Chapter 57
Tiziano Constanzo
“Dad... I’m going to be a father.”
The words thundered through my mind. I paced back and forth across the warehouse, my hands on my head, trying to control the storm building inside me.
For the first time in years, I felt completely lost. A feeling that irritated me almost as much as Marco himself, sitting in front of me with that damned taunting smile.
“Call Carlo,” I ordered. “Tell him to get everything ready at the mansion’s clinic. Alessandro is going to need immediate medical attention.”
“I’ll call him,” my uncle Luigi replied before reaching for his phone.
I stopped for a moment, closing my eyes to contain the anger growing inside me. When I looked back at Marco, my expression was pure hatred.
“Keep that son of a bitch here,” I growled. “Before he goes to Bianca and dumps all the shit in his head on her, I’ll talk to her myself.”
Luigi nodded, watching me in silence as I left the warehouse. Blood boiled in my veins.
“How long are you planning to keep me here?” Marco asked mockingly.
“As long as I damn well please,” I shot back.
He laughed, a rough, taunting sound.
“I usually call my father every day,” he mocked, leaning slightly forward despite the chains holding him in place. “When he realizes he hasn’t heard from me, he’ll know something’s wrong.”
My eyes narrowed, and I took a step toward him.
“Let him know,” I murmured. “Let’s see what your dear father can do when he finds out you fucked with the wrong person.”
I walked away, waiting for them to arrive with Alessandro as I watched Enzo come through the warehouse door.
“They’re close,” he said, approaching me. “I told them to take him straight to the mansion.”
“Good,” I replied, still restless.
Enzo gave me a curious look before asking:
“Now you want him alive?”
“I never gave an order to kill him,” I shot back.
Enzo arched an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
“You didn’t seem to care when the soldiers were having their fun with him. After all, the bastard made fools of everyone when he infiltrated the mansion. It’s only natural the soldiers wanted to take advantage of the situation.”
My patience was hanging by a thread, and my voice came out in a low growl:
“Get in the fucking car. We’re going to the mansion.”
Enzo hesitated for a moment before asking:
“What made you change your mind?”
I stopped, staring at him for a brief moment before answering.
“My wife is pregnant,” I declared, every word carrying a weight that seemed to crush my chest. The hatred in my voice wasn’t only for the world around me, but for myself, for the possibility that I could be the reason for one more of her tears.
If I made her suffer even more, I would never forgive myself.
“And I don’t want her worrying about anything.
Not Alessandro, not anything else. If I have to, I’ll even put the fucking water in her mouth so she doesn’t have to get up. But my child will be born in peace.”
“So that’s it. The heir is on the way. You’re one unlucky son of a bitch,” he said sarcastically. “You spent months kissing her feet only for her to find out she’s pregnant right when you kicked her ass to the curb.”
I looked straight into his eyes as he continued laughing at his shitty joke.
“And you talk way too much shit,” I growled. “Keep pissing me off and I’ll have your fucking tongue ripped out.”
He made an ironic gesture, pretending to zip his mouth shut, and without another word, walked silently toward the car.
I was on my feet, pacing back and forth through the hallway of the mansion, anxiety eating me alive, when Carlo finally came out, his hands in his pockets, wearing the expression of a man carrying bad news.
“How is he?” I asked, a mixture of impatience and fear I refused to admit tightening inside me.
Carlo took a deep breath, in no hurry to answer.
“He was severely beaten, Tiziano,” Carlo said, his voice serious but calmer.
“He’s in stable condition, but he has significant bruising and several ribs that may be fractured.
He took blows to the head, but there doesn’t appear to be any serious injury.
His blood pressure is low, but still within an acceptable range.
He should wake up soon, given proper care and enough time. ”
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to control my anger. The idiot deserved what he was going through, but my concern was Bianca, and I didn’t want her to suffer any more than she already had.
“So he’s going to survive?” I asked.
Carlo looked at me with certainty.
“Yes, Tiziano. With proper care, he should recover quickly. He’ll regain consciousness soon.”
“Take care of him,” I ordered, my voice firmer. “I want him alive and conscious as soon as possible.”
Carlo nodded, his expression serious.
“Leave it to me, Tiziano. I’ll keep a close eye on him.”
I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to run into my wife’s arms and kiss her belly, thanking God for giving me my heir. But she hadn’t told me anything. I had been with her today, and she hadn’t said a word. What was she planning to do? Hide my child from me?
“You expected her to come tell you she was carrying a child with your enemy’s blood?” Carlo replied, without judgment, simply stating the facts.
“It’s my child,” I shot back.
“And she was your wife, the woman you swore to love and respect.” Carlo shrugged.
“I’m bringing her back home.”
“She seems to have matured, and in a surprisingly short amount of time. Maybe now is the time for you to put in a little more effort, if you really want to win your wife back and have your child back.”