Page 81 of The Hidden Heir

A different kind of silence falls over the room. The kind of silence that makes Luca waver, rethink his line of reasoning, and doubt his own judgment. That cannot be easy for him, a man who was raised to always consider the worst-case scenario. This is the type of curveball that would drive a regular man insane.

It pains me deeply to watch him struggle with his own doubts, his fear of losing everything he’s worked so hard to build. My feelings for him are clouding my own judgment, though. He just accused me of conspiring against him. I’m sure it was only his anger speaking, but still, the hurt of his words lingers.

“Do it,” Victor says.

For a moment, I worry Luca will take out his gun.

“You have no idea what you’re asking of me,” my husband scoffs.

“Why? You said it yourself, right? Better that I’m the traitor than you to consider the possibility that your brother is still alive, that this war with the Mancusos was partly fueled by a complex farce,” Victor replies. “I told you, and I’ve got Valentina here as a witness. We have every reason to believe Stefano didn’t die that night.”

“It’s insane,” Luca sighs, shaking his head. “I can’t believe it.”

“Then come talk to me when you’re ready to consider it,” I reply, shaking with a fury of my own, my blood boiling with a sense of injustice. “Until then, I don’t even want to see you.”

“Valentina—”

“No, screw you, Luca!” I snap. “Victor and I are the only ones who can see the truth, as disturbing as it may be. If you want to go all hot and heavy and start hurting the people around you, then you go ahead and do that. But I refuse to be a part of it.”

“Come back here,” he orders.

But I’m already out the door, trembling with rage and struggling not to puke my guts out all over the marble floor. By some miracle, I make it upstairs to Michael’s room and relieve Susie. Alone with my son, I lock the door and let Michael sleep for a little while longer while I bury my face in one of the goose down pillows, muffling my own cries.

If I didn’t love Luca, I wouldn’t feel this way.

All I can do is pray that Victor manages to cool him down, to make him see the truth, regardless of how insane it may sound.

24

VALENTINA

My body weighs a ton as I drag myself out of bed the next morning. I slept in Michael’s room, and Luca kept his distance. I need a few minutes to clear my head as Michael rolls around in his bed, eager to start the day.

“Morning, sunshine,” I tell my baby and take him into my arms.

“Morning, Mama,” Michael replies, locked around my neck as he showers me with the cutest little kisses. “I miss you.”

“I slept here, honey.”

“I miss you,” he insists, and I laugh.

My phone pings with a message from Victor, telling me to keep my chin up. I want to believe him, but there’s a feeling lingering in the background, a slithering doubt threatening to ruin any chance at a future with Luca. I’ve already been thinking about it. There’s no point in denying it.

“Is Mama sad?” Michael asks.

We go through our morning routine, a bubble bath for the little man and a vitamin C mask for his mother, pampering ourselves before we dress and get ready to go downstairs for breakfast.

“I’m not sad,” I tell my boy. “Maybe a little tired.”

“Where’s Luca?”

“I’m not sure,” I reply, then glance out the window.

From up here, I have a view of the driveway, and I don’t see Luca’s car anywhere. A knot thickens and tightens in my stomach, and my core aches for that man. Even after everything that was said yesterday, I still need him.

He’s made me stronger and weaker at the same time. It’s almost infuriating.

Susie knocks on our door, and I unlock it to let her in.