5. MATTEO

As soon as Sofia got out of the pick-up truck, I went to her. To my suprise, she hid behind her mommy. I laughed a bit as I knelt down.

She looks just like my dolcezza. So beautiful. “Hi there, princess.”

She hids even more on her mommy when her little mut escaped her embrace. She probably wants to go after it but she was too shy to even move. Giuli picked up Sofia. “Baby? You remember that stranger this morning? He's your daddy.”

Giuli pointed at me, and Sofia sucked her thumb as if she's refusing to believe her mom. My heart ached seeing how Sofia turned away and refusing to look at me.

“Giuli—”

“Sofia? Look at me, baby. It's not nice to turn away when someone is talking to you.”

Tears threatned to leave my eyes as I asked, "Can I carry her?".

Carefully, Giuli handed her over to me.She was so light. Too light for a two-year-old. I held her gently. “Hi, sweetheart."

“Do you like dogs?” I tried to start a conversation with her. I pointed at Bruno who was wagging his tail nearby. She nodded but didn't said anything back.

I looked at Giuli who gave me a look before walking away. Giving me and Sofia a space.

I sat down on a nearby chair, keeping Sofia on my lap.

“You’re so beautiful, just like your mommy.” I said.

“Why did you leave, mommy?” she asked innocently. Her voice barely audible.

I swallowed hard with her innocent question. She looked down. Her fingers playing with the hem of her dress. I don't know how to answer that question.

“Do you love me?” she asked. It took me a moment to answer but I was sure of it. “With all my heart,”

She looked up at me. “Please don't leave mommy again.”

I stared at her and knew I had to make things right. Not just with our daughter but also to her.

Because it hurts to see her look at me with so much resentment.

Throughout the whole day I tried to play with her hoping she'd at least smile at me but she didn't. Giuli instructed Lucia to take Sofia so that we could talk. “Baby, can you go to Lucia for a while? I'll just talk to your father.”

I felt how Giuli tried to avoid calling me by my name.

Lucia nodded and gently picked up Sofia as they went outside the shop. Once gone, I took a step closer to Giuli.

“Why does she weight so light? She also looks… pale.” I asked.

Giuli didn’t answer right away. She couldn't even look at me. “She has a heart defect." she said. “We found out when she was a few months old. She gets tired easily. Has to be careful. I'm still saving up for her surgery.”

I blinked, feeling the breath knocked out of me. “Jesus…”

“She's too young. She shouldn’t have to go through that.” I whispered.

“She shouldn’t have to grow up without her father, too.”

She does have a point. The guilt suffocating me. “Your parents knew. They told me, Giuli. They told me everything... the fake photos. The lies. That you never cheated.” My voice cracked. “I was wrong. I was so wrong for not listening to you.”

She looked up at me with an expression I couldn't read. She's still beautiful but a lot more colder now. It feels like I'm staring a whole different woman.

“I regret it." I said as I stepped more closer. Almost invading her personal space. “I regret not hearing you out. Everything, baby. I regret it.".

I reached out my hands hoping to she'd let me touch her. But she took a step back. “No.”

“You don’t get to do that.” I nodded and pulled my hands away.

“I just want to make things right.”

“You want forgiveness?” she asked sarxastically. “I raised our daughter alone, Matteo. You left me when I needed you most because you chose to believed them and their lies.” she pointed out.

“I didn’t know."

“Because you never even listened!” she shot back. Her voice was rising. “I can’t believe you now. I don't even want you anywhere near her.”

I looked at her, eyes burning. “She’s my daughter, Giuli. I want to be her father. I want to be there.”

“And I wanted you three years ago. But you weren’t.”

I looked away. Deeply embarrassed.

“I don’t have a girlfriend anymore,” I said. “I ended it the moment I found out the truth. I want to fix this. I want you both back.”

She let out a short laugh. “You think you can just say that and I'll do what? Take you back?”

“I don’t expect you to trust me again just easy like that. But I’m willing to do anything, Giuli. I’ll help with Sofia’s medical bills. If you'll just give me a chance.”

Her eyes went dark as she speak. "I don't need help from someone who abandon me” she said, stepping forward now, her voice cold. “Let me tell you something. You don’t get to come in our lives just because you feel like it. You don’t have the right. In the first place…”

She walked towards me. Our skin was almost touching. “I’m a Bianchi.”

“I came from a very powerful.” Her tone was threatening. “You think you’re doing me a favor? I don’t need your money. I don’t need your name. I’ve protected her this long without you, and I’ll keep doing it.”

I stared at her face. She may come as strong now but she looks just like an angel to me.

“I’m not here to steal her from you, Giuli,” I said. “I just want to be her father. I want to be in her life. I want...” I paused. “I want you back too.”

“If you want us back we're doing it in my terms. I’m not living in your clubhouse. And I’m definitely not letting Sofia be around your club or those women. She’s fragile. Her heart can’t handle any stress."

I exhaled sharply. “We’re not living at the clubhouse. There’s a house that's waiting outside the town."

She blinked. “What?”

“I’ve been planning it. Your parents know. They agreed.”

Her brows furrowed. "You talked to my parents? Without telling me?”

Giuliana stepped back, as if I’d hit her. “You planned all this without me. You think you’re doing the right thing, but you never ask. You keep deciding only for yourself.” Her jaw clenched. “I’m not going with you.”

She walked away, scooped up Sofia the moment she got out of the shop. I sighed and went after her but she already drove off. Sofia peeked on the winder of the truck and gave a short sad wave at me.

My chest ached and hope sparked a little. I'm sorry, princess.

When I returned to the clubhouse that night, I saw Enzo was at the living room. Already drunk. I sat beside him, silent for a beat.

“I finally found my girl and my kid. Her name’s Sofia.”

Enzo looked at me like he didn't want to believe. "Bad thing is they're both mad at me. Fuck. Aand worst? My kid got a heart condition. Needs surgery.”

I drink my glass of whiskey before xontinuing. “I’m gonna fix everything. I'll do everything to get them back."