Chapter 12
ARIA
Time sure does fly when you have life-altering decisions to make. I still haven’t told Enzo about the baby because I haven’t had the chance to.
Well, that’s kind of a lie. It’s not that I didn’t have the chance to, it’s just that I’m not sure whether I should tell him. Plus, to be fair, I was still kind of processing the whole being-pregnant thing, too.
While my father was away on his business trip, Enzo slipped into my bed every night. We had so much sex, my body was deliciously sore every morning when I woke up. I have to say it was definitely one of the best weeks of my life.
I’m not sure why I haven’t mentioned anything about the baby yet. He hasn’t hinted or spoken about anything serious between us. Hell, we barely even talk at all because we’re so consumed with each other when he sneaks in.
I know the baby would be better off with him than being in the house here with my father. I don’t know what the hell is holding me back…
Well, I guess it’s because I don’t want to sound like a stage-five clinger…
It’s already been two weeks since I found out, and I still haven’t got a clue what I’m doing or what I’m supposed to do.
This week, I’ve crossed the sixteen-week mark.
I can either tell him about the baby and face what I’m sure will be his rejection or wait to face my father when it becomes too obvious that I can’t hide it anymore.
I let out a long sigh. All this thinking is giving me a headache.
Maybe if I tell him, he’ll find a way to save me from my father’s wrath.
Even if he doesn’t want the baby, maybe he can help me hide or something.
After I’ve spent enough time in bed thinking about all the worst-case scenarios, I decide it’s time to get up for the day. I head into the bathroom and brush my teeth before quickly taking a shower.
Once I’m done and my skin is dry, I pull on a pair of bra and panties before stepping in front of the mirror to brush out the tangles in my hair. When I glance at myself, I’m instantly horrified at what I see. Well, more like surprised and caught off guard.
Holy fucking shit!
Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!
I’m fucking dead.
Well, I am if my father sees this. My stomach was still pretty flat last night, like no one could tell I was pregnant before, but now there's a visible baby bump. My stomach popped! I mean, you can’t miss the thing! It’s so round and definitely noticeable.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
I’m going to have to start wearing baggy clothes from now on.
It’s right here in this moment, I have an epiphany.
I’m going to tell Enzo about the baby the next time I see him.
I can’t keep this from him any longer, and it’ll be in my best interest for him to find out first, before my father ever does.
Now that I’ve popped, he won’t be able to miss the bump at all.
My mind is still occupied, well, more like it’s in survival mode as I step out of my bathroom, intending to head into my closet for my clothes. But before I can even make it two steps toward the closet, there’s a noise at my door.
I don’t have time to do anything else, like find a robe, my towel, or something else to throw on to hide my stomach, before my door flies open with a bang, and my father is standing there with Giana behind him.
I’m like a deer caught in headlights as I stand there. I was so caught off guard that I think my body may or may not be going into shock because I think I’ve turned into stone. I catch sight of Giana and see her eyes widen when she looks at me.
My father is looking at me with another one of his hate-filled stares, and it doesn’t take long for his eyes to zero in on the baby bump that suddenly decided to make its appearance today.
I gulp and take an involuntary step back at the look of absolute disdain that contorts his face before nothing but rage is displayed there. His face is red, and the veins on his forehead bulge.
“What the hell is that?!” he points and screams at me. I flinch at the sound of his angry voice.
“Um, what is what?” I ask, pretending to be oblivious. He storms over to me and punches me in the jaw. Fuck! I let out a scream when the hit lands because I swear he put all his strength into that punch. He then grabs me by the hair and slams my head face-first into the wall.
“You’re fucking pregnant!” he screams at me.
“N-no—” I start, but he stops me by flinging me onto the floor in front of him.
“No, what? Are you trying to fucking lie to me! Do you think I was born yesterday? I know what a pregnant fucking slut looks like! You’re nothing but a no-good filthy fucking whore!” he screams as he starts to kick me.
I barely manage to turn my body around in time so his foot catches my lower back. He kicks me again, this one catching me in the middle of my back, and I let out a groan at the pain that engulfs me. My body hurts as well as my face and head.
“Please stop,” I beg, blood dripping down my face.
“Who the hell did you spread your legs for?!” he screams, aiming another kick for me. I curl myself into a ball, and he catches me on the thigh. I’m trying my hardest to keep my bump covered and away from this madman. “When did you leave this house to go out and spread your whore legs?”
He grabs my hair, his hand fisted tightly as he drags me up and hits me in the face again. “Fucking answer me!”
I’m in so much pain, my eyes already feel like they’re swollen, and my entire jaw hurts, along with my back and legs from where he kicked me. I couldn’t answer even if I wanted to.
“S-stop,” I eventually manage to get out and beg. He lets go of my hair and shoves me back like he’s disgusted to even touch me.
“Did you know about this?” he questions, turning to Giana.
“N-no,” I manage to gasp out through the pain. “She didn’t have anything to do with this. I um… I snuck out and went to one of the clubs a few towns over a couple of months ago by myself.”
“Fucking traitorous bitch!” he yells as he kicks me again, this one landing on my chest. I had to dodge the asshole because he was aiming for my stomach.
Tears instantly form in my eyes because hell, it feels like my entire body is on fire now.
“After everything I’ve done for you, you ungrateful, filthy little slut!
You have been nothing but a disgrace to this family since the day you were born!
How dare you fucking embarrass me like this!
Do you have any idea what this betrayal could do to my relationship with Salvatore? ” he screams.
“I told you I didn’t want to marry that creep,” I manage to gasp out through the pain.
“Please don’t! You could kill her!” Giana tells him when he moves to no doubt hit me again.
“I don’t fucking care. I should kill this bitch for what she’s done! Who is the father of this bastard?” he seethes. I’m slumped on the floor in front of my bed, barely managing to keep myself upright. I’m having trouble seeing him through eyes that are already starting to swell.
“I-I—”
“Fucking answer me!” he screams into my face, having kneeled down in front of me. He grabs me by the throat and squeezes for a few seconds before letting go. I choke and gasp for air before a coughing fit takes over. “Answer me before I kill you.”
“I-I don’t know,” I choke out. I’d rather have him believe I don’t know, instead of telling him that Enzo Andretti is the father of my baby. He’d really kill me in a fit of rage then.
“So, you were just out there spreading your legs like a goddamn bitch in heat for just any random man, knowing you were engaged to Salvatore?!” he roars.
“I—”
“Shut the fuck up! You don’t get to speak! I don’t want to hear any of your goddamn lies! From this moment on, you are nothing to me! I will no longer acknowledge you as my daughter, you filthy fucking cunt! I know exactly what I’m going to do with you!” he sneers.
“Wh-what do you mean?” I stutter out, tears flowing down my face. I can’t hold it in any longer because of all the pain.
“Pack your shit. I’m sending you to a convent, and you’ll stay in your fucking room without leaving until I get it arranged.”
“Y-you can’t do that.”
“Oh, I assure you, I can. And do you want to know what I’m going to do to you after?”
“What?” I ask, wearily.
“I’m going to wait until you give birth to the bastard, and then I’m going to take it and raise it as my property. Maybe this one will turn out better than you ever were. And don’t think you’re getting away from marrying Salvatore, as I assume that was your plan all along,” he tells me, sneering.
“What are you talking about?”
“What? Did you think getting yourself pregnant would alleviate you from your duties to this family?” I look at him without answering.
“I’m betting you did. Not to worry, though.
I’m going to tell Salvatore that you’ve come down with a sudden illness that you’ll be needing intensive treatment for at a hospital out of state, and once you’re cured, the wedding will take place. ”
“How is your master plan going to work once I have the baby?”
“I’m going to wait until after you give birth to tell him you’re cured, obviously, and then I’m going to take it away from you,” he says sinisterly. What a fucking asshole!
“What do you mean you’re going to take the baby away from me?”
“Exactly as I just said. What, are you stupid now, too?”
“No. Not as much as you!” I snap. “How are you going to explain a newborn baby to all your friends?”
“I’ll just tell everyone I found it in the garbage and I just couldn’t leave it in there.” He smirks.
“You’re a cruel bastard! I’ll never let you take my baby away from me!” I scream at him.
“You won’t have a choice.” He smiles evilly before heading for the door.
“You’ll never get my baby!” I use the last of my energy to scream at him, and he just laughs, the sound grating on my nerves instantly.
“Clean that filthy whore up. As soon as you’re done, make sure you lock her inside. If for some reason she’s not locked in and she manages to escape, then you will pay for that with your life,” he tells Giana before he finally disappears.
My entire body slumps with relief once he’s gone, and the pain now feels ten times worse since he’s no longer here to distract me from it with his suffocating presence.
Giana rushes over to me, gently helping me up and walking us slowly toward the bathroom. Tears stream down her face as well as mine.
“Are you al-… fuck! Never mind, that’s a stupid fucking question. Of course you’re not okay.”
“I’ll be fine. At least he didn’t kill me. He wants my baby, and that is the one thing he’s not going to get,” I mumble.
“What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea, but I’ll have to think of something.”
“I know you will. If anyone can, it’s you.”
Giana helps clean me up, putting bandages on the spots that split. She then rubs pain ointment everywhere on my body that he hit or kicked. After she’s done, she helps me put on one of my nighties before she gets me into bed.
Once I’m settled in bed, she goes downstairs and then comes back with a few bottles of water, some acetaminophen, because that one is safe to use while pregnant, and some snacks that she leaves on my nightstand before she walks out of my room.
I don’t miss the sound of the lock clicking into place after her, as she locks me in here, per my father’s orders.
As soon as I’m alone, sobs rack my body. Fuck! How could everything have gone so badly, so quickly?
A few minutes later, I lift my blanket and rub a protective hand over my bump. Through the tears, a smile crosses my face. I’m not mad that she made her appearance when she was supposed to, because I forgot to check the date. All this means is that she’s real and this is really happening.
I have two more weeks to wait until I can find out the baby’s gender. I don’t know, but I have a feeling my little nugget is going to be a girl, so I keep thinking of the baby as her.
If my father thinks that he’s going to get his hands on her and take her away from me, then he has another thing coming.
I’ll go on the run if I have to. I don’t care what I have to do.
He’s already made me suffer, and I won’t ever let that happen to her.
Even if I have to give up my last breath to protect my baby from him, I will.