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“Finishing what Alessandro started.”
Gabriel’s look of concern hadn’t dissipated yet, especially after he heard what his mother said. He remembered what they had done after Alessandro kidnapped Isotta and all the men they had to get rid of. What his mother said suggested that they go back and keep doing what Alessandro started out doing.
“To what extent, beloved?” Carmine dared ask.
“To the extent that Massimo is dead,” Sofia replied unfeelingly.
“You want to kill him?” Gabriel questioned.
“He deserves to die for every reason Alessandro provided and for the reason that he killed my son. He killed my son! That’s enough for me.”
Sofia had said what she intended. She made sure they heard her, and when they didn’t raise any more questions, Sofia lifted herself from the couch and padded away.
“Was she serious?” Gabriel asked his father.
“I get the feeling she was, but I don’t think your mother has thought about what all that entails.”
“What if we don’t do what she suggested because of all the things she did not consider?” Gabriel queried.
“Then we’ll have hell to pay,” Carmine replied. “We’ll have hell to pay.”
He had tried to be kinder to her. Massimo wanted Isotta’s breeding ground to be as fertile as possible. He felt like he could garner that with kindness more so than how he had originally felt, how he sometimes secretly felt like domination was the key to what he wanted. Massimo was so focused on being the head of the family that his every waking moment was spent studying and crafting what his next logical steps would be in taking over the family business. He kept the quieter, softer moments for his wife. He started to actually feel like Isotta was becoming wife material, doing some of the things for him that Massimo saw his mother do for his father, out of duty and obligation but also out of love. They had love, dutiful love, but part of Massimo desired that as well because it just made sense for how they ran their family business.
Isotta had become freer in how she acted and showed Massimo attention and affection. She no longer second-guessed it as much as she had before. Isotta felt like she had when they went on that trip, and the two got close. This time, they were at Massimo’s home, and she dared to let positive feelings flow through her there.
She was sick.
It wasn’t the ordinary sickness Isotta had felt before. It wasn’t something that required bedrest to alleviate. Isotta felt sick in the morning, sick enough that she heaved. Then the sickness would pass, and Isotta would be fine until the next morning. Rosa took note of it when she was handling her regular household responsibilities, but one day, she addressed Isotta because she was concerned. Rosa walked over to the bed, noticing that Isotta was lying down midday.
“Ms. Isotta?” Rosa called out to her quietly. She couldn’t tell whether Isotta was asleep or awake, and she didn’t want to startle her. Rosa listened but didn’t hear anything, so she got closer.
“Ms. Isotta?”
Although Isotta didn’t say anything, she pulled the bedcovers up higher and looked in Rosa’s direction.
“Are you okay?” Rosa asked, concerned. She remembered what they had been through before when Isotta ended up being hospitalized. Rosa prayed this was not another circumstance of that.
“Mmhmm,” Isotta finally murmured. “I’m okay. Just not feeling my best.”
Rosa’s ears perked, and her eyes widened. Was this a repeat of what happened before? Rosa prayed not.
“What’s the matter? Is it your cycle again?”
Isotta shook her head. “No, it’s not. Just been feeling queasy in the morning, and most times after that, I’m fine. But today, the queasy feelings seem to be sticking around.”
Rosa listened to Isotta and thought about what she said.
“You have taken a pregnancy test, no?” She quizzed, putting two and two together.
“Yes, a while ago, but it was negative,” Isotta recalled.
“I think you need to take a pregnancy test again,” Rosa commented.
“Why? To get my hopes up and be made sad again?” Isotta complained.
“No,” Rosa commented. “Because this time, I think the results would read differently.”
Isotta turned over in bed, dismissing what Rosa said and trying to concentrate on feeling better. She didn’t want to get her hopes up again. She didn’t think she could accept her hopes being dashed again for something the doctor had already told her likely wouldn’t happen for her. She also didn’t want to involve Massimo in the process, getting his hopes up again, only to have them crushed. Isotta remembered what his first disappointment meant for her. She didn’t want to experience that kind of pain again, on top of the emotional pain of disappointing him again.
