Mena
Smiling at the sight, I looked down at Alessio as he rested his head gently on my stomach. We were lounging on the sofa in the living room. Other than the sound of nature coming through the open windows, it was completely silent.
His eyes were closed, but I could hear the sound of his breaths. We had just come back from the doctor’s office to confirm the pregnancy. He had made me an appointment with the family doctor because according to him that was the only person capable of taking good care of me and the baby.
I was only four weeks pregnant, and it felt surreal. There was a tiny new life growing inside of me, and Alessio accepted it without a single complaint. It was a feeling I had never experienced before.
My fingers found their way through Alessio’s hair as I cherished our moment for as long as I could. It amazed me how much calmer he seemed whenever his focus turned to our baby-but as soon as his mind wandered away, his expression would tighten.
All he wanted was to get to him. Isaac.
A sigh came from my lips as I thought about the fault I had in all of this. The ‘good guy’ would lose his life because of me-because this was the life I had decided to live.
I could’ve ignored Liza’s letter, left this mansion, and let Isaac do his job-but I didn’t. And now I was responsible for the torture he would have to endure before he would certainly lose his life.
The best I could do to keep myself sane was not to think about it too much.
I did it for him, for us-and in the end, it would all be worth it.
A smile appeared as I looked down at Alessio’s lips and planted a soft kiss.
“What?” Alessio groaned, opening his eyes. “Is my Dad here already?”
“No.”
Domenico had expressed his desire to spend some quality time with at least two of his sons before he would leave again in a few days. He even demanded that Gian come back, but he obviously couldn’t make it.
As they were determined to keep all of this from Domenico, he had no idea why and apparently took it a bit too personally.
“You lying on my belly isn’t going to make the baby come any sooner,” I teased.
Alessio lifted his head and let out an embarrassed chuckle. “I know,” his cheeks flushed.
It was rare to see him this way. Embarrassed, vulnerable, curious-but it were moments like these that reminded me why I fell in love with him, and why despite everything, I chose to stand by his side.
Even if that meant looking the other way while he would…shit.
“Can I tell my parents?” Alessio interrupted my thoughts. His voice carried a hint of excitement.
“I think you should, yes,” I smiled at the thought of sharing our news.
“Tell them what?” A tiny figure popped up from behind the sofa. We both turned around, and watched Naty as she walked around the sofa and wriggled her way between us. Her gaze shifted back and forth between us as Alessio and I chuckled at each other.
Alessio shrugged his shoulders, silently asking whether we should tell her.
I looked at Naty’s curious eyes and began playing with her long ponytail. Her beautiful thick and dark hair had grown even longer since she had been here, serving as a reminder of how much time had passed.
“Do you remember that dream you had, about the baby?”
“The baby in your tummy?” her eyes widened with realization and excitement as she nodded her head. “Yes?”
“Well, Mommy is having a baby,” I announced, anticipating her reaction.
Naty’s jaw dropped as she processed what I had just told her. She gasped loudly, and then let out a squeal that filled the room.
“Are you happy?” Alessio laughed at her dolphin-like sounds.
“I’m going to be a big sister?” Naty exclaimed.
“Yes, but we need to keep it a secret for now,” I told her, almost covering her mouth with my hand. I was hopeful everything would go smoothly, but it would be a shame if something were to happen and I had to explain myself to half the mansion.
“I can keep secrets!” Naty stated proudly, her head held high.
“Yes, I know you can,” Alessio nudged her. Naty wiggled her brow at him, and he gave her a look in return. I didn’t know what that was all about-but I decided to let it be.
“Since you know everything-what’s it going to be, a boy or girl?” Alessio asked.
“It will be a boy,” Naty answered immediately. “It has to be!”
Alessio’s face lit up. “That’s what I was thinking,” he beamed.
I furrowed my brows, “What are you smiling for? Don’t you want a daughter?”
Alessio looked down at Naty, who had snuggled closer to him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. “I already have a daughter,” he spoke softly, and I could hear he meant every word of it.
“Yes,” Naty mumbled, her voice sounding muffled against him. She sounded as if she was on the verge of tears. “It needs to be a boy because I don’t want you to forget about me,” a whisper came out. “You can’t ever stop being my Daddy. I won’t let you.”
Alessio and I exchanged a worried look, not having expected for her to break down like that at the idea of a little sister. I knew her fear stemmed from the aftermath of Anson’s behavior towards her. He never cared, he pushed her away-was always too busy and she was scared Alessio would end up doing the same.
Ever since our last talk about Anson, when she had told me she knew he wasn’t good to me-she had not asked about him ever again.
It was a good thing because if she did, I wouldn’t know what to tell her.
“Naty, I need you to know, boy or girl, this baby will never change the way I feel about you. You’re my daughter,” Alessio reassured her, holding her tighter. “I will never forget about you.”
“Why would you forget about her?”
Giulia entered the room, arm in arm with Domenico. Melody appeared from behind her parents. “Yes, why would we forget about Naty?”
Alessio and I shared another look, another shrug-and then he shared the news. “Mena is pregnant.”
I bit my lips, waiting for someone to say something, but both Domenico and Giulia were speechless. I was unaware whether that was a good sign or a bad sign.
Maybe they had a change of mind and didn’t like me anymore after the whole Anson thing.
Maybe they hadn’t expected for our relationship to be this serious, and thought they would sit back and wait until Alessio would get tired of me.
Why was there no reaction?
“Naty, that means we get to play house with the baby!” Melody was the first one to speak up, and as most children would react, she was happy with the news.
Play house? I don’t know about that.
Naty wriggled herself loose from Alessio’s grip and ran to Melody to tackle her into a hug.
“Melody, how about you and Naty ask Madam Catherina to get you some ice cream,” Giulia’s lips trembled shortly before the girls left.
Was that all?
“Alessio…” she breathed.
This would be the part she would tell me to get rid of the baby, and throw a ridiculously large sum of money in my face.
“Alessio, if this is a joke-”
“I’m not joking, Mom.” Alessio chuckled. Why was he chuckling? Could he not see she wasn’t happy?