad shoulders shaking. I had never seen him like this-broken, vulnerable. It was a side of him he rarely showed, and it broke my heart to see it.

"I don't know what to do," he muttered, his voice muffled. "I don't know who to trust anymore."

I hesitated before stepping closer, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You can trust me," I said softly.

He looked up at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and despair. "Can I, Mande? Can I really trust you after you kept this from me?"

I didn't have an answer. All I could do was stand there, silently offering what little comfort I could, as the weight of the truth settled over both of us.