Chapter 3

The next day was the family meeting.

Early that morning, Niccolo's men brought me to the meeting room and sat me down at the head of the table.

Both sides of the long table were full. Everyone looked at me, some with pity, others with contempt.

I gripped the arms of my chair and said nothing.

The door opened.

Giovanna walked in, leading Aria by the hand.

Aria was wearing a black dress, with the Valeri snake brooch pinned over her heart.

That brooch was the Donna's emblem.

Giovanna looked around the room, then pointed at me.

"Aria, today is your day. Sit beside Niccolo and announce the news with him."

Every eye in the room snapped to my face.

I didn't move.

Aria stood there looking lost, twisting the hem of her dress. She turned to Giovanna.

"Donna... maybe we should just forget it.

"Elena took me in and raised me like a sister. If she's not happy about this, I can leave."

She turned as if to go.

Niccolo shot to his feet. With everyone watching, he walked over and caught her by the wrist.

"You're the mother of this baby. This meeting is about you.

"As long as I'm here, nobody's going to embarrass you. Come sit down."

He led her over and looked down at me.

"Elena, let Aria have your seat today. Just this once."

For two days, he'd expected me to give in to his every demand. I'd had enough.

I curled my fingers into fists.

"The fact that I'm even here today is already a huge compromise.

"Don't expect anything more from me."

Niccolo's face hardened.

"We already agreed on this yesterday. And you're still going to make a scene?"

I held his gaze.

"You agreed. I didn't.

"I never said I'd accept her baby.

"Leo will always be my only child. His father may have forgotten him, but his mother never will."

Niccolo froze.

Giovanna slammed her palm on the table.

"Elena, how long are you going to keep acting like a spoiled child?

"You failed to protect that boy three years ago, and you nearly left this family without an heir!

"If Niccolo hadn't kept stopping me, you'd have been thrown out long ago. Why can't you ever be grateful for what you have?"

I turned to Giovanna and gave her a thin smile.

"If being grateful means accepting my husband having a baby with another woman, then I guess I'll never be grateful enough."

Now Niccolo's face darkened.

"Elena, you've lost your mind."

He lifted a hand, and two of his men stepped up on either side of me.

"Take the Donna back to her room. She can come out when she's thought this through."

I shook off their hands and stared at him.

"You're locking me up?"

"I'm not locking you up. But you're the Donna, and this behavior is beneath you.

"And since you clearly don't want to be the Donna, fine. Aria can take over your duties for the next few days.

"I'm not asking your permission this time."

Aria bit her lip and looked back and forth between us, her voice thick with tears.

"Don, you can't fight with Elena like this because of me...

"Just send me away. I'll have the baby quietly and then I'll be gone, okay?"

Niccolo tensed and pulled her into his arms.

"You're pregnant. Where exactly do you think you're going?

"Don't be scared. I'm here. You're not leaving my sight, not even for a second."

I watched them cling to each other and remembered what Niccolo had promised me yesterday.

He'd said that as soon as the baby was born, he'd send her away.

But the stubborn look in his eyes and the way he held her told me everything I needed to know.

And it made one thing perfectly clear.

He'd lied to me again.

Whatever tiny bit of hope I'd still been holding on to shattered.