AndrewOn the way to New Jersey, my heart was torn between fury and concern. Anger pulsed within me because Emma had run away, hadn't told me about her pregnancy, and because of all the confusion we were in. But at the same time, worry and fear for her and our child's health grew with every mile I advanced toward the hotel.I was simultaneously angry and sad. As the driver navigated the road, my mind wandered through thoughts I'd rather not confront. I thought about my real father, the dark history surrounding his past, his unknown identity. Everything I had ever known about my lineage was a big question mark, and the revelation that Emma was my half-sister only further complicated this web of secrets and lies.Emma... her face, her smile, her stubbornness. The woman who challenged me from the beginning and now carried my child in her womb. I wasn't sure what to feel about her. I had used our marriage for my own purposes, but I hadn't planned that, I hadn't planned to fall in love wit
Andrew DeLucaI rang Emma's bedroom doorbell and waited for a few seconds, both anxious and concerned. When the door opened, I saw her face, which was far from okay. Her eyes revealed fatigue, but also a look of defiance."Andrew," she murmured my name, and the tension in the air was palpable.I entered the room with determination, but also with anger. I couldn't shake the feeling that she was doing this on purpose, driving me crazy with her escape."Emma," I replied, my voice stern. "We need to talk."She sighed and retreated into the room, making space for me to enter. I stood at the entrance for a moment, looking around, trying to understand what had driven her to escape like this."Why did you run away?" I asked, irritation evident in my voice. "We have a contract, I didn't forgive your father's debt out of benevolence, and you know that." I held onto her arm.Emma stared at me, a mix of emotions in her gaze. She was holding back, but I could tell she was about to explode. She see
Andrew DeLuca Emma was unconscious; I carried her in my arms and descended the stairs quickly. There was no time to wait for the elevator, and it was my fault she had passed out. Guilt was a feeling I despised.When I reached the first floor, the nosy receptionist approached us, asking what had happened. I simply stared at her and walked away. The driver was already waiting in the car; I placed Emma in the back seat, and we rushed to the hospital. I had various important contacts, including trusted doctors who received money to take care of the health of my "associates" and me without asking questions.But this time, I would go to the best, the best obstetrician in New York, Dr. Ravier. He was Italian and a close friend of the family. He would care for Emma, and I didn't care how much it would cost. Money was not the issue; I just wanted her to be okay."Drive, move quickly," I told the driver."Don't ask me to be calm; she's unconscious, and worse, it's my fault."Lorenzo, my consig
EmmaI woke up in that hospital room, confused and disoriented. My memory was foggy, and all I could recall was the moment I had fainted. Andrew was there, looking at me with an expression I wasn't quite sure how to interpret. It was as if he was surprised by my presence, as if I were a revelation.He said he loved me, and my words came out harsh and impulsive. "You can only love yourself."Everything felt confusing, and my head throbbed from the dizziness I still felt. Going back to him wasn't what I wanted, but at that moment, it seemed like the only option. If I continued to get sick, with complications in my pregnancy, working as a waitress, and having to hide from Andrew, the chances of my child surviving were minimal. The choice was forced, but I needed to think about the well-being of the baby.The doctor entered the room, and his friendly expression reassured me somewhat. He asked how I was feeling, and I responded honestly."A little better," I said, trying to smile. "The diz
EmmaI had been discharged. I was apprehensive about returning to the mansion; I knew that there were still so many things to happen. I could no longer run away after a year of the contract; this contract would haunt me for the rest of my life. Now, I have a result of it, living in my belly. Andrew was the father of the baby, and he wouldn't disappear from my life.Never again.It was a fact I had to accept, but I just couldn't process all of this.He was by my side, sleeping like an angel in the companion's chair. I watched him sleep, thinking, how could he be so beautiful with an angelic face and yet so dark at the same time? It was an enigma.I look at the phone. I consider calling my father, but I imagine him sad and crying again. I can't put him in this mess; I know he brought me into this, but he never forced me to sleep with a mobster.And I don't know... As much as my father was wrong, if it weren't for this, I would never know the truth about myself. About my siblings, whom I
Emma.I decided to heed Derick's insane request and go to the meeting. It wasn't what I wanted, but the idea that he might invent lies about me to Andrew kept me in a constant state of alert. I needed to protect my baby, and unfortunately, that meant facing Derick.I waited until Andrew was busy with his own affairs in the mansion. I watched his movements, waiting for the right moment to leave without raising suspicions. It was challenging to act in the shadows in a house filled with security, but I had learned a few tricks over time.Finally, I found an opportunity when he was busy discussing business with some of his men. Silently, I grabbed my coat and phone, and slipped out through the back door. I knew I couldn't take too long, so I started heading quickly to the meeting point.The Roof at Viceroy Central Park was a chic and luxurious place, not far from the DeLuca mansion. I was nervous, feeling the baby moving in my belly, as if he too was aware of the danger of that moment.As
EmmaAfter the incident on the rooftop, Andrew invited me to go for ice cream at a place he used to frequent as a child. It was strange to think that we were sitting in an ice cream parlor after what had just happened. I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation."You've killed someone, and now we're here having ice cream," I said with a touch of humor in my voice.He shrugged, trying to appear composed, but I could see the tension in his eyes. "It's part of the job, Emma. Sometimes, we have to do things that aren't always easy to understand or accept."I wondered how he managed to live in this world where violence seemed like a common solution. But I also understood that he was trying to protect his family, and now we had a baby on the way, and he would be in this world too. I wanted to try to raise him away from it, but I knew it was impossible."That sounds like a peculiar way to justify what happened up there," I commented.He looked at me with a serious expression. "Y
Andrew DeLuca.I never thought I would consider being the family man, the one who's content with just one woman. That was never me. But Emma came into my life and showed me that maybe that was for me, that maybe she was the right woman.After we arrived home, I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened. I had just ended Derick's life, and there would be no retaliation; I would make it clear that he was a traitor. But that wasn't what was on my mind. I was thinking about Emma, about us stargazing. This ragazza came into my life, changing everything around her. So many things had happened that I couldn't believe it all.I was going to be a father, and it was making me anxious.I sat in the armchair, sipping my fine whiskey, wanting to leave it all behind. Emma had gone to her room, and I thought it was best that way.Lorenzo entered the room with a glass of whiskey and took a seat in a chair across from me. I was lost in thought, still reflecting on Derick's death."Don,