“A companion,” he corrects.
“A babysitter,” I insist.
“All right!” my mother intervenes, clapping her hands. “This is… quite the news,” she says, trying to calm the situation, even though her face is still clearly stunned.
“Anyway. Since I didn’t know what was happening, I agreed to go to the hospital when I woke up. They did a blood test and, well… you can imagine the rest.”
“It’s quite the news,” she repeats, nodding.
“And it’s not the only one,” Nero announces proudly.
My mother tilts her head, curiosity sparking.
“Don’t tell me it’s twins!” she blurts out, alarmed—though the slight curve of her lips makes it clear she’d actually love that.
“It’s too early to know, Mom.”
“But it would be incredible if it were,” Nero adds.
I turn to him, narrowing my eyes at this newly discovered side of his personality—the one that apparently wants to turn me into a broodmare. Ten children? Hehasto be joking.
“So what’s the other news?” my mother asks.
I look at Nero and smile, my stomach flipping as the butterflies I’m convinced have permanently moved in there go wild.
“Nero proposed,” I say, turning to my mother.
Just as I expected, this second piece of news shocks her far more than the first. Her face goes completely blank as she blinks, giving us no clue what’s happening inside her head—though I know very well there’s a lot going on.
“I hope you’re comfortable sleeping in a single bed in a pink bedroom,” she says directly to Nero after what feels like an eternity of silence.
Both of us frown.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Marchesi, I don’t think I understood,” Nero says, confused.
She shrugs.
“Less than a month ago, my daughter assured me she wasn’t moving into your place under any circumstances. I’m assuming that meansyouwill be moving in, in this case.”
“Mom!” I protest, and she shoots me a sharp look. Nero chuckles quietly beside me, and I glare at him in silent reprimand.
“I’d like to ask for your blessing, Mrs. Marchesi,” Nero says seriously. “I know things didn’t happen in the order people usually expect, but I assure you I have no intention other than loving and taking care of your daughter—and now your granddaughter… or grandson… or, who knows, maybe both?”
The sparkle in my mother’s eyes tells me using theg-wordwas a masterstroke on Nero’s part. When I look at him, I find a smug smile that says he knew exactly what he was doing.
“So I suppose Dubai is officially cancelled?” she asks, unimpressed by baby talk and getting straight to the million-dollar question.
I’m ready to answer, but Nero squeezes my hand gently, asking me—without words—to let him handle it.
“For now, yes,” he answers for both of us. “The pregnancy would probably complicate the finalisation of Nina’s contract anyway. But once the baby is born, whatever Nina decides, I’ll support it. If that means we move to Dubai for a year and a half—or three—or ten—I really don’t care.”
My head turns toward Nero before I can stop it, my heart racing.
We hadn’t talked about this.
He’d made me a thousand promises about our future, renewed every guarantee he’d already given me about buying beds, sofas, and bedside tables anywhere in the world.
Butthis—this is the first time I hear him say these words. Out loud. With this much certainty.
