286

286
Emilia’s POV
I didn’t speak to him.
Not when we left Alonso’s house. Not in the car. Not when we got home.
I walked straight past him, up the stairs, and into our bedroom, slamming the door shut behind me. I wasn’t even sure why I was so angry. Maybe it was the betrayal. Maybe it was the exhaustion. Maybe it was the fact that every time I thought I finally knew everything about the man I loved, another secret came crawling out of the dark.
I paced the room, my thoughts tangled in knots.
Francesca.
Not his daughter. Not biologically, at least.
Dominic’s.
And I had saved her. Me. Three years ago, without even realizing it.
A knock sounded at the door. “Emilia.”
I ignored him.
The handle turned, and he stepped inside cautiously, as if he thought I might throw something at his head. A tempting idea.
“Emilia, please.” His voice was quiet, tired. “Can we talk?”
I folded my arms. “Oh, now you want to talk?”
His jaw tensed. “I always wanted to tell you.”
“Then why didn’t you?” I shot back. “Why did you let me believe she was yours? Do you know how insane that is, Alaric? Do you even hear yourself?”
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling roughly. “I didn’t know how to tell you.”
I laughed, sharp and bitter. “Right. Because it’s so hard to say, ‘Hey, by the way, my brother had a secret child, and I’ve been raising her as mine.'”
Alaric flinched, his hands clenching into fists.
Good. Let him feel some of this betrayal.
“I was going to tell you,” he said, voice tight. “I just-I didn’t want to lose you.”
Something in my chest cracked.
I hated that even when I was furious, when I wanted to strangle him, I still loved him.
“That’s not an excuse,” I said, but my voice wasn’t as sharp as before.
He stepped closer. “I know.”
I took a breath, steadying myself. “Do you even realize how this makes me feel?”
His expression darkened with guilt. “Tell me.”
I hesitated. Then, the words tumbled out.
“It makes me feel stupid,” I admitted. “Like I’ve been living in some kind of illusion, where I think I know you, but I don’t. It makes me feel like an outsider in my own life, because everyone else knew except me.”
Alaric’s face fell. “No one else knew. Except Allesio, of course.”
I blinked.
“What?”
“No one else knew,” he repeated. “Not even Alonso. You think I went around telling people? You think I sat down with my enemies and said, ‘Oh, by the way, Dominic had a kid’?” He let out a short, humorless laugh. “I didn’t even admit it to myself for a long time. I just-” He swallowed, rubbing his temples. “I just took care of her. Because she was all I had left of him.”
I stared at him, my anger wavering.
I wanted to stay mad. I wanted to keep yelling. But the raw emotion in his voice chipped away at my resolve.
“I was scared,” he said finally. “Scared that if you knew, you’d see me differently. Scared that you wouldn’t love Francesca the same way. Scared that-” His voice cracked slightly. “Scared that you wouldn’t love me the same way.”
My heart clenched.
That idiot. That absolute idiot.
I let out a slow breath, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You are so dumb.”
Alaric blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You think I’d stop loving Francesca?” I shook my head. “She’s still her. She’s still the same stubborn, mischievous, beautiful little girl I’ve known since the day I met her. Nothing changes that.”
His lips parted slightly, like he hadn’t expected that. Like he had been preparing for the worst.
I sighed, rubbing my arms. “And as for you…”
He tensed.
I hesitated.
Damn him. Damn his stupid face and his stupid secrets and the stupid way he looked at me like I was the only thing keeping him together.
I exhaled sharply. “I hate that you lied to me.”
“I know.”
“I hate that you didn’t trust me with this.”
“I know.”
“But, Alaric…” I bit my lip. “I love you.”
His breath hitched.
I looked away, swallowing my pride. “And I don’t think I could walk away from you even if I wanted to.”
The relief on his face was instant. He closed the distance between us, wrapping his arms around me so tightly I could barely breathe. But I didn’t care.
I sank into him, feeling his heartbeat against mine.
He pressed a kiss to my hair. “I’m sorry.”
I closed my eyes. “You better be.”
He chuckled softly. “Does this mean you forgive me?”
I pulled back slightly, giving him a look. “It means you owe me at least a week of groveling.”
Alaric smirked. “Done.”
“And foot rubs.”
His smirk faded. “…That’s pushing it.”
I rolled my eyes. “Idiot.”
He grinned, leaning down to kiss me. “Your idiot.”
I sighed against his lips, my anger finally melting away.
Yeah. My idiot.
Alaric pulled back slightly, his eyes scanning my face like he was searching for something. His hands still rested on my waist, firm but careful, as if he thought I might disappear if he let go.
Then, his expression changed-brows furrowed, lips pressed together like he was trying to make sense of something that didn’t quite fit.
I knew that look.
“What?” I asked, suddenly wary.
His grip tightened just a little. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
I blinked. “Tell you what?”
His jaw flexed. “That you were pregnant.”
I exhaled sharply, stepping away from him. “I did tell you.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “You told me while I was fighting with Alonso.”
I crossed my arms. “And?”
His expression darkened. “And you expect me to count that as you telling me?”
I swallowed, pressing my lips together. I wasn’t sure what answer he wanted.
“I had to scream it,” I muttered, shaking my head. “It was the only way to get you two to shut up.”
Alaric let out a humorless laugh, rubbing a hand down his face. “Right. So I get lumped in with Alonso? That’s great, Emilia. Really great.”
I groaned. “Alaric, don’t do this.”
“Do what?” He threw his hands up. “Be upset that my fiancee-the woman I love-told me she was pregnant in the middle of a damn screaming match? That she told Alonso at the same time as me?”
I folded my arms tighter around myself, defensive. “I wasn’t exactly planning on announcing it like that.”
“Yeah? When were you planning on telling me?”
I hesitated.
He let out a sharp breath, his hands clenching into fists before he forced them open again. “Jesus, Emilia.” His voice dropped, rough with something wounded. “You weren’t even going to tell me, were you?”
I flinched. “Of course I was.”
“When?” His eyes locked onto mine. “When?”
I looked away, guilt coiling in my stomach.
His voice softened slightly, but the hurt was still there. “You should have told me, Emilia. Before Alonso. Before anyone else.”
I met his gaze again. “I did tell you,” I repeated quietly.
Alaric exhaled, his fingers dragging through his hair. “You don’t get it.”
“Then make me get it,” I shot back.
His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he was going to shut down completely. But then he stepped closer, eyes locked onto mine, his expression raw and unguarded in a way that made my chest ache.
“I’ve spent years keeping secrets because I was afraid of losing you,” he said, voice low. “But this? This was mine to know. Before Alonso. Before the world. And you didn’t trust me enough to come to me first.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
I felt my throat tighten. “It wasn’t about trust.”
“Then what?” His voice was strained. “What was it?”
I swallowed. “Fear.”
His brows pulled together.
I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to say it. “I was scared, Alaric. Scared of how you’d react. Scared that you wouldn’t want this baby.”
His face twisted, like the very idea hurt him. “You think I wouldn’t want our child?”
I hesitated.
Alaric swore under his breath, stepping even closer until he was right in front of me. “You are my future, Emilia. You. And now this baby is too.”
My chest felt tight. “I didn’t mean to keep it from you.”
His eyes softened, and his hands found my waist again, grounding me. “I need you to know something.” His voice was quiet, but firm. “There is nothing-not a damn thing-that could make me stop wanting you. Or this baby.”
A lump formed in my throat.
I didn’t deserve him. Not after keeping this from him.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
His forehead pressed against mine. “No more secrets.”
I swallowed hard. “No more secrets.”
His lips brushed against mine, a silent promise. A silent plea. I smiled, leaning into his arms.