His eyes harden. "You can count on it, Cesare."
Once Ronan leaves, I turn to Lorenzo. "Son, I?—”
"Don't," Lorenzo cuts me off, voice tight with emotion. "I don't want to talk about it right now."
I nod, understanding his need for space. "Very well. But know that I'm here when you're ready."
Lorenzo gives a curt nod before striding out of the room, leaving me alone with Vittoria.
She moves to my side, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "Are you okay?" she asks softly.
I pull her into my arms, suddenly feeling the weight of the situation. "I'm fine," I murmur into her hair. "But I'm worried about Lorenzo. This betrayal... it won't be easy for him to get past."
Vittoria nods against my chest. "He's strong, like his father. He'll get through this."
I pull back slightly to look at her. "What do you think about all this? About Lorenzo potentially marrying Quinn instead?"
She considers for a moment. "I think... it might be for the best. Daire never seemed to want the union with Lorenzo. Maybe with Quinn, he'll have a chance at a real partnership."
I nod, appreciating her insight. "You're right. Although Quinn is only just eighteen."
Vittoria looks up at me, eyes filled with concern. "How do you think the other families will react to this change?"
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "It won't be easy. This kind of scandal... it could destabilize things if we're not careful. We'll need to present a united front; show we're dealing with this swiftly and decisively."
"And Rurik?" Vittoria asks hesitantly. "What will happen to him?"
My jaw clenches at the mention of the young Russian. "That'll be up to Olezka to decide. But I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now."
Vittoria shivers slightly, and I pull her closer. "Don't worry about that now," I tell her softly. "We need to focus on our family, on Lorenzo."
She nods, then suddenly looks up with wide eyes. "Oh! We were supposed to tell the children about the baby tonight at dinner."
I'd completely forgotten our plans in the wake of this drama. "Perhaps we should wait," I suggest. "Give Lorenzo time to process everything before we add more news to the mix."
She nods. "Besides, the girls are going to be upset about what happened to their brother. Tonight should be about them. Lorenzo especially. I'll make lasagna. I know it's his favorite."
"What would I do without you, Tori?" I ask, holding her tightly.
She grins cheekily. "Crash and burn, probably."
I chuckle, feeling some tension leave my body. "Probably," I agree. "Now, why don't you rest before dinner? I need to make some calls."
She nods and presses a kiss to my lips. I hold her close and deepen it. Fuck, but I love her. She's made our family complete, and I couldn't imagine my life without her in it.
I'm a lucky bastard to have her, and I know that no matter what, our family is going to thrive. This shit with Quinn andLorenzo will be sorted, and he'll eventually find a way to be happy.
I just hope what happened with Daire and Rurik doesn't ruin what could potentially be a perfect match for him.
Dinner that night is a somber affair. Word of Lorenzo's broken engagement has spread through the house, and the atmosphere is tense. My children pick at their food, shooting worried glances at their older brother.
Lorenzo himself sits in stony silence, barely touching his lasagna despite it being his favorite.
"So," Valentina finally breaks the uncomfortable quiet, "what happens now? With the engagement, I mean."
I set down my fork, choosing my words carefully. "There will likely be a new arrangement. Lorenzo will marry Quinn Delaney instead of Daire."
Elisabetta's eyes widen. "Quinn? But she's so young."
