Baby

"Hello, beautiful. I thought you wouldn't come down," Leandro said.

"Well, as you can see, here I am. Let's have dinner. It's a bit cold, and I feel tired. I'd like to sleep," Nicole replied.

"You look stunning," he complimented her.

"Thank you."

They ate in complete silence. Leandro was looking at her in a way that made Nicole very nervous. She didn't know what was happening—could it be the hormones?

Leandro had been waiting for her for quite some time. When he saw that she was taking a while, he thought she wouldn't come down. But when he saw her walking in the candlelight, he thought she was the most beautiful woman his eyes had ever seen. He was trying to give her space, not to make her uncomfortable. After all, one month was a short time to gain her trust.

"I brought you a gift. It's something very special to me, and I hope you accept it," Leandro said.

"I can't accept anything from you. I don't want to give you false hope," Nicole replied.

"Please accept it. It belonged to my mother. She died when I was born. It would be a great honor if you accepted it," he insisted.

"Fine, thank you," Nicole reluctantly agreed.

He took her hand and placed a beautiful bracelet on her wrist. It was silver with diamond inlays. The larger diamonds formed a flower, while the smaller ones were scattered throughout the bracelet. It must have cost a fortune. 

Nicole didn't want to accept it, but she did so at his insistence. She didn't understand why he was giving her something that held such value to him.

After a while, Nicole said her goodbyes. She wanted to rest. Leandro watched her as she walked away. She looked beautiful pregnant, with a special sparkle in her eyes. That woman meant everything to him. She went up to her room, where Sara was waiting for her with a hot tea. Lately, she couldn't sleep without having it before bedtime. Just as she took the cup, she felt a horrible pain in her abdomen that radiated to her hip—the baby was about to be born.

Sara ran to notify Leandro. She wouldn't allow Nicole to go to the clinic. They had prepared a space next to her room for the baby to be born. There were two doctors and two nurses who would attend to her at all times.

Leandro arrived out of breath. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the other room, gently laying her on a stretcher. He had brought all kinds of equipment and even an incubator, just in case any complications arose. A helicopter was also on standby if needed.

The pain Nicole felt was unbearable. The doctor told her that the baby still had some time before being born. He advised her to walk and take a hot shower to speed up the delivery process. 

After four long hours, the contractions were becoming more frequent. The breathing exercises helped her stay calm. Leandro stayed by her side the entire time, refusing to leave the room.

Nicole's water broke, and the baby finally decided to be born. The doctor asked her if she wanted an epidural, but she declined. He instructed her to push with strength. Leandro held her hand tightly. She would have preferred her nanny to be there with her, but he refused. She felt exhausted, on the verge of fainting from the pain and exertion. The doctor urged her to push again, and at that moment, the baby's cry filled the room.

She felt an indescribable emotion upon hearing it, especially when they placed the baby on her chest. Leandro insisted on being the one to cut the umbilical cord. They took the baby away for a check-up, and Nicole soon drifted off to sleep, overwhelmed by exhaustion.

She woke up to the sound of the baby crying. He was a beautiful boy, with blue eyes and brown hair. He looked just like his father. Upon seeing him, Nicole felt a momentary fear for his future. She didn't know what destiny had in store for them. Leandro had been kind so far, but she had no idea how he would react if she didn't always do as he wished. She had no clue what kind of madman he might be.

Sara was overjoyed with the baby and taught Nicole how to breastfeed him. Just then, Leandro entered the room.

"It's a wonderful sight to see you feeding your baby," he said.

"Thank you, but I think we need to talk. I don't know how long you plan to keep me trapped here," Nicole replied.

"You're mistaken. You're not a prisoner. I'm protecting you from Bruno."

"That's not true. I was fine with my parents."

“Sondra told me that Bruno had already located you, which is why I hurried to bring you here. If you escaped, it means you didn't want to be with him. Your sister told me about your relationship; we'll talk about that later. For now, rest. You need to regain your strength.”

“Does my sister know that I'm pregnant?”

“No, it's better this way. She's someone you need to be cautious of. She's willing to do anything to harm you.”

“My parents must be worried.”

“You can write them a letter to let them know you're okay and to reassure them. You can't tell them where you are; it's best for now. I'll make sure they receive it.”

“Thank you.”

Investigators had informed Bruno that Nicole was in Australia. When he arrived, he only found Rina and Gío. He learned that they were his biological parents, and they told him that Nicole and her nanny had been kidnapped. The worst news for him was finding out that she was expecting his child.

“What the hell was our daughter thinking? Why did she hide her pregnancy from me?”

“Nicole didn't tell us anything about her relationship. We don't understand why she kept her pregnancy a secret. She only asked for our help to distance herself from you. Our daughter has been deeply affected, and learning the truth has been very difficult for her. Now that she's here, she can tell us what has happened with your relationship.”

“I understand that she's affected by knowing the truth, but it doesn't justify keeping me in the dark about having a child. As for our relationship, it's something that concerns only us.”

“She didn't want to know the baby's gender. She wants it to be a surprise.”

“We need to investigate the clinic staff. It's too much of a coincidence that the cameras weren't working on that exact day. We'll look for the missing bodyguard; it's clear he's involved. I need to talk to Noah and Emma. They think she ran away with another man. Nicole's sister convinced them of it, and I believed it all this time. I just hope they're okay, that my child is born healthy, and that I can have him close to me soon.”

Bruno didn't know what he would be capable of doing once he had Nicole with him. If he was determined to find her before, now that he knew he would have a child with her, he would search for her with even greater determination. It was true that he loved her, but he couldn't forgive her for running away while pregnant. He believed he had just as much right to that child as she did.

In New York, Leandro found it strange that his father insisted on meeting Nicole. He didn't want him near her or the baby, and especially not Deborah. Over the years, he didn't know her well, but well enough to not want her around what he considered his family.

He watched as Nicole cradled their baby close to her chest and discreetly took a photo of them. He was certain that he would win her love. That evening, he would propose that they move to another country. He believed that Italy would be a good place for the child to grow up, far away from Bruno. He wanted Nicole to assist him in his business; he didn't want her to feel like a prisoner.

He carried a secret that kept him awake at night. He regretted letting Sondra convince him that night. She had told him that Nicole agreed to spend the night with him, but now that he knew it wasn't true, he feared telling Nicole the truth, afraid that she wouldn't forgive him.

"Nicole, I've been thinking about moving to Italy. It would be a good environment for our child to grow up in. You could work with me in the company. My father wants me to take charge of the subsidiary there and wants me to drive new projects."

-It will be as you wish, Leandro. After all, I have to do what you decide, whether I like it or not.

-It will only happen if you agree to it.

Nicole remained silent for a moment. Leandro thought she might refuse, and if she did, he would respect her decision. She thought about what would happen if Bruno found her.

-Okay, it will be good to be away from Bruno.

Days later, they left the United States and settled in Naples. Nicole found it to be a beautiful city. The house they moved into was stunning, as Leandro had just bought it. He said that the baby needed space to grow, and they had a huge garden.

The baby's room was decorated in pastel blue, with all the furniture being white. The antique-style crib was beautiful. The room had a double wooden door that connected to Nicole's room. She was determined to start a new life. 

Her parents knew she was okay, and that was enough. She didn't want Bruno anywhere near her child. Leandro had told her that if she wanted to leave, she could. After thinking it over, she decided to stay.