CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN

ALEXEI

As the nurse's words hung in the air, the news of Zoey's pregnancy hit me like a ton of bricks.

A mixture of emotions swirled within me—joy, surprise, and a newfound sense of responsibility. But along with those feelings, an unexpected wave of doubt crashed in.

In the world I belonged to, being a Mafia Don, the concept of fatherhood was riddled with complexities. The shadow of my own tumultuous relationship with my father loomed large, casting doubt on my ability to be the father I wished to be.

In our world, vulnerabilities were seen as weaknesses, and the fear of perpetuating a cycle of hardship haunted me.

It's not that I didn't want to be a good father. It's just that the echoes of my own tumultuous past and the intricacies of my present life as a Mafia Don painted a daunting picture of parenthood.

I grappled with the fear of inadequacy, questioning if I could provide the love and stability a child deserved in the tumultuous world I navigated.

Yaz clapped me on the back,