Behind them, Alessandro was helping his aunt into a chair on the porch. Aldo walked over and stood beside Antonia.“That woman... she’s the first person I’ve seen Alessandro treat with softness in years.”Antonia looked at him. “He’s not who I thought he was.”“None of us are,” Aldo said. “But he’s trying. That’s rare.”As they drove to the hospital, Antonia rested her head against the window, Alessandro’s hand resting protectively on her thigh. The silence in the car wasn’t awkward—it was sacred. Full of unspoken apologies, reluctant understanding, and fragile hope.When they arrived, Antonia took a deep breath. “Let’s go see my father.”And this time, she wasn’t walking in alone.The hospital smelled like antiseptic and time. Bright white corridors hummed with quiet machinery, and nurses moved like shadows across the sterile floor.Antonia’s hand tightened around Alessandro’s as they stepped off the elevator. Federico and Aldo followed a few steps behind, giving her space but stayin
The house was quiet when they returned, too quiet.Even the breeze that usually moved through the curtains like a whispered lullaby had stilled. It was the kind of silence that didn’t comfort—it warned.Antonia dropped her bag on the floor near the door, already sensing the shift in Alessandro’s mood. He hadn’t said a word since they left the clinic. The ultrasound photo still peeked out of his jacket pocket, crumpled at the edges.She turned to him slowly. “You’ve been quiet. Again.”He poured himself a drink—scotch, neat—and downed half in a single gulp. “What do you want me to say?”“I don’t want you to say anything, Alessandro. I want you to feel something. We just saw your child—our child. And you’ve shut down again.”He turned sharply. “Don’t tell me how I’m supposed to feel.”“I’m not. I’m asking why you won’t let yourself feel anything real.”He slammed the glass down on the table, but it didn’t break. “Because feeling things got me nothing, Antonia! My mother died. My aunt lo
"I don’t have to torment myself any longer," Antonia murmured softly to herself, her voice trailing off as her body finally relaxed. "I’ll find out who she is tomorrow… right now, I just need sleep." She turned slightly, pulling the blanket closer as her eyes fluttered shut, surrendering to rest.The next morning, soft footsteps echoed into the room. A warm, feminine voice followed gently, laced with kindness."Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Amato," the voice said with a note of reverence. "You both seemed to be sleeping so peacefully—I didn’t want to disturb you."Antonia stirred. Blinking away the last traces of sleep, her gaze settled on the woman standing near the window. She was radiant—dressed in simple caretaker attire, but there was nothing simple about her. Her long black hair flowed like silk, and her silver eyes shimmered like moonlight. There was something captivating about her presence, something... serene."You look beautiful," Antonia whispered aloud, still half-lost in awe
“Oh dear…” a smooth voice echoed through the garden, rich with admiration and warmth. “You look like an angel—sent by God Himself just to bless this party.”Antonia turned, surprised by the familiar voice. Federico approached with a charming smile and open arms, his eyes gleaming with genuine joy.“Truly, Antonia,” he said as he reached them, “I’m honored to have you as my sister-in-law. And Mrs. Roosevelt…” He turned to her with heartfelt respect. “I’ve always heard tales of your impeccable taste, but seeing this in person—seeing Antonia glow like this—it’s another thing entirely.”Roosevelt, always modest, gave a small, graceful nod. “Thank you, Federico. She made it easy. Some beauty just needs the right light.”Federico laughed. “Well, Mrs. Roosevelt, I hope one day you’ll work your magic on my future wife. That is, if I ever stop making all these girls think they have a chance.”Roosevelt raised a teasing brow. “Then maybe you should stop stringing them along and actually marry o
"It's my fault," I sobbed into his ear, my voice breaking with every word. "I wished Jelly Bean away… and now—now I’m paying the price."Alessandro’s grip around me tightened as he pushed past the crowd, his voice trembling even as he tried to stay strong for the both of us."Hush, mi amor," he whispered, his breath shaky against my hair. "Everything’s going to be okay. I’ve got you. I’ve got both of you."But then—A searing pain sliced through my abdomen like a blade. I screamed, my body arching in agony."Alessandro!" I gasped, my nails digging into his coat as my legs gave out.He caught me just in time. My world blurred at the edges, spinning faster than my thoughts could keep up with. My head grew light, too light. My eyelids fluttered, heavy as stone, and I clung to him like he was the only thing keeping me tethered to this world.Please… please let Jelly Bean be okay.Darkness swallowed everything.I came to in a sterile hospital room. The scent of antiseptic stung my nose. Ma
The sky outside was bruised with twilight when we returned home, the last strands of golden sun retreating behind the hills. The house smelled like warm bread and rosemary. Roosevelt had outdone herself.But Alessandro didn't let me walk in alone.He carried me up the stairs, past curious staff who respectfully looked away, and into our bedroom—his steps careful, like I might break if the floor creaked too loudly beneath us.Once inside, he gently lowered me onto the bed, adjusting pillows behind my back like he’d done it a thousand times. He hovered, unsure, his hands twitching at his sides like he wanted to do more but didn’t know how.“Do you need water?” he asked, voice unusually soft. “Tea? Something sweet?”I blinked up at him. “I’m okay… just tired.”He gave a slow nod, then moved toward the corner of the room, where an armchair sat forgotten. He didn’t sit at first. Just stood there, staring.At me.At my belly.At everything he didn’t know how to say.Finally, he spoke—so qui
The sun had barely begun to rise over the island estate, casting a golden blush across the kitchen floor. The smell of roasted tomatoes and fresh basil wafted through the air as Roosevelt stirred something lovingly over the stove, humming her favorite love song under her breath.I sat at the table, wrapped in Alessandro’s oversized cardigan—my new comfort blanket—gently rubbing the curve of my belly. My hand was starting to settle there more naturally now. Protectively. Almost like instinct.“You’re glowing today,” Roosevelt said as she set down a warm cup of tea in front of me.Federico walked in with his usual energy, tossing his jacket onto the back of a chair. Aldo followed behind, a file tucked under his arm, though even he looked more relaxed than usual.“Well, someone’s looking radiant,” Federico teased, reaching over to ruffle my hair gently. “Let me guess—you finally got Alessandro to massage your swollen feet?”“Federico!” I swatted his hand away, laughing.“I mean it,” Roos
“Come on, Federico, we need to leave. Now,” Alessandro barked, storming out of his room with Aldo close behind, struggling to keep up. His footsteps thundered through the quiet hall, fury practically radiating from his shoulders. The front door slammed behind them.In the kitchen, Roosevelt glanced over his shoulder while scrubbing the last of the dishes. “I wonder what could have rattled him this much…”Antonia, drying a plate in slow circles, sighed. Her eyes flicked toward the window as if searching the wind for answers. “He’s always like this—this storm of emotions. Just when I think I’ve figured him out, he proves me wrong all over again.”Roosevelt turned off the faucet and leaned on the counter. “If you must know, Antonia... Alessandro loves you. He’s just... not great at showing it. Give him time.”Antonia’s hands froze mid-wipe. Her voice dropped, quiet and bitter. “I’m sorry, Roosevelt. But love is the wrong word for whatever Alessandro feels for me.”She set the plate down,
The soft, rhythmic hum of machines had become a lullaby in Antonia’s ears. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep—not even for a second—but exhaustion had finally dragged her under. Curled beside Luca’s incubator, her hand resting just inches from the transparent barrier, her breathing matched his monitor. Shallow. Fragile. Hopeful.The dim light above flickered slightly as the door creaked open.A tall male nurse stepped in—his steps swift but practiced, his eyes scanning the machines. He wore the hospital’s standard navy scrubs, an ID badge clipped to his chest. His face was unfamiliar, but in her half-sleep, Antonia didn’t stir.He moved with precision. Gloved fingers adjusting an IV, checking the monitor readings. Then came the needle—an injection he drew from his pocket without hesitation.He bent over the incubator and pressed the needle into the side port.Luca didn’t stir.The nurse pressed the plunger slowly, watching the clear liquid disappear. A moment passed, then he straightened
The world outside might have kept moving, but in this small corner of the NICU, time had frozen.Three sons. Born too soon.Three tiny souls who carried the weight of her world on their fragile shoulders.Matteo, the first to cry, had come into the world loud and strong—his scream had made her sob in relief. Antonio, his twin by seconds, had gripped the nurse’s glove with impossibly small fingers, as if refusing to be separated from his brother. They now slept peacefully in the recovery room, their matching features softened by newborn sleep, pink lips parted in dreams Antonia would never get to see.But Luca… Luca had arrived in silence.He hadn’t cried. He hadn’t opened his eyes. And he hadn’t breathed on his own.Her heart had splintered in that moment.Now, as she sat inches from the incubator, watching the rise and fall of his narrow chest beneath layers of tubes and wires, Antonia whispered his name like a prayer.“Luca,” she murmured, barely above a breath. “You’re the quiet on
The sterile scent of disinfectant clung to the air in the neonatal intensive care unit. The lights overhead were too white, too clean—like they were trying to scrub the agony from the place, but pain had a way of seeping in anyway. Antonia sat motionless in her wheelchair, her hands curled tightly around the metal rim as if letting go would break her completely.Beyond the transparent casing of the incubator lay her youngest—a baby too small, too fragile. Tubes and monitors encased his tiny body like a second womb, and with each faint beep of the heart monitor, her own heartbeat stumbled to keep pace.Her Eldest twin son's were asleep in the next room, cradled in soft blue and green blankets, unaware of the storm unraveling around them. But Antonia couldn’t move. Not while her last little son still clung to life with every struggling breath.Her eyes, red-rimmed and sleepless, stayed locked on the rhythmic rise and fall of the baby’s chest. A heart condition, they said. Congenital. “W
Alessandro burst through the hospital’s sliding doors, breath ragged, heart galloping in his chest.“Antonia Amato,” he told the nurse at the front desk, voice tight. “Where is she? She’s in labor—tell me where she is!”The nurse pointed to the maternity wing. “Room 304. But you’ll have to—”He didn’t wait. He sprinted down the corridor, ignoring the startled calls of staff, his shoes pounding against the white-tiled floor.He found the room.Pushed the door open.And then—He froze.The sound of her scream shattered him.Antonia was drenched in sweat, legs in stirrups, hands gripping the sides of the bed. Her face was contorted in pain, and tears streamed from her bloodshot eyes.“Antonia—” he breathed, stepping in.Her eyes snapped to him.And something broke inside her.“Get out!” she screamed, her voice like a blade. “Get the hell out, Alessandro!”He stood there, stunned. “Antonia, I—”“You don’t get to be here!” she cried. “You weren’t there when I needed you—I begged for you—I
She cried out, doubling over in pain."Roosevelt?” Antonia’s voice rose with alarm. “What’s wrong?”“I don’t know, it just... hurts.”Shee steadied her, fear creeping into her expression. “We need to get you checked out. Come on.”“I can’t leave him. Not now.”“You’re no good to him if something happens to you,” Roosevelt said, trying to keep calm. “Let’s make sure you’re okay first.”Antonia nodded faintly, her lips trembling as tears ran down her cheeks.And as Roosevelt helped her to her feet, one thought consumed her:Please, Alessandro… be okay.A sudden gush of warmth soaked through Antonia's thighs, and her body went rigid.Her eyes widened in shock. “They’re coming…” she gasped, clutching her swollen belly. “I can feel it—oh God—they’re coming out!”A sharp pain sliced through her lower back, and her knees buckled.“Roosevelt!” she screamed, her voice raw and terrified as she grabbed her arm with a grip so tight her knuckles turned white.She was at her side in an instant. “An
Alessandro’s eyes snapped to the window, heart pounding. He pushed the curtain aside, breath catching in his throat.There—across the dimly lit clearing that separated their villa from the thick trees at the edge of the island—stood a man dressed entirely in black. Even in the low light, Alessandro could make out the dark cap pulled low over the stranger’s face. The man wasn’t moving. He was just… watching.And then he smiled.It wasn't a kind smile. It was eerie—slow, deliberate, curling like a secret threat. The man let out a soft, raspy chuckle, almost inaudible through the glass, and turned to disappear into the shadows of the trees.Alessandro’s body reacted before his mind could catch up. He threw open the door and bolted down the stairs, barefoot on cold marble, his pulse thudding like war drums. The front door flew open as he burst into the night air, eyes scanning the surrounding darkness.Nothing. No footprints. No sound. Just the distant hum of the waves.“Alessandro?” came
“Come on, Federico, we need to leave. Now,” Alessandro barked, storming out of his room with Aldo close behind, struggling to keep up. His footsteps thundered through the quiet hall, fury practically radiating from his shoulders. The front door slammed behind them.In the kitchen, Roosevelt glanced over his shoulder while scrubbing the last of the dishes. “I wonder what could have rattled him this much…”Antonia, drying a plate in slow circles, sighed. Her eyes flicked toward the window as if searching the wind for answers. “He’s always like this—this storm of emotions. Just when I think I’ve figured him out, he proves me wrong all over again.”Roosevelt turned off the faucet and leaned on the counter. “If you must know, Antonia... Alessandro loves you. He’s just... not great at showing it. Give him time.”Antonia’s hands froze mid-wipe. Her voice dropped, quiet and bitter. “I’m sorry, Roosevelt. But love is the wrong word for whatever Alessandro feels for me.”She set the plate down,
The sun had barely begun to rise over the island estate, casting a golden blush across the kitchen floor. The smell of roasted tomatoes and fresh basil wafted through the air as Roosevelt stirred something lovingly over the stove, humming her favorite love song under her breath.I sat at the table, wrapped in Alessandro’s oversized cardigan—my new comfort blanket—gently rubbing the curve of my belly. My hand was starting to settle there more naturally now. Protectively. Almost like instinct.“You’re glowing today,” Roosevelt said as she set down a warm cup of tea in front of me.Federico walked in with his usual energy, tossing his jacket onto the back of a chair. Aldo followed behind, a file tucked under his arm, though even he looked more relaxed than usual.“Well, someone’s looking radiant,” Federico teased, reaching over to ruffle my hair gently. “Let me guess—you finally got Alessandro to massage your swollen feet?”“Federico!” I swatted his hand away, laughing.“I mean it,” Roos
The sky outside was bruised with twilight when we returned home, the last strands of golden sun retreating behind the hills. The house smelled like warm bread and rosemary. Roosevelt had outdone herself.But Alessandro didn't let me walk in alone.He carried me up the stairs, past curious staff who respectfully looked away, and into our bedroom—his steps careful, like I might break if the floor creaked too loudly beneath us.Once inside, he gently lowered me onto the bed, adjusting pillows behind my back like he’d done it a thousand times. He hovered, unsure, his hands twitching at his sides like he wanted to do more but didn’t know how.“Do you need water?” he asked, voice unusually soft. “Tea? Something sweet?”I blinked up at him. “I’m okay… just tired.”He gave a slow nod, then moved toward the corner of the room, where an armchair sat forgotten. He didn’t sit at first. Just stood there, staring.At me.At my belly.At everything he didn’t know how to say.Finally, he spoke—so qui