The Mafia Boss Gave the Maid’s Toddler Three Wishes, and Her First Wish Made Him Turn Away So She Wouldn’t See Him Cry

The following afternoon, the storm had cleared, leaving the sky over Chicago a pale, watery blue.

Roman walked down the garden path toward the laundry cottage, holding a small cardboard box under his arm. Inside was a pair of brand-new, custom-fitted leather shoes with soft pink arches, personally delivered by a high-end children's boutique downtown.

As he approached the porch, he saw Ellie sitting on the top step.

She looked completely different today. Her dark hair was neatly braided, her cheeks had a healthy flush, and she was wearing a clean yellow dress. Sitting beside her was a empty plate covered in stray pancake crumbs and sticky syrup.

Maya was sitting on the porch bench, her eyes clear, resting her back against the warm sunlit wood. For the first time since Roman had met her, she looked like a woman in her early thirties rather than an exhausted ghost.

When Ellie spotted Roman, her eyes lit up. “Mr. Roman!”

Maya instantly stood up, bowing her head respectfully. “Mr. DeLuca.”

“Sit down, Maya,” Roman instructed gently. He walked up the steps and handed the shoe box to Ellie. “Try these on.”

Ellie pulled off the lid, letting out a soft gasp as she touched the smooth leather shoes. “They don't have holes!”

“No holes,” Roman confirmed, taking a seat on the wooden step beside her. “And the soles are thick enough to run in.”

As Maya helped Ellie slip the new shoes onto her feet, Ellie reached into the tiny pocket of her yellow dress and pulled out the second cream-colored card.

Roman’s eyes softened. “Another wish already?”

Ellie nodded solemnly. She held the gold-bordered card out to him.

“What is your second wish, Ellie?” Roman asked.

Ellie leaned closer, looking around the open garden as if checking for spies, her little voice dropping into a dramatic whisper.

“I wish for a big fence,” Ellie said. “So the mean men in dark suits stop looking through Mommy’s window at night.”

The air on the porch instantly froze.

Maya gasped, her face draining of all color. “Ellie! What are you talking about?”

Roman didn't look away from the child. His heart turned to absolute stone. “What mean men, Ellie?”

“The ones with the flashlights,” Ellie explained innocently, pointing toward the edge of the laundry cottage that faced the old wine cellar entrance. “They come when it’s super dark. They knock on the wall and tell Mommy to keep her mouth shut or they’ll take my rabbit away.”

Roman slowly stood up. The warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by an aura of pure, suffocating violence.