Every Mafia's Favorite Girl novel Chapter 173

Chapter 173: "Too Robotic"

The next hour passed in a blur of concentrated reading. By then, they had moved to one of the library’s long reading tables, with even more stacks of books arranged between them.

Fortunately, Aren had not been asked to read any of those intimidating volumes.

Unfortunately, she had been given something else.

A thick stack of papers.

Aren suspected Isidore had written it himself. The contents were meticulously organized, covering page after page of possible questions a reporter might ask during Thursday’s press conference, accompanied by carefully prepared answers.

Memorization itself wasn’t particularly difficult for Aren. If anything, she was grateful to have such a comprehensive guide prepared for her.

Enjoying the process, however, was an entirely different matter. The material was so mind-numbingly dull that she could feel her eyelids growing heavier with every passing minute.

Each time, she forced herself to refocus.

’This is part of the contract.’

’And if I fail, I could expose myself.’

That was enough to keep her going.

At last, after working through the entire stack, Aren closed the final sheet and set it aside with a quiet breath.

Across from her, Isidore noticed immediately. He closed the book he had been reading and looked up.

"Ready for the test?"

Aren straightened in her chair.

"Yes, Master Accardi." She nodded firmly. "I think I’m ready."

The confidence in her expression gave Isidore some measure of relief. At least this part hadn’t proven as difficult for her as he’d initially anticipated.

"Let’s begin."

Resting both elbows on the table, he interlaced his fingers, then fixed her with the sort of intrusive stare an aggressive reporter might use to unsettle an interviewee.

"Miss Lombardi, what made you suddenly stop posting on social media?"

Aren answered almost immediately.

"I no longer find social media interesting. Reading people’s opinions about me made me feel stressed, so I wanted to take a break from it."

Isidore offered no reaction.

"What about the parties? Why have you stopped attending social events?"

"Those things are exhausting too," Aren replied. "I’d rather stay home, sleep early, and do my skincare routine. I like staying pretty."

"And what about the rumors surrounding your drug abuse?" he asked without pause. "Is it true that you’re a drug addict?"

"It’s true that I’ve had problems with drugs before, but I’ve recently gone through rehabilitation so I can focus on my new career with the Castellano Club."

When Aren finished, silence followed.

No approval came.

Instead, Isidore shook his head once.

"Too robotic."

The sharp concentration in Aren’s face vanished almost immediately. She scratched her cheek, suddenly embarrassed.

"You’re not reciting a legal statement," he continued. "You’re answering another human being. Have you even watched recordings of Ariana Lombardi and studied the way she speaks?"

"Well..." Aren shifted awkwardly in her seat. "I did. But she has a completely different personality from mine. I find it difficult to copy the way she talks."

Isidore gave no visible reaction, though inwardly, he was at least relieved that she wasn’t completely clueless.

"Repeat your last answer," he said. "Slower this time. Give it a more natural rhythm."

Aren’s shoulders drooped.

"All right..."

She cleared her throat, took a moment to compose herself, and tried again — this time using the cadence that came naturally to her.

’Exceptional.’

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