39. Ginevra
39
GINEVRA
I hate hospitals.
The sharp smell of antiseptic and medicine clings to the air, suffocating me. The harsh fluorescent lights glare down from sterile white ceilings, and the pale walls feel like they’re closing in. The steady beep of machines is a reminder of vulnerability I can't stand.
But until now, I didn’t realize how I’d rather spend my whole life locked in a hospital room than spend a minute in the dingy cell room where I was a couple of days ago.
A heavy sigh escapes my lips. I told myself I would stop thinking about it, but sometimes, especially when I’m alone, those bad memories creep back in.
I shift in the hospital bed, trying to make myself comfortable, but the healing bruises and fatigue are a constant reminder of everything that’s happened. A soft knock on the door startles me out of my thoughts, and before I can say anything, Dario slips inside, ignoring the doctors’ orders, of course.
I can’t help but smile despite the pain that pulls at the corners of my mouth. “You never listen, do you?”
“You shouldn’t be surprised by now, Princess,” he replies, his grin lighting up the room.
Dario was admitted to the same hospital two days ago. By the time he and Lorenzo brought me here, I was teetering on the brink of unconsciousness from severe malnutrition, a dangerous condition for my pregnancy. Frantic, Dario explained my situation to the doctors, who’d rushed me into the ER.
He’d wanted to stay by my side, but the bleeding and visible injuries from his beating had forced him into a different ward. Since then, it’s been a relentless battle. He often sneaks out at odd hours to see me, sometimes skipping his medications and consultations. The doctors are at their wits' end with him.
Today, he enters my room with that mischievous spark in his emerald eyes, and I can’t help but feel a flutter of warmth in my chest.
“Hard ass...” I scold half-heartedly as he shuts the door quietly behind him and limps toward me. Without hesitation, he slides into the bed beside me, wrapping his arms around me gently. “I missed you.”
“Missed you more, my love.”
“The nurse from last night told me you spent the night here.” I chuckle. “You only left this morning.”
“Yeah. I knew you’d give me a hassle if you woke up and saw me.”
“You need rest, too,” I remind him softly.
“I wouldn’t get it from the stupid ward 100 feet away from you. I will not let you out of my sight again, Ginny. I almost died from worry the last time I let you out of my sight and something happened to you. I’m incapable of staying away.”
I smile, my heart swelling with affection. His pining over me these past few days is both sweet and thoughtful. I love him fiercely, wanting to shout it from the rooftops like the lovestruck fool I feel, but I’m striving to maintain my composure, resisting the urge to let my heart dictate my every move.
“I’m incapable of staying away from you too, Dario.” I lean in and kiss him gently on the lips. This is our first kiss since the whole Rafe and Rinaldo incident, the first in almost two weeks, and it honestly feels too long.
Before I can pull back, he tugs me closer and kisses me with more fervor but gentle, conveying everything his words haven’t. That he’s completely in love with me, just as I am with him.
We breathe each other in after what feels like minutes, the air thick with relief and desire. Finally, we’ve reached this point where we can love each other openly. We stay like that for a while—no words, just the soft rise and fall of our breaths syncing together. I turn to rest my head against his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart.
But there’s something nagging at the back of my mind, something I’ve held onto for too long now. I need to say it, to clear the air once and for all.
“Dario,” I murmur, touching one side of his face. “There’s something I need to ask you.”
His arms tighten slightly around me, and he tilts his head to look down at me. “What is it?”
I hesitate, biting my lip, unsure of how to begin. “I saw a message on your phone...from a woman. It...it sounded like you were meeting her, and I thought...” My voice falters, embarrassment flooding my cheeks, but I push through. “I thought you were cheating on me. Are you seeing another woman?”
Silence hangs between us for a moment as I trace the furrow in his brow, waiting for his response. “What message?” he asks, his expression shifting to confusion.
I pull back slightly to meet his gaze. “It was from a woman asking where to meet. The day before you brought me Piper. I went through your phone, and you guys used to meet up before.”
Dario’s brows knit together in concentration, and then, suddenly, he lets out a soft laugh. “You mean the day you locked yourself inside and refused to come out? The message you’re talking about was from the woman I bought Piper from.”
My face heats up instantly. “She’s...a dog lady?”
“Yes, a dog lady.” He laughs, his amusement infectious. “And while I did have something with her in the past, I made it clear I don’t do relationships. She’s been trying her luck since. I only reached out to her because of the short notice. Honestly, I hardly remember her name most days. She was just confirming where to drop off Piper. I told her it was a surprise for my wife.”
I groan, burying my face in my hands. “Oh my god, I’m such an idiot.”
Dario chuckles, gently pulling my hands away from my face. “Ginny, you really thought I’d cheat on you?”
I meet his gaze, a mix of foolishness and relief washing over me. “Well...I mean, I didn’t know what to think. Everything was just...”
“Stop,” he says softly, cutting me off. “You’re the only woman I see. The only one I love.”
His words melt the last remnants of doubt in my heart, and I smile, feeling the warmth of his sincerity.
“Speaking of dogs,” he mutters, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Before I can ask him what the matter is, the door opens again, and Rosa walks in with Piper cradled in her arms. The moment I see them, my heart leaps. The little bundle of fur in Rosa’s arms wriggles, eager to jump into mine.
“Piper!” I laugh, sitting up straighter in bed to attend to the hyper animal first. Rosa sets her down gently on the bed, and Piper rushes to me, licking my face with excited little whimpers. I laugh, joy bubbling up in my chest as I hold her close and bury my face in her fur.
“I missed you,” I whisper to the pup, tears springing to my eyes. I didn’t realize how much I’d missed her until now.
Dario watches me with a soft smile, his hand resting on my back as Piper nuzzles into me, her tail wagging furiously.
When I raise my head to look at Rosa, I notice her eyes are red-rimmed, as if she’s been crying. She has a soft smile plastered on her face, but I can tell she’s struggling to keep her emotions in check.
“Rosa...” I whisper, my heart squeezing painfully.
She hesitates, as if she’s not sure if she should come any closer. But then she rushes to my side, her hands trembling as she reaches out to touch me.
“Oh, my sweet girl,” she murmurs, her voice thick with emotion. Her shaky hands cup my face gently. Tenderly. “I’m so sorry. I never should’ve let you leave that day. If I had stayed with you, maybe...maybe none of this would’ve happened.”
Her voice breaks, and as tears start streaming down her face, I feel mine coming in, as well. She wipes them away quickly, but I can see the overwhelming guilt she’s been carrying.
“Rosa, stop.” I grab her hands, holding them tightly in mine. “I needed to clear my head that day, so even if you’d been with me, I would have still left the house. I made the decision to leave. Please don’t blame yourself.”
“But if I had just stayed with you...”
I shake my head firmly. “No. You couldn’t have known what was going to happen. None of us could. The only people to be blamed are the men who kidnapped me,” I swallow thickly before continuing. “Please...don’t carry this guilt. I’m okay, and that’s what matters.”
She presses her lips together and nods, wiping another stray tear from her eyes. “I just... The thought of losing you...”
“I love you too, Rosa,” I whisper, my tears betraying me as I pull her into a gentle hug. She holds me tightly, her arms wrapped around me as if she never wants to let go. “And you didn’t lose me. I’m right here.”
We stay like that for a few moments. When we finally pull back, her eyes are still wet, but she looks a little more at peace.
“My sweet girl,” she says, brushing a hand through my hair and wiping my tears away. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
Just then, the door opens again, and Lorenzo steps inside. He’s in a simple t-shirt and jeans, so I know he hasn’t gone to work. He looks around, a little hesitant, and I presume it’s because of the visitors in the room. He greets Dario with a handshake, and I notice that the atmosphere isn’t as stiff as it used to be whenever they’re together. He also gives Rosa a warm smile before finally looking at me.
“Hey, Enzo,” I greet softly.
His expression softens as he takes me in. I know what he sees. I look and feel better than the last time he saw me, which was yesterday morning. He’s been the only other person Dario has let in over the past two days, but even then, he doesn’t stay very long before he gets an urgent call. I don’t mind though. If not for Lorenzo coming to our rescue...
Well, I don’t want to think about what could have happened.
“Hey,” he walks over to my bedside. “How are you feeling? You look like you’ve been crying.”
I chuckle. “Just...emotions,” I give him a tired smile. “I’m better now that I’ve had some visitors.”
Lorenzo takes one of the seats beside the bed, putting him in between Rosa and Dario. His presence is calm and comforting. For the next few minutes, we all talk about little things—mundane things like the weather, a new big shot client he got, and how Piper has been adjusting to life at home. It’s nice talking about something that doesn’t involve danger or violence.
But exhaustion eventually pulls me under, and my eyes grow heavy as our conversation slips to the back of my mind. I feel Lorenzo squeeze my hand before standing to press a kiss to my forehead.
“Get some rest,” he whispers. “I’ll be back soon.”
I nod, my eyelids fluttering shut as I feel him and Rosa leave the room. Sleep takes over—a deep, dreamless rest that I so desperately need. When I wake up again, the room is quiet, the only sound coming from the machines next to me. I blink groggily, and when I turn my head, I see Dario sitting in the chair next to my bed, his green eyes vivid and watching me closely.
He smiles when he sees me stir, and without a word, he reaches for my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. There’s a strange look in his eyes—something heavy, something unresolved.
“Hey,” I murmur, still groggy from sleep. “How long have I been out?”
“Just a few hours,” he says softly. “Everyone left so you could rest. The doctor came to see you, but you were out cold.”
“Oh,” I murmur, sitting up.
“She told me to inform her when you wake up.” He stands to his full height and kisses the back of my hand.
Despite being sick, a flutter rises up my stomach. Apparently, I’m not immune to Dario’s touch, no matter what the situation is.
“I’ll be right back.”
He leaves the room, and a moment later, he comes back in with the doctor.
Doctor Williams is a dark-skinned black woman with kind eyes and the most perfect set of teeth, like the ones you see in toothpaste ads.
“Miss Bianchi. How are you doing?” she greets with a warm smile.
“I’m good. You?”
“Oh, well, other than the fact that your fiancé here never stays in his ward so his progress could be monitored, nor does he even take his medications, I’m wonderful. Thanks for asking.”
I laugh at her sarcastic tone. Dario does nothing but smile in satisfaction.
“I’ll be out of your hair when we get discharged, Doc,” he says, his eyes full of mischief.
She sighs but doesn’t argue, turning her attention to me instead. “Ginny, you’re recovering well. I’m happy to say that both you and the baby are doing just fine.”
My hand instinctively goes to my stomach, and I feel Dario’s fingers intertwine with mine. The relief is overwhelming, and I can’t stop the tears that well up in my eyes.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
She checks a few more things before she eventually leaves after some minutes.
For a moment, the room is filled with the quiet rhythm of the machines. Dario is back on my bed, his hands mindlessly drawing circles on my back. But his eyes are distant, like he’s lost in his own thoughts. I can sense there’s something he wants to say, and just before I ask him, he clears his throat.
“Ginny,” he begins, “I know you’ve been wondering...about what happened between me and Lorenzo.”
The shift in his tone makes my heart clench. I look up at him, searching his face. “You don’t have to tell me if you’re not ready.”
He shakes his head. “No. I want you to know.”
He takes a deep breath, and I can almost feel the weight of his words before he even begins. “It was years ago on a trip. Your family was going on a yearly vacation at a resort in Miami. Lorenzo asked me to tag along, and as the excited child I was, of course I said yes.” He chuckles humorlessly. My heart pounds in my chest as I wonder the direction the story is headed.
“My father worked as a henchman for your dad, so he was also there as part of their staff. Late one night, I was harshly woken up and called down to this underground room...and when I got there... “
He pauses, and I see his jaw tighten as he struggles to continue. “I found my father. They’d beaten him up so badly, he could barely stand. They accused him of stealing a watch, but he didn’t do it. He couldn’t have.”
I reach for his hand, holding it tightly, but his gaze is distant. “Your mother...” he chokes, and I see a hint of red in his eyes. “Your mother said if my father didn’t take it, that meant I was the thief. Lorenzo was there. My best friend. I thought he’d defend me. I thought...he’d help.”
A bitter laugh escapes his throat. “Instead, he claimed to be a witness. He lied. Said he saw me steal it.”
My chest tightens with a mix of anger and sorrow. “Dario...”
“They let us go after beating us some more,” he continues, his voice low and raw. “But obviously Antonio fired my dad. After that, he had to take odd jobs just to keep my mother’s chemotherapy going. We wre already behind as we couldn’t make payment. But it wasn’t enough. She died. And then, not long after, my father was mugged and killed.”
Tears spill down my cheeks as I listen, my heart breaking for him. I had no idea what my parents had done...what Lorenzo had done.
“Lorenzo came to the funeral,” Dario continues in a hollow voice. “He admitted that his mother had forced him to lie. But the damage was done. I told him I’d never forgive him.”
I can barely see through the blur of tears. “Dario, I’m so sorry... I never knew...”
He shakes his head, turning to me with a sad smile. “It’s okay, Ginny. Yes, I was angry at everything that happened, but as I got older, a part of me realized he was just a kid, too. He was just obeying his mother by lying. He didn’t know what he was doing.”
“But he hurt you so much.”
Dario cups my face, his calloused thumb brushing away the remaining tears. “It doesn’t matter anymore. You came into my life, and everything changed. I’ve been in the dark for so long, but you’re my light, Ginny. You’re the family I never had.”
His words send a rush of warmth through me, my heart hammering against my chest.
Dario nods, his eyes filled with love. “I love you, Ginny. And I want to make a family with you. I don’t care about the contract, or revenge, or everything else. I just want to have you and our baby for the rest of my life...”
Tears pour down my eyes as he leans down to rest his forehead against mine.
“...If you’ll have me.”