Chapter 51
I was livid. More than livid. I had welcomed this man into my own fucking home and what did he do?
He fucking betrayed me. As far as I was concerned, he had committed the worst crime possible.
He had wormed his way into my daughter’s bed, gotten her pregnant and taken away her chance at being connected to a powerful family.
I wanted to kill the bastard and I would have… if she hadn’t walked in.
I stormed into my office, making the fixtures on the wall rattle as I slammed the door shut.
“Well, I can see you’re in a wonderful mood.” My head snapped to my desk as my wife’s voice rang out from behind it. She had a face like thunder as she brought her hands up for her chin to lean on. “Sit down, Lorenzo.”
“I would but you’re in my chair.”
“Then find a-fucking-nother one. Now .” My breath fired out of my nostrils as I slammed down into a chair opposite.
Fuck, I was in trouble. I had a feeling my wife knew what I had done and was now about to fight me on it.
She also knew I had no choice but to listen, as she was the only one I’d ever bow to.
She’s had me on my knees since the day I admitted I loved her… actually even before then.
“ Mi amore , listen?—”
“Don’t you, mi amore, me. I think you’ve done quite enough talking already, don’t you?
It’s about time you did the listening and I did the talking.
” Wow… she was seething. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen her this mad, and quite frankly it scared the crap out of me.
“You had no right doing what you did today.”
“I had every right, Ana, that man he?—”
“That man loves our daughter. He would die for her. Fuck, he nearly did yesterday and then at the hands of you today. What the hell is the matter with you? Is it not enough that he’d give his life for hers?” No matter how angry she was, she spoke calmly and that’s what unsettled me the most.
“No! It sure as fuck is not enough. She’s meant to take over and marry someone powerful. She needs that to do her job! Not get fucking knocked up by some lowlife assassin I brought in from the streets!” I was fuming, absolutely fucking fuming. “She needs to choose. It’s us or him.”
“If that’s the way you want to play it, fine. Accept our daughter’s finally fallen in love with someone and be happy for her, or give me a divorce. Your choice.” Her words hit me like a damn sledge hammer.
“You’re really making me choose?”
“It’s no different to what you’re asking of Bella, is it?” she sighed, “Lorenzo, your daughter is pregnant, and if you make her choose you already know what her answer will be.” Ana rubbed at her temples.
Could she not see what he’d done, and how fucked it was?
“He had no right!”
At this, Ana jumped up from my chair and slammed her hands flat against my desk. “Had no right falling in love? You forced them together the day you hired him.”
“Don’t you fucking put this on me! I didn’t ask them to jump into bed together… Under my fucking roof no less!” I jumped to my feet and began pacing, trying to calm myself down.
“Our roof. And that man loves Isabella with everything he has. He’s been falling in love with her since the beginning.
Not only that but he brings out the best in her.
And she loves him, Lorenzo. I’ve never seen our daughter so happy and out of her shell.
How could you not see it?” she asked with a smirk.
“Wait… you knew?”
“Of course I knew. We all knew! And I think a part of you did too, you just didn’t want to believe it.” Sighing with a sad smile, she closed the gap between us, looking up at me. “Let her be happy, Lorenzo,” she insisted, knowing full well I couldn’t say no to her.
“Ana, I can’t… She’s supposed to be taking over and marrying someone who can stand beside her. How can she do that now with a baby in tow?” I breathed, my head banging.
“Arturo is more than capable of being Bella’s second. Go talk to her, and talk to him… Please, do this… Do it for me.” I groaned as she leaned her chin against my chest.
“Fine, I’ll talk to them. But I’m making no promises.”
“Okay… Just don’t make her choose. I can’t lose my daughter.” she wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me gently.
“I can’t believe you threatened to divorce me… That was a low blow, Mrs Ricci.”
Ana laughed a sweet little giggle, and I knew she was never going to make me choose, just like I would never make Isabella choose.
“Thank you.” I whispered.
“Anytime.”
“So, you all really knew?” I asked, intrigued by her answer.
“Oh, mi amore , we all knew.”
Brilliant.