Chapter 2

By the time Dario came to pick me up, it was evening.

The first thing he did when he walked in was touch my forehead. Then he looked down at the needle mark on the back of my hand.

"Why didn't you have the nurse come get me?"

"You were busy."

"Nothing is more important than you."

He said it so naturally that I almost asked him. Then what about the baby Viola is carrying? What about the 11 treatment cycles you personally stopped?

So I'm important, but what I want doesn't matter. Is that it? My feelings don't matter either. You only care about what you've decided is important.

In the end, I swallowed the words.

It wasn't time yet.

Dario thought I was just upset about the failed cycle. He bent and lifted me into his arms. My body reacted before my mind did, and I grabbed his shoulder without thinking.

We had done this so many times over the past five years.

He knew my legs tended to give out after the treatments. He also knew I hated letting the bodyguards see me like that. So every time, he carried me out himself.

In the car, he told the driver to turn up the heat and cupped my hand in his.

"Cold?"

I shook my head.

"We're not eating in the main house tonight. I'll have the kitchen send up some soup, and I'll cancel the family meeting too."

"You don't have to stay with me."

Dario glanced at me.

"Elena."

When he said my name like that, it usually meant he didn't like being told no.

"I just want to be with you. I'm not staying because I think you need company. I'm staying because I need you. I love you."

He stroked my knuckles with his thumb, his voice even gentler than usual.

Yesterday, those words would have been enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Now they only made my chest feel tight.

Was love still love when it came with a flaw like this? Back at the estate, Dario carried me all the way up to the second floor. Mara Conti, the housekeeper, came to meet us and frowned at the look on my face.

"Is Donna Moretti not feeling well?"

"Light a fire in the bedroom. Send dinner up, and don't let anyone disturb her."

Then, as if the thought had just occurred to him, Dario added, "Viola's having dinner in the main house tonight. Seat her at the far end of the long table."

Mara was clearly taken aback.

"Don, Donna Moretti just got back from the clinic."

Dario looked down at me. "If you don't want to see her, I'll send her back."

I shook my head. "It's fine."

He studied me for a few seconds and didn't push. He just kissed my temple.

"If anything feels wrong, tell me."

At dinner, for the first time, I watched Viola walk into the Moretti main house openly pregnant.

She wore a long dark-green dress and almost no jewelry, but her eight-month belly alone was enough to draw every eye in the room.

Several of the Moretti elders sat along both sides of the long table.

One of them glanced from her to me and smiled as he tested the waters. "Once the baby's born, the Moretti family will finally welcome the next generation. As for Viola, down the line—"

"Get out."

Dario didn't even raise his voice.

The dining room went dead silent.

The old man's face soured. "Dario, I was only—"

"I said, get out."

The bodyguards had already moved up behind the old man's chair.

He had no choice but to get up and leave the table.

But after dinner, as Dario draped my coat over my shoulders, he turned to Mara and gave her his orders. "Clear out the whole east villa for Viola. The obstetrician moves in tonight. Double the guards, and keep a separate evacuation route open through the north gate."

I stopped short.

Viola came up behind us, one hand resting on her belly.

"Don't look at me that way. I've never wanted your ring."

Dario's expression went cold. "Viola."

But she kept her eyes on me, and her smile only grew bolder.

"What good is a ring? As long as I'm carrying this baby, he has to put me first. Again and again."

The words were barely out of her mouth before Dario caught her by the wrist.

"Stop provoking my wife."

"I'm only telling the truth."

"Then learn to keep your mouth shut. You're nothing but a tool for giving this family an heir. Once the child is born, you will have no place in its life. Don't reach for a position that isn't yours. If you do, we'll replace you."

Then he took my hand and led me upstairs. His palm was as warm as ever, but mine had gone cold, and I couldn't get a single word out.