Every Mafia's Favorite Girl novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168: "Then I Don’t Want A Love Like That At All"

The question finally made Aren’s expression brighten with recognition.

"Ah. You mean marriage."

She nodded thoughtfully.

"I’ve heard of marriage before. I heard that when two people decide to make babies, they sign some sort of papers. Like a contract. Then they engage in sexual activities, and eventually they produce a lot of babies."

She tapped one finger thoughtfully against her chin, trying to determine whether she’d left anything out.

"But not many people where I came from got married. In some of the towns we visited for supplies, I think they did it more often."

Her expression softened as another memory surfaced.

"But life there was difficult for raising children. It was a desert country, nothing like this place. The deserts stretched endlessly, and growing crops was always difficult. The temperature difference between day and night didn’t help, either. Bomb strikes made everything worse. Often, either the father or the mother would die in a bombing, or they’d die on the battlefield after being enlisted."

A faint, melancholy smile touched her lips.

"Or both would die, like mine."

The words were delivered with such quiet simplicity that Caio’s chest tightened.

"And then the babies would be left all alone to die," she continued, as though she were merely recounting something ordinary, unaware of the tension that had crept into his expression. "So I suppose... marriage wasn’t exactly a preferred activity. At least, the people at my Headquarters didn’t think about it."

She shrugged faintly.

"They didn’t even know whether they would still be alive tomorrow, whether they’d die on a mission or a bomb strike would hit our base. There was no point thinking about marriage, truly."

Only then did she realize how far she’d wandered from the original question.

She looked back at him.

"But... what does any of that have to do with dating?"

Caio had turned to stone.

Every last trace of the relaxed warmth they’d shared in the bath seemed to have evaporated completely.

He didn’t answer immediately. He stared at her in silence, slowly piecing together a realization that should have been obvious to him long ago.

’So...’

’...she isn’t merely innocent about sex.’

’She’s completely clueless about romance and everything surrounding it.’

The realization was so enormous that he needed several seconds simply to process it.

His hands tightened unconsciously around her shoulders as countless strange little clues from the past flashed through his mind — moments he’d noticed but never truly examined, peculiar questions he’d dismissed, innocent reactions he’d mistaken for shyness.

All in all, his mind kept circling one relentless, punishing question:

How could he have missed something so obvious for so long?

’Just how big of a fool have I been?’

’She’s been right here beside me this entire time, and I never once realized she didn’t understand any of this.’

Something painful clenched in his chest.

’...I haven’t even taken her on a proper date yet.’

He drew a slow, steady breath, forcing himself to settle before he spoke.

If she truly knew nothing about dating, then he would have to explain it to her without making her feel foolish for not understanding.

"Dating is... essentially a step for a man and a woman to get to know each other," he began patiently. "It’s a way of finding out whether the other person might be a potential partner for marriage. They go out together. They spend time with each other. They learn what the other person likes and dislikes. They kiss. Sometimes they have sex, too."

He paused, carefully choosing his words.

"It’s all part of discovering whether the other person satisfies the things they’re looking for in a partner, and whether being with that person makes them feel like they want to spend the rest of their lives together."

He gave a small shrug.

"And, of course, making babies can be part of it too."

Aren’s expression grew increasingly troubled as she listened. Her brows drew slowly together while she tried to translate Caio’s explanation into something she could actually understand.

"That sounds like..." She searched for the right words. "A very complicated assessment for a very serious life decision."

"It is," Caio replied at once. "But what I’m trying to make you understand is..."

His expression grew more serious as he studied her.

"When Jordan Marchetti asked you to date him, it means he considers you a potential partner for marriage. But more than that..."

He hesitated, reluctant to put the next part into words.

"...he has feelings for you."

Aren blinked.

"Feelings?"

Caio released a rough breath.

"He’s in love with you."

"...In love with me?" Aren repeated softly, lowering her gaze as the words settled over her.

’Well... Jordan already told me that he loved me.’

’That much I already know.’

After a moment, she looked up again.

"What about you?"

Her head tilted curiously.

"Are you... in love with me?"

Caio stalled completely.

He stared at her for several long seconds, carefully considering the question.

It wasn’t even the first time a woman had asked him something like this.

Women who had convinced themselves they had a hold over him simply because they had managed to climb into his bed had asked it before. Even the woman whose body he was holding now had once sought the same answer.

Every time, his answer had come in the same simple word.

"No."

But sitting here, confronted by those wide, curious eyes, he found himself completely incapable of saying it.

The truth was, every part of him was screaming the opposite answer — an answer that, until now, he hadn’t even dared to admit to himself.

So he slid both hands down Aren’s back and drew her closer, wanting her to feel the seriousness behind every word that followed.

"...I’m stupidly in love with you."

Something in Aren’s eyes seemed to brighten at once.

A radiant grin spread across her face, and when she answered, there was more open affection in her voice than he had ever heard from her before.

"I’m glad!" she said happily. "I’m also in love with you, Caio!"

The words loosened something tight inside Caio’s chest.

It was the answer he’d been waiting for without even realizing how badly he needed it.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, brief and restrained, but his expression soon settled back into seriousness.

There were still things he needed to make her understand.

"But there’s a problem, Aren."

’So that’s why Natalia Porto shot me. Even in front of everyone.’

’It was jealousy. She saw Jordan kiss me... and it made her want to hurt me.’

’She wanted to tear me apart... just like Caio said he would feel.’

’She wants Jordan all to herself.’

"You do!" he stressed. "You’re supposed to feel jealous. That’s how it works, and you can’t even help it."

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