Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask

Chapter 474: Chapter 70 Blood and Questions

Lila’s POV

Daniel and I had been finding our rhythm again lately. He’d been more attentive, reminiscent of our early days together, but I could sense something still weighed heavily on him. Whatever darkness he was wrestling with remained locked away, despite his insistence that everything was fine. Meanwhile, the preparations for Gemma and Dominic’s wedding kept our entire circle busy with the elaborate planning that befitted a union between two prominent families.

I was leaving the exclusive boutique in the Diamond District with the girls after finalizing our wedding attire when my phone vibrated. Seeing Daniel’s name flash across the screen, I stepped away from our group to take his call privately.

”Tiny one, finished with your shopping expedition?” His voice carried that familiar weight that had become so commonplace recently.

”Yes, we’re just wrapping up. Gemma’s arranged for her driver to take me back to the penthouse.”

”I could send my detail to collect you instead,” he offered. Lately, he’d been insisting his security team escort me everywhere—to Thorne Group’s offices, to law school, and back home—claiming it gave us more time together and kept me safe. Because of this heightened protection, my own vehicle had been sitting unused in the building’s secure garage.

”No need. I’ll see you at home,” I replied.

”I miss you,” he said, his words sending warmth through my chest. Even though we shared the fortified penthouse and saw each other daily, hearing those words from someone like Daniel always affected me deeply.

I was smiling at his declaration when suddenly chaos erupted around me. A figure on a motorcycle roared past, violently ripping my phone away and slashing at me with a blade in one fluid motion. If not for Gemma’s bodyguard’s lightning-fast reflexes pulling me backward, the damage would have been catastrophic. As it stood, the knife caught my forearm. I screamed in shock as warm blood began streaming down my arm.

”Stay completely still, Miss Sullivan,” the guard commanded, maintaining his protective stance over me. ”Let me assess the damage.” Tears of fright streamed down my face as he examined the wound, produced a pristine handkerchief from his jacket, and pressed it firmly against the gash. ”Apply steady pressure here to stem the bleeding.”

Gemma rushed over, her face etched with concern and fury. After her security team briefed her on what had transpired, we headed directly to Mount Sinai Hospital. During the ride in her armored sedan, I gradually regained my composure. I mentioned to Gemma that I’d been speaking with Daniel when the attack occurred, and one of her guards assured me that Dominic would immediately notify him about the incident.

Somehow, Daniel had arrived at the hospital before us. He was already there when our convoy pulled up, rushing to embrace me with unmistakable panic and worry etched across his sharp features.

Dominic arrived shortly after and informed us that a trusted surgeon was standing by. Daniel held me protectively, practically carrying my weight. His phone kept buzzing insistently until he finally answered on the fifth attempt. What followed left me stunned—he erupted in absolute rage, shouting at whoever was on the other end with a ferocity that made even the hospital security take notice. I trembled against him, startled by the violent intensity of his outburst. After ending the call abruptly, he immediately contacted Adler to inform his lieutenant that he’d be unreachable while staying with me.

The doctor administered ten precise stitches, but my mind remained fixated on who could have triggered such explosive fury in Daniel. Was this mysterious caller connected to his recent stress? Could he be involved with someone else behind my back? No, I refused to believe Daniel would betray me—at least, I desperately hoped he wouldn’t. By the time we returned to our secure penthouse, I couldn’t contain my burning questions any longer.

”Tiny one, I’ll order dinner from Russo’s, then help you shower carefully around the bandages...” Daniel began, but I interrupted before losing my nerve completely.

”Who was it, Daniel?” I demanded.

”What are you referring to?” He looked genuinely puzzled.

”On the phone—who made you explode like that at the hospital?” I pressed, watching his expression shift from confusion to careful hesitation.

”It was business-related, nothing that should concern you,” he said, pulling me into his strong embrace.

”Really? Because I’ve never witnessed you that enraged about business before.” I persisted, needing concrete answers.

”My beautiful little one, I was terrified about you and furious about what happened. Someone dared to hurt you, and according to the bodyguard, it could have been far worse. I was angry because nothing and no one was going to prevent me from being at your side today.” His explanation felt incomplete.

”Are you certain that’s everything?” I challenged directly.

”Everything? Lila, do you comprehend how much danger you faced today?” His frustration bubbled over intensely. ”You could be in surgery right now with life-threatening injuries or worse. I panicked imagining what might have happened. I was furious that you became a victim of the same violence I fight against every single day. I was terrified that someone managed to harm you despite all our precautions. It’s not just one thing—it’s absolutely everything!”

His dark eyes revealed a fear I’d never witnessed before. I studied his face intently, trying to process everything he’d revealed. Genuine concern radiated from every line of his expression, along with an anxiety about something I couldn’t quite identify. Taking a shuddering breath, he pulled me closer, resting his chin atop my head protectively.

”Were you really that worried something worse had happened?” I asked softly.

”Tiny one, I imagined every nightmare scenario possible. I nearly lost control when Dominic called and told me you’d been injured in what looked like a targeted attack. Even though he assured me you were stable with only a superficial wound, I only began to calm down when I could see you breathing with my own eyes. The time between Dominic’s call and holding you felt like an eternity. My heart nearly stopped completely.” His voice carried such raw sincerity that it shattered something inside me. This level of protective concern, this depth of genuine feeling—it could only stem from true love. If he felt this intensely about me, he couldn’t possibly be deceiving me.

”Regarding that call—that truly was all there was to it,” he insisted with unwavering firmness.

I sensed his honesty, but by now I was so deeply moved by his concern that the mysterious phone call no longer seemed important.

”Now I’m going to draw you a bath, feed you properly, and make love to you—slowly and carefully—to make up for how much I’ve missed you today,” he murmured, sweeping me up into his powerful arms.

He spoke of love while peppering gentle kisses across my face, completely melting my defenses. Though I wasn’t entirely convinced about his phone call explanation, I chose to set my lingering concerns aside. Besides, I knew him well enough to recognize that no amount of pressing would make him reveal more than he was ready to share. And true to his word, he fulfilled every promise—bathed me with tender care, fed me with patient attention, and made love to me differently than before—slowly, gently, filled with whispered promises and heartfelt declarations of love.