Episode 5

I left Hanna alone to confront Luciano's wrath as I went up to Ethan's room. I met Gena sleeping on the wooden chair by his cradle.

"Hey! Good evening, Gena," I whispered softly and tapped her on the shoulder.

She turned, her eyes still consumed with sleep and was relieved to see me back home.

"Good evening, ma'am! Thank God you are here; Ethan hasn't stopped crying. I literally had to sing him to sleep." She stretched her legs and hands concurrently.

"I see! Thank you," I came closer to Ethan's bed as I stared at his innocent-looking face sleeping. Gena left, but before then, she informed me about Luciano's tantrums; whatever Hanna has done, happened to be severe.

I sat down on the same chair Gena just left, watching over my son as he sleeps. Shortly after, Luciano knocked on the door and walked in.

"Sir! Do you need anything?"

I saw the state he was in, drunk and unsettled to move on his own.

"No! I just want to stay with my son, please." He made a move forward but stumbled on the ground and hit his head on the ice-cold floor.

I rushed over and helped him.

"Sir! Please be careful?" I said, helping him up from resting defenseless on the ground.

"Thank you, Sophia... You're the only person that gets me," he said as we both went to the chair, "please stay, I'll go get you a cup of ginger tea." I ordered him not to move. Luciano stroked his head and then lovingly restored his eyesight on his son.

"Isn't he handsome?" he said.

"Yeah! Too handsome, just like his father." I complimented both father and son. He giggled, placing one hand on his mouth.

"You mean, I'm handsome?" he put his mouth above his hand and giggled his words to me.

"Yes! But I know this isn't my concern, I just want to know if you're okay?" I answered as well as changed the topic.

"I'm good! I think?" I thought. "Okay! But how are things with Ma'am, I saw what happened out there, and I couldn't help but feel there might be a problem," I interviewed.

"We are good, Sophia, there's no need to worry," he assured me; however, that didn't give me the insight I wanted.

I had barely handed Luciano the cup of ginger tea when I entered the room to find him succumbing to slumber. I stepped out to retrieve a blanket, temporarily leaving Luciano to his fatherly vigil, watching over his slumbering son.

The following day, I took some of Ethan's clothes to wash in the washing machine. I was there when Gena strode in and volunteered to assist me, and at that moment we heard Ethan crying from his room.

"Mommy! Your son needs you," Gena teased me.

I playfully jabbed her shoulder and rushed to Ethan's room. I opened the door from outside only to stumble on a scene of Hanna holding my son.

"Why won't he stop crying?" She struggled to contain his whimpering.

"I don't know! Maybe he knows how much of a hypocrite you are?" I shut the door behind me, walked up to her, took Ethan away, and immediately he stopped crying.

"So, I'm the witch?" she snarled, her face twisting in a scowl, and her hands trembling with indignation.

I returned her question with silence.

"Fine! I'll leave you be with your precious son," she left the room.

I was with Ethan when I noticed that Hanna had forgotten her phone. I placed Ethan to sleep and then grabbed Hanna's cellphone to her.

"Ma'am! You forgot your phone!?" I met her leaving her bedroom; she turned, her face scrunched as she took the phone from me.

"Thanks," she said. She turned her back and walked downstairs. I was a little bit unsettled to see her in such a way; perhaps she got into an argument with Luciano again?

I prepared Ethan's breakfast and then came back to feed him. When I got there, he was already awake.

I cradled Ethan in my arms, settling in to feed him when Luciano burst into the room, his eyes blazing with urgency. "Sophia, give me my son!" he demanded, his outstretched hands trembling with impatience. I instinctively drew Ethan closer, my grip tightening around him. "What's going on? Is everything okay?" I asked, my voice laced with concern. Luciano's response sent a chill down my spine: "We'll be fine, once the DNA test proves it." My eyes widened in shock. "DNA test? Why? Did Hanna tell you something?" I pressed, but Luciano's expression turned stony. With a fierce determination, he strode closer and forcibly wrested Ethan from my arms, leaving me feeling helpless and alarmed.

I picked up my cellphone with hope of informing Hanna, but her cellphone happened to be turned off. I couldn't let Luciano take Ethan to the hospital because the truth would be out.

I ran downstairs to stop him from leaving; nevertheless, I was too late, Luciano had already left the mansion.

"Ma'am! Is everything okay?" Gena met me pacing back and forth.

"No! Do you know where Luciano is taking Ethan?" I asked her, my hands trembling with defenseless thought of my life coming to an end.

"Yes! The family hospital," she brought out her phone and showed me an address. I eyed the address warily, knowing that the journey would be a marathon, not a sprint — an hour's drive, pending the mercy of the traffic deities.

I took a cab to the hospital, and it was precisely an hour's drive there. I met Luciano and Hanna seated in the lobby; Hanna carried Ethan in her arms, but underneath, I saw how quickly she was trembling.

Luciano looked up and saw me.

"Sophia! Thank God you're here," he addressed me differently.

"Luciano, please! Don't do this," Hanna pleaded, but Luciano paid no heed to her. Momentarily, the doctor came back and he brought along the test results.

"Good morning, doctor! Are the test results ready?" Luciano asked him.

"Yes! But can I talk to you for a moment?" The doctor wanted to speak with him alone, but Luciano refused, saying he'd prefer he tell whatever he wanted in front of everyone. The moment of truth had finally arrived. The doctor's words hung in the air like a guillotine, ready to sever the truth from the lies. "I'm sorry, sir," the doctor announced, his voice laced with a mix of empathy and objectivity, 'but you are not the father of Ethan." The words slapped Luciano like a cold, harsh wind, leaving him stunned and reeling. Hanna and I exchanged a weighted glance; our eyes locked in a silent understanding of the bombshell that had just been dropped. The room seemed to hold its breath, the tension palpable as we struggled to process the revelation.