Chapter 2

Isabella's POV

After leaving the private investigator's office, I let out a deep breath. The huge stone that had been pressing on my chest had finally been lifted.

The previous report had said that I was infertile. Ricardo had personally confirmed it with the doctor as well, so he thoroughly believed it. But little did he know, not only had my medical report been tampered with, but even the doctor had been bribed.

A chill ran down my spine just thinking about it.

At that moment, two car honks suddenly sounded nearby. It was the Famiglia's doctor, Sophia Castello.

After learning what had happened, she sighed. We were the only two people who knew about Ricardo's infertility.

"Signora, you knew back then that the Don couldn't have children, yet you still insisted on marrying him. It couldn't have been easy for you to carry this secret for so long.

"And he pursued you so passionately back then. How could he break his vows so easily?"

I patted her shoulder and handed her a piece of chocolate to comfort her.

"Va Bene, it's all in the past now. I don't care about any of it anymore."

Sophia sniffled, looking at me with heartache in her eyes.

"How could you not care? 11 years of feelings isn't something you let go just like that…"

Seeing my expression darken, she immediately fell silent. She wiped her tears, ran to her car, and came back with a bouquet of sunflowers.

"Your favorite flowers," she said as she handed them to me. "I picked them myself. May you shine as brightly as the sun from now on."

Looking at the vibrant sunflowers in my arms, I felt a lump in my throat. After all these years, I felt grateful to have this thoughtful doctor as a friend.

"Grazie. Oh, and I have good news to tell you!"

I placed her hand on my lower abdomen. "I'm pregnant."

"Cosa? But the Don…" Sophia blurted out, looking at me in disbelief.

"It's not his," I answered with a small smile. "Do you know Vincenzo Valentino, the famous medical researcher who won the Holy Cross Hospital Innovation Award?"

"Of course, I know him. He's a renowned figure."

I was just about to tell her that the baby was his when a line of black Rolls-Royces pulled up across the street.

Ricardo stepped out of one of the cars, arm-in-arm with Lucia, and walked into a jewelry store.

In the past, I used to beg him to see new jewelry collections with me, but he'd always said he was busy with Famiglia matters. Now, through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I watched him patiently help Lucia try on piece after piece.

A laugh escaped me.

So he wasn't busy after all. He just didn't have time for me.

Sophia saw everything as well. Her eyes filled with pity, and she pulled me into her arms.

"Va Tutto Bene, Isabella. You've already ended your marriage anyway. Don't think about it anymore."

I nodded. Just as I was about to leave, someone grabbed my wrist hard.

"Isabella, what are you doing here?"