Cesare nods but doesn't move his hand from my stomach. "We'll need to tell the children."
I bite my lip, worried about how the girls will react if something goes wrong. "So soon?"
He watches me for a moment, brows knitted together. "Let's speak with the doctor first, then we'll tell the children."
I take a steadying breath. That sounds reasonable.
"Do you think they'll be okay with it?"
He's quiet for a moment, fingers tracing patterns on my skin. "I think they'll be surprised," he says finally. "But I believe they'll come around. They've grown to care for you, Tori. This baby will be their sibling."
I nod, hoping he's right. "I just don't want this to undo all the progress we've made."
Cesare cups my face gently. "It won't. We'll handle this together, as a family. Now, let's get cleaned up and go see the girls. We have an engagement party to prepare for."
I smile, feeling reassured by his confidence. As we start getting ready, I can't help but place a hand on my stomach again, marveling at the little life growing inside me. Despite my nerves about telling the children, I'm filled with joy and anticipation for this new chapter.
After we're cleaned up and dressed, we head downstairs to meet the girls for their final dress fittings. As we enter the living room, I'm struck by how much things have changed. Sofia, Valentina, and Elisabetta are chatting animatedly, their excitement for the party evident.
"There you are!" Valentina exclaims when she sees us. "We were starting to wonder if you'd forgotten about us."
I force a smile, hoping my earlier nerves aren't showing. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we get started?"
Cesare escorts us, along with our guards, to the boutique, something I hadn't expected, but I love that he's here.
The girls try on their dresses one by one, and I find myself giddy with excitement. I love that they trust me enough to want to do this with them.
Valentina and Sofia are easy to buy for. Even at sixteen, they already have their own sense of style. It was just a matter of choosing perfect colors. Elisabetta, on the other hand, hasn't found her style yet, and it's taken us a while to figure out what she likes and what suits her.
"Vittoria?" Elisabetta's voice pulls me from my thoughts. "What do you think?"
I blink, focusing on the beautiful young woman standing before me in a stunning aquamarine dress that fits like a glove and showcases curves she's been hiding.
"Oh, Elisabetta," I breathe. "You look absolutely gorgeous."
She blushes slightly at the compliment. "Thank you. I wasn't sure about the color at first, but I think it's growing on me."
"It's perfect," I assure her. "You're going to turn heads at the party tomorrow."
Cesare, on the other hand, looks displeased. I have a feeling he's finally seeing that all his daughters are growing into beautiful women.
"What about you, Vittoria?" Sofia questions. "Do you have a dress picked out yet?"
"I'm not sure on the color yet," I say, glancing at my husband. He saw the three dresses I tried on earlier. Each one I loved; I just couldn't pick which color, which is why I purchased all three. Or rather, Cesare did.
"Purple," he tells me simply, and my stomach flips as I remember how his eyes darkened when I tried that dress on.
"Okay, so we're all sorted? Do the boys need anything?" I ask, wondering if they're ready for tomorrow.
Valentina hands me a slip of paper—the boys' measurements. I glance at Cesare and see him shrugging. I shake my head and quickly get the boys' suits sorted.
But as I do it, I can't hide my smile. I love my family. I love everything about them. I may not have been ready for them, but I'm so fucking glad I'm here now.
The Delaney Estate is a sight to behold, as big as our own home, just with slightly more statues and paintings.
Lorenzo is standing tall with narrowed eyes as he watches Daire Delaney dance with one of Olezka Morozov's sons, Rurik. It seems Lorenzo has the same green-eyed monster as his father.
I lean in to whisper to Cesare. "Perhaps you should encourage Lorenzo to cut in? It wouldn't look good for the newly engaged couple to spend the whole night apart."
