True Parents

For a moment, Nicole thought that Gío and Rina were upset with each other, but after an awkward silence, they finally spoke.

"I am deeply moved by this wonderful news. Not long ago, I thought I was completely alone in this world, and now I have a daughter, and soon I will be a grandfather. Life is rewarding me greatly," Gío said, looking at his daughter with infinite tenderness, tears threatening to fall.

"I'm speechless. It's one of the best news I've received in a long time," Rina added.

Nicole couldn't help but cry. These two people she barely knew were giving her the support she had needed for a long time.

"I would like to inform the doctor. I'm afraid that the DNA test could be damaged," Nicole said.

"I don't think so, but it's better to let the doctor address your concerns," Gío replied.

They headed to the clinic. Nicole had found one online and chose it randomly. Upon arrival, they were quickly attended to. Fortunately, there were no other appointments at that moment. The doctor answered their questions and took the necessary samples from all three of them. 

"Good morning, Mr. Rossano. We will proceed to take the samples from you and your family. It's a very simple procedure; we will only need a saliva sample from each of you. The baby will not be affected in any way. The case will be handled with utmost discretion. Our clinic is one of the best, and the results will be ready in seven days. They can be sent to your office, or if you prefer, you can collect them in person."

"Thank you very much, doctor. We prefer to collect them in person to feel more secure," Gío replied.

They left the clinic after providing their contact information. During the journey back to the villa, Nicole was very distracted. Rina thought about asking her what was bothering her but decided to give her some space. After all, what she was going through wasn't easy. She held onto the hope that once they received the results, Nicole would accept them as her parents. Gío was the one who decided to speak up.

"Nicole, I'm eagerly awaiting the results. I know it's difficult for you, but for me, it means reclaiming everything that has been taken from me—my family."

"It's truly challenging, Gío. My parents have showered me with love since I was a child. Regardless of the test results, I won't stop loving them," Nicole responded.

"I understand, they haven't been at fault for anything."

Nicole looked at Gío and Rina, it was clear that they loved each other deeply. They were making up for lost time, and after everything they had suffered, they deserved to be happy. They spent as much time together as possible.

The whole villa started to turn upside down. The excited grandparents decided to prepare it for the baby. They installed barriers and adapted the necessary grilles for the baby's safety. They decorated the room that connected to Nicole's, everything in pastel colors. Nicole didn't want to know the gender; she wanted it to be a surprise. She let Rina and Gío choose several things according to their taste. In reality, everything was very cute. Nicole thought it was too early for all of this, but it meant a lot to them to be able to do it.

Nine days had passed since they took the test. That day, the doctor finally notified them that they could pick it up. They decided to go together, all three of them. Nicole couldn't contain her nerves. Rina and Gío insisted that she open the envelope. Her hands trembled, and it was hard for her to control herself. She opened it slowly, and even though they had told her, she couldn't believe it. The test was positive. They were the baby's true parents.

"Now you know that what we've told you is true. We'll look for Noah; he has the right to know the truth."

"I know. He raised me believing I was his daughter. I don't know how he'll react when he finds out the truth."

"I know I did wrong; I shouldn't have deceived him that way. I was desperate and scared. My parents had a strong character, and under those circumstances, they wouldn't have allowed you to be born. Now we must find a way to reclaim what is rightfully yours. Sergio can't get away with it. None of what he has belongs to him. His company and properties belong to you; they are your grandparents' inheritance."

Gío hoped that now that Nicole knew he was her father, she would allow him to earn her love and trust. He knew it would take time, and he was willing to wait as long as necessary. She hadn't wanted to talk to them about her past with Bruno; she only asked them to increase security. It was clear she was scared, but they didn't know why.

"Nicole, I hope you'll give me the chance to win your affection. I know I'm a complete stranger to you. Since I found out that I'm your father, I've decided to give my all to earn your acceptance in your life. It was a wonderful surprise to learn that I'll soon be a grandfather."

"I only ask you to give me time to accept it. My life has taken a huge turn, and everything I believed was a lie."

"I apologize, daughter, for destabilizing your world. I hope you can forgive your mother. She has had a very difficult life, and circumstances forced her to act that way."

"I want to ask you a favor."

"Tell us, daughter, whatever it is."

"Before my son is born, please help me bring Nanny here. She's like a mother to me, and I know she would like to be with me. I can't call her because Bruno must have her phone tapped. I know him too well. She goes for a walk every day, so if we wait for some time to pass, we can contact her."

Five months later, with only one month left until the baby was due, Nicole was already eight months pregnant. Gío and Rina were taking great care of her. She tried to convince them to let her work, but they refused. She felt embarrassed that they were covering her expenses, but she would have a chance to repay them.

Nanny Sara had gone out for her daily walk. She missed Nicole a lot and could only hope that she was doing well. That day, her friend who owned a flower shop asked her to pick up some rosebushes. Bruno hadn't allowed her to leave; he had assigned two bodyguards to follow her everywhere. They only left her alone inside the house. She asked him to let her return to the Williams mansion, but he refused. She held onto the hope that Nicole would contact her.

Upon arriving at the mansion, Sara headed to plant the rosebushes. While transplanting one of them, she noticed something in the soil she was holding. It was an envelope. She quickly concealed it in her clothes. She would read it later when she was alone in her room.

Bruno was going crazy. Ever since Nicole had left, Sondra kept telling everyone that she had run off with another man. The nanny knew that Nicole had left because she couldn't tolerate Bruno's abuse.

Sara had finished planting the rosebushes. Afterward, she went up to her room. Bruno was locked in his office; she thought he was probably drinking again. That had been his routine for the past five months—coming home from the office and locking himself away to drink. Sara believed he loved her, but his pride was stronger.

She locked her room, took out the envelope. Her hands were trembling. She opened it and immediately recognized Nicole's handwriting. In the letter, Nicole explained what had happened and asked her to be by her side. If she accepted, she had to be alert to everything happening around her when she went out. They would find a way to communicate with her.

Bruno found it hard to believe that Nicole had run off with someone else. She wouldn't have gone through the trouble of planning a wedding with him and then fleeing with another man. The thought of someone caressing her skin and kissing those lips that belonged only to him was driving him crazy.

He had searched for her all that time, with no results. He requested the surveillance footage from the shopping plaza. It turned out that the camera at the back of the place where she disappeared wasn't working. It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. He dreamt of her every day, of her eyes, her smile. If only she would return to his side, he would be willing to forget everything and start anew.

The next morning, Sara went out for her usual morning walk. Upon reaching her friend Lila's flower shop, she went in to greet her. The bodyguards had become accustomed to this routine—she would enter and take some time before coming out. They waited outside the door, keeping guard. Mrs. Lila informed her that someone had delivered a letter for her. The only way to discreetly pass it to her without arousing suspicion was among the rosebushes. She knew Sara would be transplanting them upon arrival. They had asked for her help and explained the situation. She now had a way to assist.

The bodyguards didn't notice anything unusual or out of the ordinary. The flower shop's delivery van left through a side alley as it did every day. They waited outside the shop for a long time, growing increasingly worried when she didn't emerge. They entered the shop and only found the owner and staff. They searched the entire place but found no trace of Sara.

Just like with Nicole, they took the nanny directly to the private hangar. After a twenty-two-hour flight, they landed in Brisbane. Nicole couldn't believe that her nanny was finally with her.