(Filippo Valentini)
After the doctor was done with my arm, I stared at the gate for a few more hours in a false hope that she would come back. But that didn’t happen, that piece of shit managed to take her from me and right now they are so angry that I am using all my self-control not to go breaking everything.
“Filippo, come to dinner.” Lais’ voice had my concentration on the gate.
“I’m not hungry.” I say without looking at her.
The baby starts crying in her lap, this makes me look away and seeing my brother Matteo’s wife with the baby in her arms, trying to make her stop crying while speaking sweet words makes my thoughts return to Renata. In a few months, the baby will be out of her belly, in her arms, she will look lovingly at the child… a child that may not be mine, but I will take over.
“What happened? Vicenzo also said he is not hungry and locked himself in the office. You went out and came back bathed in blood.”
“I thought the only thing you paid attention to was this baby.” I say and she rolls her eyes.
“I pay attention to everything in this house, and take care of my husband.” She says and I just smile.
I know she takes very good care of her husband, she is the only one who gives him a bath. Lais doesn’t let anyone else see her husband’s nudity, and in the morning she massages Matteo’s limbs so they don’t atrophy. She is the most dedicated.
My mom would do that too, but she understood when Lais said that it was the wife’s job, so mom just agreed to keep him company and it is rare to see her away from that room. Lais takes advantage that mom is with Matteo and takes care of the baby and also gives orders for the running of the house. After this baby arrived, Lais stopped doing things on autopilot, she now seems to have hope. I only hope that this hope touches Matteo’s heart.
“What happened?” She insists once again.
“I went to rescue my fiancée.”
“Renata, the daughter of the late Marieta?”
“Sí. – Answer.”
“Where is she? I’ve always wanted to meet her, I’ve only seen her in pictures.”
“Did Matteo tell you about her?” I inquire.
“Sí, I am his wife.” Speak the obvious.
I rolled my eyes, literally, only I had no knowledge about Renata, I have no doubt that my mother also knew her from a photo, and she accepted Renata so well in that wedding party, and didn’t talk about children, I even found it strange, but I let it go because I thought it was due to the wedding.
“Dominic took it.” I speak up and clench my hands into fists.
Seeing her begging for my help broke my heart, I can’t go against the orders of the Don of the famiglia.
“You allowed it?” Lais asks with wide eyes.
“No, but Vincenzo allowed it and I can’t go against him… I can’t incite a war.”
“I see, are you still going to marry her? Or is she gone forever?”
“In three days I will be waiting for you at the altar.” I say, not feeling comfortable with this situation.
“You talk as if it is a possibility that this marriage will not happen.”
“I will not force her marriage, when she walks down the aisle, before the priest I will ask, if she says no, I will not force her.”
“But this is a breach of contract, Filippo.”
“I know. – I speak.
“Dominic may want war!”
“I will give my life.” I say, get up and walk away from her without looking at her, I need to be alone.
I know I’ve done wrong to Renata, I know she must hate me now and to be forced to marry someone who has abandoned her three times is too much punishment, she doesn’t deserve this.
(Renata Pellegrini)
“Yes.” Dominic replies by looking at me firmly.
“You can’t do this!” I exclaim and my chest tightens, just imagining Filippo dead is like a part of me is dead too. “There has to be another way out.”
“I will not force her to marry him, and I also refuse to enter into a war, I will kill them in front of the altar as a form of revenge for their mother and then take over their territory.”
“Avenge my mother?” I question incredulously. “It was you who killed her, sacrificed her to avoid a war, don’t make her death be and go being that Filippo and Vicenzo did nothing against you.”
“In vain, it will be if you are forced to marry one of them, Marieta died to get you out of the arranged marriage, I won’t let that brat touch you. I will kill him, I will kill everyone in that famiglia!” Dominic snarls angrily, the hatred in his eyes is clear, I can’t help the tears that fall from mine. “I will never trust them again, I didn’t get to the top by stepping on others, I believe in: honor, dignity and loyalty. I know what Marieta did was wrong, but they might as well have accepted the money as a form of reward, instead that worm Valentini forced me to kill my only daughter, my sweet and gentle Marieta. I will not allow that famiglia to get their hands on you.”
“You can’t do this.” I repeat and hug my belly. I cannot allow the father of my child to be killed. “They saved my life, Filippo saved my life! More than twice…”
“They hid you from me! Years of looking for you, Filippo was just manipulating you. They know that I hate their family, so much that I only came to them for help when I was completely without resources. I know Filippo’s fame, among the three he is the most intelligent, he became famous all over the world and the Valentinis’ weapons are superior to my family’s. I know that it is Filippo himself who manufactures them.”
“Does Filippo make weapons? Ah… so that’s why…” I don’t finished speaking.
Now I understand the various kinds of strange weapons that I saw in his living room in the company and also in the visiting room in his house.
“I don’t care how big the Valentinis are, I don’t mind dying either, but I will not give you up, I will not give you up!” He shouts, but it seems that he is talking to you more than to me.
“I am pregnant.” I speak and Dominic’s eyes fall to my belly which I protect with my arms.
“Did James rape her?” Dominic asks and I frown.
“No! Filippo…”
“I’m going to kill him right now!” Dominic interrupts me, from under the table he takes out a silenced gun.
“No!” I shout, and he looks at me again. – You can’t kill the father of my baby!
“He raped her! How can you defend this bastard? What kind of brainwashing did he do to you?”
“I love him!”
“How can you say you love a rapist!”
“Filippo did not rape me!” I shout in reply. “I gave myself to him because I wanted to. Almost three months ago we were living together. I loved him and even risked my life for him. If you dare to touch a hair on his head, I swear, by my parents, I will kill you. I don’t care who you are, I will kill you.”
I threaten him with fire in my eyes, I am really willing to kill him.