Chapter 3 - The Secret Beneath the Pregnancy
Elena didn't sleep.
She sat on the edge of her bed until dawn with a kitchen knife pressed against her thigh and her back against the wall.
The man outside never knocked again.
By sunrise, he was gone.
But Elena knew what the visit meant.
Her past had finally reached the Salvatore estate.
And that was dangerous.
Not because she feared for herself.
She feared for the baby.
At seven in the morning, she reported to work as usual.
She made coffee.
Prepared breakfast trays.
Folded linens.
Nobody noticed that her hands were shaking.
Except Alessandro.
He saw her drop a spoon.
"You look tired."
"I'm fine."
"You didn't sleep."
She looked up sharply.
"How do you know?"
"You look like someone who didn't sleep."
Elena forced a smile.
"I'm pregnant. That's not unusual."
He didn't believe her.
But he didn't push.
Not yet.
Instead, he said:
"Midnight hasn't eaten."
Elena blinked.
"What?"
"He refuses food."
"Since when?"
"Since last night."
She followed Alessandro to the stable.
Midnight was standing in the corner.
His head was low.
Elena walked slowly toward him.
The horse lifted his head.
He immediately moved toward her.
Alessandro watched.
"He only responds to you."
"He remembers who didn't scare him."
Elena reached for a carrot.
Midnight ate from her hand.
Alessandro stood against the stall door.
"Tell me about your father."
Elena looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because you understand horses."
"My father wasn't a horse trainer."
"What was he?"
"A cowboy."
Alessandro smiled faintly.
"My grandmother would have liked him."
"Was she difficult?"
"Very."
Elena smiled.
"Then yes."
Midnight nudged her shoulder.
She laughed.
The sound caught Alessandro off guard.
It was warm.
Uncomplicated.
He couldn't remember the last time anyone had laughed around him without wanting something.
Then Elena whispered:
"I need to ask you something."
"What?"
"If someone comes here asking about me, don't tell them anything."
Alessandro's expression changed.
"Who is coming?"
"I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
She looked away.
"I don't want to involve you."
"You already work on my property."
"This is different."
"Tell me."
Elena hesitated.
Then she said:
"My husband died."
Alessandro nodded.
"I know."
Her eyes widened.
"How?"
"I investigated your background."
She looked hurt.
"You did."
"Yes."
"Without asking me."
"Yes."
Silence.
Elena stepped away.
"Then you know enough."
She began walking.
Alessandro stopped her.
"Wait."
She didn't.
He followed.
"Elena."
She turned.
"I don't need your permission to investigate the safety of my property."
"And I don't need your permission to keep my daughter safe."
His eyes narrowed.
"Your daughter?"
Elena immediately regretted the words.
Alessandro's voice softened.
"You called the baby your daughter."
"I did."
"That means you know who the father is."
She looked at the floor.
"I know."
"Who?"
Elena whispered:
"Gabriel was not the biological father."
Alessandro froze.
"What?"
"He raised her as his own."
"Whose child is she?"
Elena couldn't answer.
Not there.
Not yet.
The truth was too dangerous.
Alessandro watched her leave.
That afternoon, Owen intercepted a vehicle approaching the north gate.
The driver claimed to be Elena's brother.
He was lying.
The security team detained him until police arrived.
When Alessandro was informed, he ordered the man brought inside.
The man looked nervous.
"Where is Elena?"
Alessandro sat across from him.
"Who are you?"
"Tomás Mercer."
"Gabriel's brother."
"Yes."
"What do you want?"
"To talk to Elena."
"About?"
Tomás swallowed.
"She has something that belongs to my family."
Alessandro leaned forward.
"She's carrying a baby."
Tomás looked at him strangely.
"You really don't know."
"Know what?"
Tomás laughed nervously.
"She never told you."
Alessandro's instincts sharpened.
"Tell me."
Tomás looked around.
"I can't."
"Then leave."
Tomás stood.
But before he reached the door, he said:
"Your rival knows she's here."
Alessandro stopped him.
"Which rival?"
"Victor Dane."
The name hit hard.
"How do you know?"
"Because Gabriel worked for him."
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
"What did Gabriel do?"
"Stole evidence."
"What evidence?"
"Proof that Victor was planning to attack your business."
Alessandro stood.
"You expect me to believe you?"
Tomás shook his head.
"I don't care what you believe."
He pulled out a small photograph.
It showed Gabriel standing beside Victor Dane.
But there was a second man in the photograph.
Alessandro.
Or rather, someone who looked nearly identical to him.
His younger brother, Marco.
Alessandro's late half-brother.
Marco had died years ago.
Tomás pointed to him.
"Gabriel found out Marco had been investigating Victor."
Alessandro's expression darkened.
Marco's death had been ruled suicide.
Could that have been a lie?
Tomás continued.
"Gabriel tried to expose them."
"And died."
"Yes."
"Did Victor kill him?"
"I don't know."
Alessandro stared at the photograph.
"Why did Elena run?"
Tomás looked toward the hallway.
"Because she found out who the baby's real father was."
Alessandro's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
Tomás didn't answer.
He simply said:
"Ask Elena."
That evening, Alessandro found Elena in the nursery.
She was standing beside a small crib that had been delivered earlier that day.
"You said you needed to keep your daughter safe."
Elena turned.
"Yes."
"Tomás came."
Her face went pale.
"He shouldn't have."
"What does he know?"
Elena closed her eyes.
"Everything."
"Then tell me."
She shook her head.
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because if I tell you, you become involved."
"I'm already involved."
"No. You don't understand."
"Then help me understand."
She sat down.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Gabriel wasn't my husband when I met him."
Alessandro waited.
"He was my protector."
"What were you running from?"
"Victor."
"Why?"
"Because Victor wanted something."
"What?"
Elena placed one hand over her belly.
"My daughter."
Alessandro stared.
"Why?"
"Because he believed her birth would expose a secret that could destroy him."
"What secret?"
She looked at him.
Then whispered:
"The baby isn't Gabriel's."
"I know."
Elena shook her head.
"You don't know who her father is."
Alessandro waited.
Then Elena said the words that would rearrange everything he thought he knew.
"Her father is Marco Salvatore."
Alessandro stopped breathing.
His dead half-brother.
A man he had buried six years ago.
A man whose death had never made sense.
Alessandro stared at Elena's belly.
"My brother."
She nodded.
"Yes."
"How?"
Elena's tears fell.
"Because Marco wasn't dead when the family thought he was."
Silence filled the room.
Then came the sound of a gunshot outside.
Alessandro grabbed Elena and pulled her to the floor.
Guards rushed into the hallway.
Another shot shattered a window.
Midnight screamed from the stable.
Alessandro looked at Elena.
"Stay here."
She caught his sleeve.
"Don't."
"What?"
"You're not the only one they want."
Another gunshot.
May you like
Then the alarms went off.
And Alessandro realized the attack had begun.
