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The moment I’m alone in the room I realize that there is one singular feeling that stands out among them all. I feel pathetic. At twenty-six years old, I am completely unable to stand on my own two feet. My father has made me so reliant on him that I have nothing to offer the rest of the world.
Now, I’ve become another mouth to feed for my best friend. I know how badly she wants to be married and start a family. Instead, here I am, pregnant and broke, and living on her sofa. It is pathetic. I don’t know what I am going to do, but I’m going to have to figure something out.
I just wish my mother was here. As I pull the blanket over myself, I think about her and how kind she always was. It always struck me as remarkable that such a kind woman could marry my father. She’d always done a great job of calming him down when he was angry.
It’s been six years since her death, and I miss her every day. I wonder, if she was still around, how different my life would be now. The thoughts of my mother comfort me and I close my eyes to picture her smiling face.
Eventually, I drift off to sleep, a necessary reprieve for my completely exhausted body. Strangely, for the first time in a long time, I sleep right through the night, undisturbed. I successfully escape all my troubles, even if just for a few hours.
Chapter 6
Edoardo
Anewdaycomesand there is still no sign of Gabriele’s men. No one tailed us yesterday, nothing happened overnight, and nothing has popped up outside of the building either. Of all the people I would expect to retaliate, it’s him, so it’s surprising, but I’m not holding my breath. I’m sure he’s up to something. Even so, I’ve done my best to get my mind off things by trying to go back to business as usual. It hasn’t worked. I can’t stop thinking about her.
The entire situation feels like some sort of twisted fate, as if the universe is playing a sick joke on me. Sure, I’ve always thought about being a father someday, but twenty years in prison changed my mind pretty quickly. Now, I have the opportunity to be a father and I’m not sure it’s entirely safe.
I haven’t heard anything back from Aria yet. She won’t return my messages or calls. It’s not as if I can simply walk to her home and ask to speak with her. A move like that would likely get me killed.
As I walk into my penthouse, I am aware of how empty it feels, and how alone I feel with my thoughts. I wish she would just let me know what is happening, so that I can think about something else. For the past few hours my thoughts have only been running in circles.
The men that I sent to conduct surveillance on her home have let me know that there seems to be little happening around the house and its grounds. All seems quiet and normal.
I’ve been lying awake in bed for hours when I finally hear my phone make a sound. But I don’t have my hopes up. It’s unlikely that it’s her, not after all this time, and not this late at night. Still, I roll over to check, just in case.
There’s a message from a number I don’t recognize.
Edoardo. I’m Jess, Aria’s best friend. Her father kicked her out. She didn’t want me to contact you, but I’m doing it anyway. She needs help. She’s sleeping on my couch. She has nowhere else to go. She’s completely cut off. If you’re as powerful as they say, you might be able to help her better than me. I’ll send you the location of my apartment if you want to see her.
Iknewsomething was wrong. I could feel it in my gut, and still can. The idea that the mother of my child is sent to sleep on her best friend’s couch, with almost no support, makes me angrier than I’ve been in decades.
A second later the location ping comes through. I think for a moment about going over in the morning. There is still a lot to consider. It could still be a trap from Gabriele. But not even a minute later, I change my mind. It’s stupid, but I don’t want to ignore my gut.
After texting her back, I call Mattia and ask him to act as my detail when I leave. He needs to come with me, just in case it turns out to be a trap. But, if it isn’t a trap, I cannot allow Aria to sleep on a couch tonight. She deserves a comfortable home, even if her own father won’t give it to her.
Mattia arrives a few minutes later, and then the two of us are on our way to Jess’s apartment. It takes us some time, as the apartment is all the way on the other side of town. Once we arrive, I realize that I haven’t even thought about what to say.
Still, I waste no time making my way up to the third floor and knocking on the door that matches Jess’s apartment number. I can hear the two women discussing something inside. When the door opens, it’s Jess who greets me. She seems baffled that I’ve shown up at all.
In the background, I see Aria. Her face is puffy from crying, and she looks confused about my presence there. She stands when she realizes it’s me standing in the doorway.
“Did you tell him I was here?” she asks Jess.
“He deserved to know,” Jess says, moving out of the way to let myself and Mattia into the apartment.
“Who are you?” Aria says in Mattia’s direction.
“This is Mattia,” I say by way of introduction. “He’s my right hand and head of security.”
Mattia gives her a short wave before she sits back down. She looks exhausted and pale, and it only makes my anger toward Gabriele grow stronger.
“Jess told me what happened,” I say softly. “Are you alright?”
Aria nods, but she keeps her eyes away from me. “I’m sorry I haven’t responded to you. I guess I just don’t really know what to say.”
It feels so strange to be having a conversation like this with a woman I barely know. Especially considering why I’ve come to this apartment in the first place. Aria looks so alone and so heartbroken. I cannot imagine any father throwing out his daughter like that.
Then again, Gabriele is no ordinary man in that sense. He stops at nothing to make sure that his empire is protected. I’ve seen him turn against family before, what would stop him from doing it again?
