[BL] The Mafia Boss Wants My Body

Chapter 246: Chapter 246: One Heartbreaking Misunderstanding

Charles felt the air leave his lungs. "Did he only tell you?"

"No, he told everyone," Nora replied casually, completely unaware of the bomb she had just dropped. "He sat the whole family down and told us he had met someone else, someone he loved deeply. He wanted to be honest with us out of respect for Elena."

Hearing those words, everything suddenly clicked into Charles’s mind.

A chilling realization washed over him.

Matteo had spent days believing Adrian had let go of him. He thought Adrian had been ashamed to stand beside him. He thought those two days of silence meant Adrian had chosen Elena over him. But the truth was the complete opposite.

Adrian had gone to Elena’s memorial, and before leaving, he had found the courage to tell her family that he had met someone else.

While Matteo had convinced himself he was being pushed aside... Adrian had already begun making room for him in the next Chapter of his life.

Matteo hadn’t destroyed their relationship because of the truth.

He had destroyed it because he believed the worst before giving Adrian the chance to explain.

Mark’s grip tightened around the shopping cart’s handle, his face draining of color.

"Fuck," he whispered under his breath. "Teo..."

Charles turned to look at him, his own chest tightening as the full weight of the truth settled over them.

Everything had fallen apart because of a heartbreaking misunderstanding.

A lack of communication.

Two people who loved each other deeply... but never truly understood how the other felt.

Charles slowly lowered his gaze.

He couldn’t blame either of them.

Instead, he silently made himself a promise.

He would learn from Matteo and Adrian’s story. He would never allow silence, assumptions, or pride to destroy what he and Mark had.

Nora looked between the two men, completely confused by their tense, horrified expressions.

"Speaking of Adrian..." she said. "Where has he been anyway? I’ve been trying to reach him ever since that day because Grandma was worried about him."

She frowned.

"Before he left, Adrian wanted to bring his boyfriend to meet Grandma that same day. But he said they couldn’t because the next day was his boyfriend’s birthday. So he promised they’d come back before the weekend."

Her expression softened with concern.

"But he never came back."

"Everyone started worrying. I tried calling him so many times, but his phone was always unreachable. About a week later, I finally got hold of Maya, and she only told me Adrian had already left for Paris. She didn’t explain anything else."

Nora looked between the two men, worry filling her eyes.

"Is he okay?"

The words hit Mark like a physical blow.

So Maya really did know where Adrian was, he thought, his chest tightening.

Every time Matteo called looking for Adrian, she had quietly told him she hadn’t heard from him.

She had been protecting her brother all along.

Paris... So that’s where Adrian had gone.

Charles swallowed hard, forcing a tight, reassuring nod. "Yes... He’s fine. Just busy with work, I’m sure."

Nora let out a soft sigh, shaking her head as she rested her hands on the shopping cart.

"Grandma was really worried," Nora sighed, shaking her head. "Something came up that day after Elena’s memorial, so Adrian ended up staying behind. Before he left, he promised he’d come back soon with his partner because Grandma really wanted to meet the man he loves."

A small smile touched her lips.

"You know, she’s always treated Adrian like her own grandson, even after Elena passed away. More than anything, she just wants to see him happy again."

Charles rubbed the back of his neck, his heart aching as the full weight of the misunderstanding settled over him.

"This is... a lot," he murmured.

Nora’s brow furrowed as she noticed the heavy atmosphere.

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything’s fine," Charles replied smoothly, quickly steering the conversation elsewhere before she noticed how unsettled they were. "What brings you to Central City, Nora?"

"Oh, I’m here for a work project," Nora said with a small smile. "I’ll be staying for a few days before heading back."

"That’s nice," Charles said with a smile. Then, gesturing toward Mark, he added, "Oh, by the way, Nora... this is my boyfriend."

Nora blinked, looking between the two men, her eyes widening.

"Charles, wait..."

"No," Charles said with a soft laugh, immediately understanding the confusion. "This isn’t Matteo. This is Matteo’s identical twin brother, Mark... and Mark is my boyfriend."

Recognition instantly crossed Nora’s face.

"Oh! That makes so much sense," she said with a laugh. "Wow... the resemblance is incredible."

Charles smiled.

"Is it okay if I get your contact information again? We should catch up properly while you’re in town."

"Of course," Nora replied warmly.

They quickly exchanged numbers, and Nora gave Mark a friendly wave before turning toward the checkout counters.

"Hey," Charles called after her. "Your groceries are on us."

Nora turned back, waving a dismissive hand.

"No, Charles. It’s okay, really."

Mark smiled politely and stepped forward.

"Please, Nora. Let us take care of it."

She hesitated for a moment before smiling.

"Well... thank you so much."

Together, they wheeled their carts to the checkout. Mark paid for both their groceries and Nora’s before the cashier bagged everything.

Once they stepped outside, they walked together toward the parking lot, exchanged their final goodbyes, and headed to their separate cars.

As soon as Nora’s car disappeared from the parking lot, a heavy silence settled between Mark and Charles.

They climbed into the back seat of their car, and the vehicle smoothly merged into the evening traffic.

Charles sat quietly for a moment before turning to Mark, his expression growing serious. "Are you going to tell Matteo the truth?" he asked softly.

Mark leaned his head back against the headrest, staring at the car’s ceiling as he let out a long, conflicted sigh. "I don’t know. Honestly, I’m not sure if I should."

Charles frowned slightly, shifting to get a better look at his boyfriend. "Why? If he knows Adrian didn’t betray him, it might ease his mind."

"Because I want Matteo to stay completely clueless until he actually sees Adrian again," Mark explained, his voice tight with careful thought. "Think about it, Charles. Matteo is finally putting in the work. He’s going to therapy, attending rehab, and he’s determined to wait for Adrian for as long as it takes, simply because he loves him."

He paused, choosing his next words carefully.

"If I tell him the truth now, Adrian might think Matteo only changed because he found out he had misunderstood everything. He might think Matteo only waited because he realized Adrian was never ashamed of him or because he realized Adrian never chose Elena over him and never stopped loving him."

Mark turned to look at Charles, his expression deadly serious.

But if Matteo keeps changing while still believing Adrian walked away... then every step he takes is real. It’s not driven by hope. It’s driven by love, regret, and the desire to become a better man.

Charles sat quietly for a moment, letting Mark’s words sink in.

"So... you’re trying to make sure that when Adrian sees Matteo again, he’ll know every change he made was genuine?" he asked.

Mark gave a slow nod. "Yes, honey."

Charles nodded in understanding.

"You’re right. That actually makes sense. He needs to change because he truly wants to become a better man, not because he suddenly found out the truth."

Silence settled over the vehicle once more.

Mark turned his gaze back to the window, watching the city lights blur past as he silently questioned whether he was truly making the right decision for his twin. The weight of keeping such a massive secret felt suffocating.

Wanting to lighten the mood and tease his boyfriend, a small, amused smile tugged at Mark’s lips.

"Nora is really beautiful," he said casually, casting Charles a sidelong glance.

Charles peeked at him and gave a small nod.

"She is," he admitted. "But honestly, her beauty doesn’t even come close to Elena’s."

He let out a quiet sigh.

"Elena was breathtaking. Adrian has always had a thing for beautiful people."

Mark glanced at his boyfriend, a small, amused smirk tugging at his lips.

"So... you’re saying my brother is handsome?"

Charles rolled his eyes, though a faint smile lingered on his lips.

"Handsome? Please. He’s dangerously attractive."

"Well," Mark said with a grin, leaning a little closer, "I’ll happily take that as a compliment. Since we’re identical twins, I’ll just pretend you’re talking about me too."

Charles snorted.

"Nice try. I’m talking about Matteo, not you." Charles shot back playfully, nudging him away.

He chuckled, but then his smile faltered slightly as he remembered Mark’s earlier comment. A sudden, pouty flare of jealousy crossed his features.

Mark smirked and repeated, "But Nora is so beautiful."

Charles shot him a glare, his pout deepening.

Crossing his arms, he shifted across the leather seat, deliberately putting some distance between himself and Mark. "But I’m pretty too, you know."

Mark looked at the sudden gap between them, a genuine smile spreading across his face. He found Charles’s jealousy unbelievably adorable.

"Are you jealous, pretty boy?" he asked, his eyes dancing with amusement.

Charles snapped his head toward him, glaring with an adorable, defiant pout. "I am. So what?" he shot back, lifting his chin stubbornly.

Mark chuckled softly, draping an arm across the back of the seat before patting the space beside him. "Alright, come here."

Charles hesitated for a split second, looking at him.

"You’re much prettier than her, so you don’t need to be jealous at all," Mark murmured, his voice dropping into a deep, sincere register. "More than that... I want you, not her. It’s you I love, Charles. I love you so much, pretty."

The moment the words left Mark’s mouth, every trace of jealousy melted away.

A bright smile spread across Charles’s face.

He scooted back across the seat until he was right beside Mark, then wrapped an arm around his waist and rested his head comfortably on his shoulder.

A contented sigh escaped his lips as the car carried them smoothly through the busy streets.

A few days later, Matteo made a decision...