Chapter 15
The chaos ended only when Daniela hit the ground.
After twelve hours of emergency surgery, she survived. The baby didn’t.
CRACK!
Donna Moretti’s palm struck Alessio’s cheek. “You FUCKING IDIOT!”
“Two more months! That’s all we needed! The baby would’ve been born, the Moretti line secured!”
“But you had to blow it all to hell! Now we’ve lost the heir AND our reputation is trash!”
Word had spread through every famiglia from Palermo to Naples: the Moretti heir who’d been fucking his brother’s widow while playing corpse.
Don Moretti had already cut Noemi loose-no need for the Bianchis to push anymore. Done deal.
Worse, the family council revoked Alessio’s inheritance rights. Everything he’d worked for-gone.
“How could you be this STUPID?”
She raised her hand again, but Alessio just stood there, dead-eyed, accepting whatever punishment came.
A nurse emerged from the ICU. “The patient’s awake. Who’s going in?”
Alessio’s voice scraped like gravel. “I’ll go.”
She didn’t know the truth either. I owe her that much.
Ignoring his mother’s protests, he pushed through the door.
The corridor noise vanished. In the stark silence, he saw her-pale as the sheets, eyes vacant, staring at nothing.
He forced himself to her bedside. “I’m sorry. Whatever you want-money, property-name it. I’ll make this right.”
Compensation?
Minutes crawled by before she turned those empty eyes on him. She studied his bloodshot eyes, three-day stubble, wrinkled clothes.
What could possibly make this right?
I waited for my husband’s return.
Made love to him every night.
Carried our child with joy.
Then he shattered everything.
Told me it was all fake-a twisted kindness to spare me grief.
Now I have nothing.
No husband. No baby.
I’m the whore who spread her legs for her brother in law.
Her knuckles went white on the blanket. “You want to compensate me, Alessio? You should’ve kept your fucking mouth shut.”
Let me keep dreaming. Let me survive in ignorance. Not this-this butchery.
His eyes clenched shut. “Daniela, I never meant-
“Save it.”
The clock ticked. Monitors beeped. Their ragged breathing filled the void.
Finally: “You said anything I want?”
He stiffened. “Within reason.”
Her smile was pure poison. “Marry me.”
“WHAT?” He shot to his feet. “Are you insane?”
I love Noemi. Only Noemi. She’s my wife-my only wife.
“Pick something else. Anything else.”
“Insane?” Her laugh could cut glass. “You think THIS is insane?”
“You played dress-up as my dead husband! FUCK ME every night on my bed! Pumped a baby into me! And I’M the crazy one?”
Her voice rose to a shriek. “You DESTROYED me! I’m damaged goods now! What decent man would want Marco Moretti’s leftovers?”
The monitors screamed as her vitals spiked.
“You OWE me, you bastard! You’re going to make an honest woman out of me!”
“Daniela, please—”
“GET THE FUCK OUT!” A water glass shattered against the wall. “Don’t come back until you’re ready to pay what you owe!”
