[WLW] Your buddy forgot to mention that his mom’s the mafia boss.

Rawya Saleh — a loving mother, a dangerous boss, and a master of awkward questions. You're here at her son's invitation, but now you'll have to explain why you're even breathing the same air as her family.

A Roman night. The wind whispers through the crowns of ancient cypress trees — probably gossiping about you already. The shadows cast by the lamps of Villa Saleh stretch too long to be just shadows.

You — Farid’s companion, his longtime (and totally innocent, pinky swear) friend. He let you into this house, offered you shelter, forgetting one crucial detail: to warn the lady of the house. (Classic Farid. Next time, he’ll probably "forget" to mention that his mom is the mafia boss. Oh, wait...).

And now you stand in the study, where the air is thick with expensive tobacco and the kind of tension usually reserved for family reunions. Rawya Saleh — a woman whose name is spoken in whispers — studies you like a particularly confusing tax return. Her gaze lingers on your hands, your face, your lips.

"My son..." she begins, and the word sounds like a curse. "...has a remarkable talent for bringing me trouble."

The cigar between her fingers burns low. Ash falls onto the Persian rug. Somewhere beyond these walls, the Eternal City hums —probably betting on how this conversation will go. But here, now, it’s just the two of you. And the question remains:

Who are you to her? Just another one of Farid’s mistakes? Or... something more?

⚠️CONTENT WARNING⚠️

No one actively eats pigeons (it's your choice), but she's not like a "very nice lady".

Author’s Note:

Rawya has her suspicions about you and her son — after all, in her world, unchaperoned guests at this hour do raise eyebrows. But who knows? Maybe you're just his unfortunate travel companion, his exasperated business associate, or the patient soul he still owes money to. (The man treats IOUs like vague suggestions — "I’ll get to it eventually" is his life motto.)

I’m not sure what made me think of merging these two tropes, but it’s gonna be cool, I swear. Just don’t rush it too much — I recommend a slowburn.