Mafia Don Ex, It's Over !

The next morning, Keaton was up before dawn. He returned with a box of pastries from a bakery I’d always wanted to try. For a moment, I thought he’d bought them for me, but when I reached for the chocolate croissant, he slapped my hand away.

"Those aren't yours. You like the plain ones, right? I got one just for you," he said, his voice absent of any warmth.

I froze, the reality crashing down on me. The chocolate croissants weren’t for me; they were for Lacey.

I couldn’t take it anymore. "We’ve been together for 5 years, and you still don’t know I’m allergic to plain croissants?" I said, my voice cracking.

Keaton’s expression darkened. He stood abruptly, tossing the pastries onto the table. "Stop making a scene. Eat or don’t. I don’t care."

As he prepared to leave, I walked to the closet and grabbed a bag. "When you see Lacey today, make sure you give this to her."

His brow furrowed, but he took the bag. When he peeked inside and saw the lace bra, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. He opened his mouth, probably to explain it away, but the cold, indifferent look on my face silenced him. "I'll make sure she stops leaving her things around," he said, almost too casually.

"Good," I whispered.

For a second, Keaton hesitated, his eyes trying to read my expression. Then he offered, "I can give you a ride to work today."

Five years, and not once had he offered to drive me, even when I was seriously ill, even when it rained so hard the roads were almost flooded. Work and personal life were always separate. But Lacey? On her first day, she’d been chauffeured around by the Mafia Don himself.

I shook my head, grabbed my keys, and brushed past him, trying not to let the tears spill. I had one foot out the door when I heard Keaton's phone ring. "Alissa, wait—"

I stopped, my breath catching, thinking maybe he would apologize. Maybe he would ask what was wrong. Maybe...

But he answered a call instead. "Lacey, yeah. I'll be there soon. Just wait for me."

I didn’t look back as I stepped outside, into the bitter morning air. But as I walked to my car, I heard the faintest echo from inside.

"Oh, is Alissa upset?" It was Lacey, her voice tinged with that fake sweetness, dripping with mock concern. "Maybe you should talk to her, Keaton."

I turned to see Keaton now standing next to her at the entrance of the house.

"No. Let her be," he said, his voice dismissive. "She didn’t want to come with me anyway."

I slipped behind the wheel, my hands trembling as I gripped the steering wheel. My vision blurred as I backed out of the driveway, but through the rearview mirror, I saw him standing by the front door, his phone still pressed to his ear as he answered another call.

This was it. I was done playing second to his dangerous games, his careless disregard, and Lacey’s coy smiles. I was leaving this world, this life, and him. Let him chase after Lacey. Let her be his world. But as I turned the corner, I caught one last glimpse of him, and for a second, it felt like he saw me.

But then he turned away, and I was gone.

I arrived at Gebbert Enterprises, Keaton's company, and the sight of the towering building made my stomach churn with a mix of anticipation and dread. I’d quit a great job a few months back just to be here. Keaton had insisted that I shouldn’t be working for another company when I could help him out at his own. So, I’d taken a position as an administrative assistant, one of the lowest ranks, hoping it would bring us closer. But it was becoming clear I might have misjudged everything.

When I reached his office, I hesitated at the door, hearing Lacey’s loud, bright laughter spilling through the crack. I pushed it open to find her perched on the edge of his desk, chatting animatedly. Keaton was laughing, a deep, hearty sound that made my chest tighten. Neither of them noticed me standing there.

I cleared my throat loudly, forcing them to look my way. Lacey's grin barely faltered, while Keaton’s laughter died down. He glanced at me, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

“You ought to be working, Lacey, not chatting. It’s inappropriate,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I turned to Keaton, expecting some sort of support, or at least a nod of agreement.

But instead, he leaned back in his chair, his expression hardening. “If you’re such a great staff member, Alissa, shouldn’t you be at your desk right now?” His tone was dismissive, almost indifferent.

My mouth fell open, stunned. “I—”

“Get back to work, Alissa,” he cut me off, barely looking at me, his focus shifting back to Lacey as if I’d never even spoken. It felt like a slap. My heart sank as I realized my attempt to assert myself had only shattered whatever fragile authority I thought I had.

Swallowing the bitter taste of rejection, I turned and walked out of the office, feeling the sting of his indifference. As I reached the elevator, I heard Lacey call out behind me.

“Oh, Alissa, I really don’t like it when you piss Keaton off, you know,” she said, her tone dripping with fake sweetness as she caught up to me.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I snapped, barely managing to keep my composure.

She tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with an almost gleeful mischief. “He’s not just attached to me but tied to me. So if I get hurt, he will too. Respect that. You can’t change it.”

“Really?” I said, my voice sharp.

“Yes.” She stepped closer, her smile widening. “You know, Keaton adores me. He’d move mountains for me, but I can bet he wouldn’t do much for you.”

Her confidence, veiled under a fake, lovely expression, irked me to no end. I took a step closer, my gaze narrowing. “Do whatever you want, Lacey. I know you well. But you will never get in between Keaton and me.”

“Haven’t I already started doing that?” she said, her tone playful, as if this was all just a game to her. She chuckled softly, the sound grating on my nerves, and before I could think of a response to counter that bitter truth, she stepped into the elevator and left, leaving me standing there, feeling smaller than ever.