Chapter 3 - His Mistress Demanded the Mansion and the Family Fortune—But the Pregnant Wife Revealed a Secret That Made the Entire Caruso Family Turn Against HimBianca Moretti learned about Sophia's pregnancy the following morning.
Not from Vittorio.
From Aldo.
The old steward had been instructed to prepare a private room for an attorney specializing in family law.
Bianca overheard the conversation.
She stopped in the hallway.
"Why does Vittorio need a family attorney?"
Aldo turned.
"That is private, Miss Moretti."
Bianca smiled thinly.
"Nothing concerning the Caruso heir is private from me."
Aldo looked at her.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then replied:
"Mrs. Caruso is also expecting a child."
Bianca went still.
"What?"
Aldo's expression remained calm.
"Mrs. Caruso is pregnant."
The color drained from Bianca's face.
For a moment, she looked genuinely shocked.
Then her expression changed.
Something cold entered her eyes.
"How convenient."
Aldo frowned.
"Miss Moretti."
Bianca laughed bitterly.
"Of course."
She turned away.
"Of course she is."
Vittorio spent the next three days trying to contact Sophia.
He sent flowers.
She returned them.
He sent jewelry.
She instructed her attorney to return it.
He offered to buy her a new apartment.
Margaret Ellis responded that Sophia did not require his permission or financial arrangements to live independently.
Vittorio called.
Sophia didn't answer.
He wrote letters.
She didn't respond.
Finally, he appeared at Margaret's office.
The attorney looked up from her desk.
"Mr. Caruso."
Vittorio stood in the doorway.
His face was tired.
He hadn't slept properly in days.
"I need to see my wife."
Margaret studied him.
"She has made her wishes clear."
Vittorio swallowed.
"She's carrying my child."
Margaret nodded.
"Yes."
His jaw tightened.
"I have a right to know if she's safe."
Margaret leaned back.
"Your wife is receiving medical care."
Vittorio exhaled.
"Is the baby healthy?"
Margaret hesitated.
"She has not authorized me to discuss her medical information."
Vittorio closed his eyes.
For the first time, he understood what it meant to be excluded from Sophia's life.
He had excluded her from his decisions for years.
Now she was excluding him.
And he had no right to demand otherwise.
He opened his eyes.
"Tell her something for me."
Margaret waited.
Vittorio swallowed.
"Tell her I'm sorry."
Margaret's expression softened slightly.
"I will."
He turned to leave.
Then stopped.
"And tell her I won't fight her divorce."
Margaret looked surprised.
Vittorio continued.
"I won't make her stay."
He looked down.
"Not after what I did."
At the Caruso estate, Bianca was furious.
She entered Vittorio's study without knocking.
"We need to talk."
Vittorio looked up.
"Not now."
"Yes. Now."
He sighed.
"Bianca."
She crossed her arms.
"Is Sophia pregnant?"
Vittorio went still.
"Who told you?"
Bianca laughed.
"So it's true."
He said nothing.
Her expression hardened.
"How far along?"
"That's none of your business."
Bianca stared.
"None of my business?"
Vittorio stood.
"Bianca."
She stepped closer.
"You announced our child in front of everyone."
"I know."
"You called him your heir."
"I know."
"And now your wife is pregnant?"
Vittorio's expression hardened.
"Don't speak about Sophia like that."
Bianca laughed bitterly.
"Oh, now you're defending her."
He stared.
She continued.
"Where was that loyalty when you were sleeping with me?"
The words struck him.
He looked away.
Bianca watched him.
Then her voice softened.
"Vittorio."
He didn't answer.
She stepped closer.
"We can still have a future."
He looked up.
"What?"
She smiled.
"You and me. Our baby."
Vittorio's expression changed.
Bianca continued.
"Sophia is leaving. Let her."
She gestured toward the windows.
"This house needs a woman who understands the family."
Vittorio stared.
Bianca smiled.
"I can be that woman."
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he asked:
"Did I ever promise you this house?"
Bianca froze.
"What?"
"Did I ever promise you marriage?"
Her expression hardened.
"Vittorio—"
"Answer me."
She stared.
Then whispered:
"No."
Vittorio nodded.
"I will support our child."
Bianca's face changed.
"But I won't marry you."
Silence.
Bianca looked at him.
Then laughed coldly.
"You think you can discard me?"
Vittorio's jaw tightened.
"I'm not discarding our responsibilities."
She stepped closer.
"You made me a public promise."
"I acknowledged the pregnancy."
"You called my child your heir!"
Vittorio looked away.
For the first time, he realized how recklessly he had used that word.
Heir.
As though children were titles.
As though women were vessels.
As though love and loyalty could be arranged like business contracts.
He looked at Bianca.
"I was wrong."
She stared.
"What?"
"I was wrong to announce anything without considering the people involved."
Bianca's expression hardened.
"That's not enough."
Vittorio nodded.
"I know."
Meanwhile, Sophia had moved into a small townhouse in Brooklyn.
It belonged to her late mother's family.
The property had been rented for years.
Now it was empty.
Sophia spent her mornings choosing paint colors and furniture.
Her afternoons attending medical appointments.
Her evenings reading books about pregnancy.
For the first time in years, she had a routine that belonged entirely to her.
Then Margaret called.
"Sophia."
She looked up.
"Yes?"
"We need to discuss your family's trust."
Sophia frowned.
"What trust?"
Margaret hesitated.
"The Bellini Family Trust."
Sophia sat down.
"My father left me a trust."
"Yes."
"I know."
Margaret continued.
"But there is something you may not know."
Sophia's stomach tightened.
"What?"
"The trust owns thirty-two percent of Caruso Maritime Holdings."
Silence.
Sophia stared.
"What?"
Margaret nodded.
"Your father invested in the company before your marriage."
Sophia shook her head.
"That's impossible."
Margaret opened a document.
"The shares were placed in trust for you."
Sophia stared.
"Vittorio never told me."
Margaret's expression hardened.
"According to the documents, he may not have understood the full structure either."
Sophia frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Margaret turned the page.
"The trust was administered by Vittorio's uncle, Lorenzo Caruso."
Sophia went still.
Lorenzo.
Seventy years old.
Silver-haired.
The family patriarch.
The man who had arranged her marriage to Vittorio six years earlier.
The man who had always treated her like a useful addition to the family.
Margaret continued.
"Your father placed the shares in trust to protect you."
Sophia looked down.
Then whispered:
"Protect me from what?"
Margaret hesitated.
"From the Caruso family."
The truth emerged slowly.
Richard Bellini had been a respected shipping executive.
He had helped finance Caruso Maritime during a financial crisis twelve years earlier.
In exchange, he received a substantial ownership stake.
But when he became concerned about the company's criminal connections, he transferred the shares into a protected trust for Sophia.
The trust agreement required her informed consent for major changes.
Yet several recent corporate filings showed that Lorenzo Caruso had attempted to dilute the trust's ownership.
Sophia stared at the documents.
"He's stealing my shares."
Margaret nodded.
"It appears he's trying."
Sophia felt sick.
"Does Vittorio know?"
Margaret shook her head.
"We don't know."
Sophia looked toward the window.
For six years, she had believed her marriage was the reason she belonged to the Caruso family.
Now she was learning that her father had made her one of the company's largest shareholders before the wedding.
And someone had hidden that truth from her.
Two days later, Lorenzo Caruso called a family meeting.
Vittorio attended.
Bianca sat beside him.
Several senior relatives filled the private dining room.
Lorenzo stood at the head of the table.
His expression was grave.
"We have a problem."
Vittorio looked up.
"What?"
Lorenzo placed a document on the table.
"Sophia Bellini has filed a petition challenging the company's ownership structure."
Vittorio went still.
"What?"
Lorenzo sighed.
"She's trying to take control of family assets."
Vittorio stared.
"That's impossible."
Lorenzo smiled thinly.
"Apparently, your wife has become ambitious."
Bianca laughed softly.
"I told you."
Vittorio looked at her.
"Enough."
She went silent.
Lorenzo continued.
"Sophia's father held a minority interest."
Vittorio frowned.
"How much?"
Lorenzo hesitated.
"Thirty-two percent."
Silence.
Vittorio stared.
"What?"
Lorenzo looked away.
Vittorio stood.
"Thirty-two percent?"
Lorenzo nodded.
"Yes."
Vittorio's jaw tightened.
"Why didn't I know?"
Lorenzo's expression hardened.
"Because it wasn't relevant."
Vittorio stared.
"Not relevant?"
He laughed bitterly.
"My wife owns nearly a third of my company, and you didn't think I should know?"
Lorenzo leaned forward.
"Her father intended the shares as protection."
Vittorio went still.
"Protection from whom?"
Lorenzo said nothing.
Vittorio stared.
Then he understood.
"From us."
Silence.
Lorenzo's expression hardened.
"Richard Bellini never trusted this family."
Vittorio looked down.
For the first time, he wondered whether Richard had been right.
The family meeting ended in chaos.
Vittorio demanded access to the original trust documents.
Lorenzo refused.
Bianca accused Sophia of trying to destroy the company.
Several relatives argued that the shares should remain under Caruso control.
Then Aldo entered.
He carried a sealed envelope.
"Sir."
Vittorio looked up.
"What is it?"
"From Mrs. Caruso's attorney."
Vittorio opened it.
Inside was a letter.
A formal notice.
Sophia had requested an independent audit of Caruso Maritime Holdings.
And she had demanded that all attempts to alter her trust's ownership be suspended.
Vittorio read the final paragraph.
Then looked toward Lorenzo.
His expression changed.
"What is it?" Lorenzo asked.
Vittorio held up the letter.
"Sophia has evidence that someone used her father's signature after his death."
Silence.
Lorenzo went pale.
Vittorio stared.
Then whispered:
"What did you do?"
And for the first time, the most powerful man in the Caruso family realized that the betrayal threatening his empire had not begun with his wife walking away.
It had begun years earlier.
May you like
Inside his own bloodline.
End of Chapter 3.
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