Back to My Original Life

POV: Mia

Before Ella walked into our lives, I was the one who mattered most to Leo and Max.

I came from an old mafia family from Italy, but when I was fifteen, I insisted on moving to New York to attend high school with my cousin.

My father initially opposed it strongly, but he eventually got too busy with family affairs to keep calling me home.

That was when I met Leo and Max, my cousin’s classmates.

They tagged along with him every day to pick me up after school.

On weekends, we were inseparable. When it came time for me to take the SAT, they took turns tutoring me just so I could get into the same university as them.

They even cut off every guy who tried to get close to me under the guise of “helping me improve my grades.”

As we got older, Leo and Max built lives of their own.

Leo became a race car driver, while Max became a successful actuary.

Even with their busy careers, whenever they had time off, they would still take me out to play baseball.

“Mia, catch! Nice one!”

Those ordinary days were the first time I ever felt the quiet happiness of just being a regular girl.

Growing up as the daughter of a mafia don, people either stayed far away or treated me with suffocating respect. Leo and Max made me feel like I was just an ordinary girl.

I defied my father and never went home. I stayed in New York.

Everything started changing when Ella showed up.

Ella came from a well-off family, but thanks to Max and Leo, she was always around my place. She would sometimes even tidy up like she lived there.

I could tell it was all an act. She was playing the sweet, thoughtful girl who was always eager to help and keep things spotless. I had turned her down plenty of times, but Leo always talked me out of it.

“Mia, relax. Ella’s just naturally helpful. She loves doing chores.”

“Besides, you’re terrible at keeping the place together. Just let her help!”

I did not want to agree, but I could not say no to Leo and Max. I even paid her.

That was when everything started to change.

Leo still brought me my favorite desserts, but he would also bring an extra one for Ella, always more than mine.

When Max went shopping for clothes, he would grab something for Ella, too. Somehow, it was always her perfect size.

Little things like that kept piling up, so many that I stopped keeping track.

They both wore bronze pins on their chests. I had carved them and put them on for them ten years ago.

They never took them off.

However, since Ella showed up, those pins mysteriously disappeared, replaced by embroidered gold thread patches she had gifted them.

It was as if they had forgotten who they used to love most.

It was a good thing that I did not waver when they proposed. I chose neither of them.

I drew a circle on the calendar. It was the date I would be marrying a stranger.

It was time to end the little game between the four of us.

Since I had made up my mind to leave, I had to wrap things up at work in New York.

I handed in my resignation.

My direct supervisor frowned when he saw it. “Mia, things are finally picking up for you here. Why are you quitting now? Did something happen? I can give you some time off if you need it.”

I shook my head. “No, but thank you for looking out for me. My dad has been pressing me to return home. I’m getting married.”

At that, he sighed and shrugged with resignation. “Well, congratulations! I must admit that it’s all a bit sudden.”

I smiled wordlessly.

It was sudden. Even I was still coming to terms with the fact that I would be getting married in just one week.

And to a complete stranger, no less.

I finished packing and was loading everything into the car when my phone rang. It was Ella.

I did not want to answer at first, but then I remembered how she nearly burned down the kitchen last time. With a sigh, I answered.

Her saccharine voice came through the line. “Have you gotten the desserts?”

Hearing that, I frowned. “Desserts? What…”

Before I could finish, she hung up. A second later, her texts came through one after another.

[Sorry, Mia! That call wasn’t meant for you.]

[Leo and Max are throwing me a little party today. I finally passed my driving test! From now on, I can drive you around too! Max is cooking tonight, and Leo picked up cake from your favorite place. Rum-flavored, just the way you like it. Will you join us?]

I stared at the messages and sneered.

As I pulled up outside, I saw the three of them, busy buzzing around together.

I snorted. It was just ridiculous that they came all the way to my house just to throw Ella a party for getting her license.

The moment I pushed the door open, I was greeted by decorations everywhere, all with her name on them. My house looked like it belonged to her.

I could feel my anger rising, but I did not say a word to interrupt them.

Then Ella grabbed their hands with joy. “This is the happiest I’ve been in twenty years. Because I have you guys with me. I hope every day from now on, I’ll always have you by my side.”

Just as she finished, she caught sight of me standing frozen at the door.

Her eyes lit up as she called out excitedly, “Mia! Did you come back to celebrate with me?”