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"You need to be open and share your secrets with your partner. But it also helps to keep something back, or else there’s no mystery," she murmurs.
Something in her tone makes me glance in her direction. "What’s your secret?"
She looks stricken for a second, then chuckles. "Guess it's been weighing on my mind, because I hadn’t meant to be that transparent."
"So, you do have a secret?"
Her steps falter and she turns to me. "Elsa knows about it, and now, I guess you will, too."
"What is it?"
"I have a heart condition."
"A heart condition?"
"It’s not something that would hurt me in day-to-day life. Not normally that is, except—"
"You’re pregnant..." I hazard a guess.
She nods. "It could be life-threatening or not. The act of giving birth might trigger it… or not. It’s all speculation. Nothing happens unless it really happens, you know what I mean? I can’t spend my life being scared of my condition. And I really want this child. I want Michael to have an heir."
I open my mouth to speak, and she holds up her hand. "I know, how awfully parochial of me. Me, a woman who always speaks her mind, and then when it comes to something this personal, it seems I’m stupidly traditional. Who knew?"
"Your body is your business." I clap her hands between mine. "And it’s natural for you to want a child. But I think you need to tell Michael about the risks involved. If he finds out later, or if something were to happen to you, imagine how distressed he would be?"
Her forehead furrows. "I know he’s going to pissed off at me if I tell him. He’ll prioritize me before the child. He’ll want me to be safe, and probably tell me I’m enough for him and he’d rather do without kids. I don’t want him to make that sacrifice. I want him to have kids. He deserves it."
"And he also deserves to know about your condition." I peer into her eyes. "Look, I’m not saying I know all of the intricacies of the situation you’re in; only you know that. All I know is how I felt when Luca didn’t share with me the risk he was taking. The one thing I do know is that this is something you don’t want to keep from Michael. If he did the same to you, wouldn’t you be upset?"
The color fades from her cheeks. She looks away. "You’re right." Her chin quivers. "I’ve been so stupid. I should have shared this with him. I’ve wanted to tell him so many times, but I always stop myself. It never seems like the right time, you know?" She turns to me. "Thanks, Jeanne." She leans forward and kisses my cheek. "I owe you."
"Karma?" Michael calls out from the door to the conservatory. "I was looking all over for you."
"And here I am." She squeezes my hands. "Thanks again." She turns and walks over to Michael.
I follow them inside and gasp. The entire space is filled with flowers, shrubs, even a tree that grows from the ground on one side. The conservatory has been built around its girth to accommodate it. On either side of it are rows of flowering creepers and bushes. I draw in a breath, and the scent of roses, lilies, and jasmine surrounds me. Fairy lights have been strung up in various corners. The entire effect is like being in an enchanted space.
"So beautiful," I whisper.
"Not as beautiful as my wife." Luca wraps his arm around me and pulls me into his side.
"You sweet talker, you."
"No, sweetheart, just saying it like it is." He kisses the top of my forehead his touch so tender, so gentle, my heart skips a beat.
Ahead, I spot Seb and Elsa to one side, arms around each other. Next to them, Axel and Theresa hold hands. Ahead of them, Christian leans against a settee, his arm around Aurora’s waist. Adrian stands in one corner with Massimo next to him. On the other side of the space, a group of people I don’t recognize mill around. The men are dressed in black suits and ties. The women are overdressed in comparison to the Sovranos. Most of them wear formal dresses, with veiled hats, and high-heeled shoes. All of it, designer brands. Each of them is bedecked in jewelry. Pearls around their necks, diamond earrings, gold bracelets. At the front is a young girl. She has a slender frame and blonde hair that flows down her back. She’s wearing a white gown that clings to her gentle curves. She stands with her head bent, every inch a shy bride-to-be.
"That’s her?" I whisper to Luca. "She’s theCamorraprincess Massimo is going to marry?"
He nods.
"Does Massimo know what he’s getting into?"
He winces. "Probably not, but from what he told me, he doesn’t care. He wants to move on with his life."
I frown. "What does that mean?"
"He, apparently, proposed to your friend Olivia, but she turned him down."
