Mafia Legacy

Chapter Twenty Seven-Luca/Charlotte

Luca

"Layla." My eyes widened as I saw my daughter sitting at a table in the visitors' area. What the fuck was she doing here? I have been hopeful when they called me down here that Charlotte had come to her senses and come to visit, but I certainly hadn't been expecting this.

"Hi daddy." She gave me a weak smile, throwing her arms around my neck. "How are you doing? Are you OK?"

"Does your mom know you're here?" I asked, sitting down at the table across from her. I was pretty sure I already knew the answer to that question. There was no way in hell that Charlotte would've let her come if she knew. Neither one of us wanted the kids to see me like this.

Layla rolled her eyes. "No, she doesn't."

"Baby, I'm so happy to see you, but you shouldn't have come. This isn't any place for you."

"It's no place for you either." She said.

I couldn't help but smile. My sweet Layla. She didn't know the evil I was capable of, or the things I'd done over the years. Not what I was currently on trial for, but other things. She held me to such a high standard in her mind, but if she knew the truth, she would probably hate me.

"Lay, you need to go home. I'm sure mom..."

"Moms just fine." She snapped, holding her arms over her chest.

I frowned, picking up on the tension immediately. "Is everything okay? Are you and your mom fighting?"

"Not exactly. But I know she's leaving you for her scum bag boss." She glared.

Her words sucked the wind right out of me. "Layla... Where did you... What are you talking about?"

Had Charlotte told the kids we were getting a divorce without even talking to me about it? That didn't seem right. And what was this business about Whitaker? He had said he was going to see her last night, but... There had to be some mistake.

"I saw her with him last night. I met a friend for dinner and they were on a date at the bar." She pulled out her phone and slid it over to me. Sure enough, there was a picture of Charlotte in a skimpy black dress, sitting at the bar next to Whitaker. He had his hand on her forearm and their heads were close together in deep conversation.

Rage filled my mind. What the fuck was she doing? I knew I had hurt her, but to go out with the guy who was trying to set me up? I couldn't even process what I was seeing. For a brief moment, I realized what she must've felt when she saw those pictures of me with Serena.

My heart felt like it had just been ripped out of my chest. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't be right. I refused to believe Char would do something like this after everything we'd been through. After how much we loved each other. I was fucking furious she'd let it end this way, and go running into Whitaker's arms. There were a million things I wanted to say, but none of them were appropriate in front of our daughter.

"And I found these in the trash in her office." Layla handed the signed copies of the divorce papers to me.

The trash? Why would she... Oh fuck.

For the first time, I was realizing that this might all be an act. That maybe Charlotte and Marco were going rogue and doing their own thing because they were tired of waiting on Angelo and I. Maybe, just maybe, this was a ploy to get Charlotte in close with Whitaker.

And I had signed the damn papers.

I ran my fingers through my hair, looking at the picture again. Now that I was thinking clearly, I could see it.

She wasn't on a date with Whitaker; she was playing him. I could see it in her eyes.

She had to have known he was monitoring me, which was why she brought me divorce papers. She wanted Whitaker to see that. And I had fucking signed them. Damn, I was a moron. Why hadn't I just waited a few days? She was probably going out of her mind thinking I wanted the divorce. Thank God she hadn't filled them. Our signatures on them were enough of a show.