Chapter 2 - He Learned His Mother Had Hidden His Pregnant Lover for Seven Months—Then His Abandoned Bride Revealed the Wedding Was Actually a Trap to Steal the Romano EmpireClaire woke at 3:14 in the morning.
The first thing she saw was Adrian.
He sat in a chair beside the hospital window.
No jacket.
No tie.
His white wedding shirt was wrinkled and stained with Claire’s blood.
He looked less like Chicago’s most feared mafia boss than a man who had been awake for seven months and had finally discovered why.
Claire shifted.
His head snapped toward her.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“The babies are okay.”
She exhaled.
“How okay?”
“Doctors stopped the bleeding. Your blood pressure is still high.”
“The twins?”
“Both heartbeats are strong.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Only then did she realize Adrian had said twins.
“You know.”
“Yes.”
She opened one eye.
“How badly did you panic?”
“I asked the doctor if twins could kick each other.”
Claire stared.
“He said no.”
“Good.”
“I asked twice.”
She laughed despite herself.
Then memory returned.
The wedding.
Sofia.
Isabella.
Matteo.
Claire’s smile disappeared.
“You should be somewhere else.”
“Where?”
“With Sofia.”
“There is no Sofia and me.”
“You were standing at an altar.”
“I was standing inside a contract.”
“That’s romantic.”
“It wasn’t intended to be.”
Claire looked away.
Adrian leaned forward.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She looked back sharply.
“Seriously?”
He closed his eyes.
“Wrong question.”
“Yes.”
He tried again.
“What happened after my mother came to you?”
Claire told him everything.
The photograph.
The threat.
The fear.
The money she refused.
The apartment under another name.
The months waiting.
Adrian listened without interrupting.
When she finished, his face looked carved from stone.
“I searched for you.”
Claire said nothing.
“Every day.”
“You didn’t find me.”
“No.”
“That seems strange for someone with your resources.”
“It is.”
She studied him.
Adrian continued.
“My security received reports placing you in Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Detroit, even Montreal.”
“I never left Illinois.”
“I know that now.”
“Someone redirected you.”
“Yes.”
“Matteo?”
“Maybe.”
Claire frowned.
“Maybe?”
“I’m done convicting people before I have proof.”
That surprised her.
He noticed.
“I’m trying.”
“You've had about six hours.”
“Longest six hours of my life.”
Claire almost smiled.
A knock sounded.
Sofia entered.
Still wearing part of her wedding attire beneath a borrowed coat.
Claire blinked.
“I’m sorry.”
Sofia raised an eyebrow.
“For stopping me from marrying a man who loves someone else?”
Claire looked at Adrian.
He suddenly found the floor interesting.
Sofia smiled.
“Please don’t apologize.”
She placed a leather folder on the table.
“We have a larger problem.”
Adrian opened it.
Inside was the Romano-DeLuca marriage contract.
Claire stared.
“You actually had a contract?”
Sofia shrugged.
“Rich criminals apparently believe romance needs attorneys.”
Despite herself, Claire laughed.
Sofia pointed to a section.
“If Adrian died within thirty days of the marriage, operational control of the combined shipping interests transferred temporarily to two trustees.”
Adrian read the names.
His expression darkened.
“Salvatore DeLuca.”
“My father.”
“And Matteo Romano.”
“Yes.”
Claire understood.
“The poison.”
Sofia nodded.
“Matteo wasn’t killing Adrian despite the wedding.”
“He was killing him because of it,” Adrian finished.
Exactly.
The wedding would merge assets.
Adrian would die.
Sofia would inherit part of his interest.
Her father and Matteo would become trustees.
And because Adrian supposedly had no children, the Romano family trust would eventually pass to his nearest eligible male relative.
Matteo.
Claire touched her stomach.
“But Adrian does have children.”
Everyone looked at her.
Sofia’s expression changed.
“That explains why you had to disappear.”
Claire felt cold.
Adrian stood.
“No.”
“Adrian.”
“No one is touching you or the babies.”
Claire’s eyes hardened.
“You don’t get to promise things you can’t guarantee.”
He stopped.
“You’re right.”
The admission came quickly.
Claire blinked.
Adrian continued.
“I can promise what I will do.”
“What?”
“Tell you the truth.”
He looked at her stomach.
“Give you choices.”
Then at Claire.
“And never again let anyone use my name as an excuse to decide your life for you.”
She said nothing.
It was not enough.
But it was something.
The door opened again.
Luca Romano entered.
Adrian’s younger brother looked exhausted.
“Matteo’s gone.”
Adrian turned.
“How?”
“He had a second vehicle waiting behind the cathedral.”
“You had him.”
“I know.”
“Who helped him?”
“We found one compromised guard.”
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Claire noticed Adrian deliberately choosing the word.
Not kill him.
Not make him talk.
Good.
Luca continued.
“The wine tested positive for aconitine and cyanide.”
Sofia frowned.
“Both?”
“Enough to guarantee death.”
Adrian looked toward Claire.
“If you hadn't come…”
“I know.”
Luca placed a tablet on the table.
“There’s more.”
Security footage appeared.
The cathedral kitchen.
A hooded figure switching bottles.
Then another camera.
The person removed the hood.
Isabella Romano.
Adrian stopped breathing.
Claire whispered:
“No.”
Sofia stared.
Luca looked sick.
“Mother handled the bottle.”
Adrian’s voice became cold.
“Where is she?”
“Downstairs.”
“Bring her.”
Claire reached for Adrian.
He looked at her hand around his wrist.
“Don’t do something you can’t undo.”
“I won't.”
“You’re angry.”
“I’m beyond angry.”
“Then remember what you just promised.”
He looked at her.
Truth.
Choice.
No blind reaction.
Adrian nodded.
Minutes later Isabella entered.
She saw the footage paused on the screen.
Her face collapsed.
“Adrian.”
“Did you poison the wine?”
“No.”
“Did you switch the bottle?”
“Yes.”
Claire frowned.
“Why?”
Isabella looked at her.
“Because Matteo told me the original bottle was poisoned.”
Silence.
Adrian stared.
“So you replaced it.”
“Yes.”
“With another poisoned bottle.”
“I didn’t know.”
Luca swore.
Isabella began crying.
“Matteo told me someone in the DeLuca family intended to kill you.”
Sofia crossed her arms.
“He used you.”
“Yes.”
Adrian’s voice hardened.
“And Claire?”
Isabella looked at the floor.
“You knew she was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“You told her to disappear.”
“Yes.”
“Did Matteo tell you to do that too?”
Isabella hesitated.
That was enough.
Adrian laughed without humor.
“My entire life, you told me Matteo was the man I should trust after Father died.”
“I believed that.”
“He killed my wedding. He threatened my children. And you helped him hide their mother.”
“I thought I was keeping her alive.”
“You stole seven months from us.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“You know what you did.”
His voice broke.
“You don’t know what it cost.”
Isabella cried silently.
Claire watched.
Part of her wanted to hate the woman.
Another part remembered Isabella’s face in the diner.
Fear.
Real fear.
People could love someone and still harm them terribly.
That was perhaps the ugliest lesson of all.
Claire asked:
“Why did Matteo care whether Adrian found me before the wedding?”
Isabella wiped her face.
“Because he said Adrian would abandon the alliance if he learned about the baby.”
Sofia answered softly:
“He would have.”
Adrian looked at Claire.
“Yes.”
Claire’s chest tightened.
Isabella continued.
“Matteo said the DeLucas would retaliate. He told me hundreds could die.”
“So you chose for us,” Claire said.
Isabella looked at her.
“Yes.”
“At least say it clearly.”
Isabella swallowed.
“I chose for you.”
“Thank you.”
Adrian frowned at Claire.
She explained.
“I’m not thanking her for doing it.”
Her eyes stayed on Isabella.
“I’m thanking her for finally calling it what it was.”
Isabella lowered her head.
Luca’s phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“When?”
Everyone watched him.
He disconnected.
“Bennett’s Kitchen is on fire.”
Claire sat upright.
“What?”
Adrian caught her before she could stand.
“My restaurant!”
“You can’t leave.”
“My parents built that place!”
“I know.”
“Adrian!”
He turned to Luca.
“Fire department?”
“Already there.”
“People?”
“Closed overnight. Eddie was upstairs in the office but got out.”
Claire covered her mouth.
Luca continued.
“They found something painted across the alley wall.”
“What?”
Luca looked at Claire.
THE BABIES SHOULD HAVE STAYED HIDDEN.
Adrian went still.
Claire’s hand moved over her stomach.
The threat was no longer theoretical.
Matteo knew.
Adrian looked at Luca.
“Double hospital security.”
Claire immediately said:
“No.”
He turned.
“No?”
“No Romano guards I don’t know.”
“Claire—”
“You said choice.”
He stopped.
She continued.
“Independent security.”
Adrian thought.
Then nodded.
“I know someone.”
“Who?”
“Nathan Hale. Former federal protection specialist. He hates my family.”
Claire considered.
“Excellent qualification.”
Even Sofia smiled.
Adrian made the call.
Then Claire noticed Luca staring at the threatening message.
“Luca?”
He looked up.
Something was wrong.
“What aren’t you saying?”
Luca hesitated.
Adrian’s voice sharpened.
“Tell us.”
Luca slowly reached inside his jacket.
He removed an envelope.
“I found this in Matteo’s cathedral office.”
Inside was a photograph.
Claire.
Six months pregnant.
Walking into her Oak Park apartment.
Taken through a telephoto lens.
Adrian stared.
On the back was a handwritten note.
Confirmed. Male heir possible. Isabella still believes we are protecting them. Proceed with wedding.
Claire felt sick.
Adrian turned the photograph over again.
“Who wrote this?”
Luca knew.
“I recognize the handwriting.”
“Whose?”
Luca looked at his brother.
“Vincent Caruso.”
Adrian’s face changed.
Claire asked:
“Who is Vincent Caruso?”
Nobody answered immediately.
Then Isabella whispered:
“He was Adrian’s father’s closest friend.”
“Was?”
Adrian stared at the photograph.
“He died fifteen years ago.”
Claire looked at the recent image of herself.
“Apparently not.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Luca continued.
“Vincent was also the last person seen with Father before his car exploded.”
The room went silent.
For the first time, Adrian understood that the conspiracy had not begun with Claire.
It had not begun with Sofia.
It had not even begun with Matteo.
May you like
Someone had been dismantling the Romano family for fifteen years.
And now that person knew about Adrian’s unborn children.
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