Chapter 4 - THE SECRET THE HOSPITAL COULDN’T HIDE
The bullet grazed Alessandro’s shoulder.
A shallow wound.
Painful.
Bloody.
Not fatal.
He acted personally insulted by this.
“I don’t need stitches.”
The ER physician looked at him.
“You need seven.”
“I have a meeting.”
“You have a hole in your shoulder.”
“I’ve had worse.”
I stood near the curtain with my arms folded.
“You are not winning this argument.”
He looked at me.
The doctor smiled.
“Is she always like this?”
“No.”
“Yes,” Liam said from the chair.
Alessandro looked at him.
Their relationship had deteriorated immediately.
Liam hated billionaires on principle now.
Alessandro disliked the fact that another man knew exactly how I took my coffee.
It was childish.
I would have enjoyed it if the situation were not terrifying.
Police believed the shot came from an alley across from the diner.
No weapon found.
No shooter.
Security footage caught a gray SUV leaving seconds later.
Alessandro’s people offered to investigate.
Detective Cole told him not to interfere.
He smiled as if she had told him not to breathe.
I almost respected her for not blinking.
Then the adrenaline left my body.
Fast.
The room tilted.
“Emma?”
Liam was standing.
I tried to answer.
Instead, my knees gave out.
I woke in an exam bed with a blood pressure cuff squeezing my arm.
Alessandro stood at the foot of the bed.
Liam was beside him.
Both looked terrified.
I immediately put one hand over my stomach.
The nurse noticed.
“So did the doctor.”
No.
No.
“Elizabeth.”
Liam stepped closer.
“What happened?”
“I’m fine.”
The nurse gave me the look nurses reserve for difficult patients.
“You almost fainted.”
“I skipped breakfast.”
“You also told triage you’re six weeks pregnant.”
The room went silent.
Completely.
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The secret.
Not dramatic.
Not planned.
Said by a nurse checking chart information because medical care has no respect for emotional timing.
When I looked again, Alessandro had no color in his face.
His eyes moved from me to my stomach.
Then Liam.
Then back.
“Pregnant.”
I swallowed.
“Yes.”
His voice was barely audible.
“Six weeks.”
“Yes.”
He calculated.
Of course he did.
The gala.
Room 1520.
Dawn.
His expression changed.
“Is it mine?”
Liam stood.
I held up a hand.
“He gets to ask.”
Then I looked at Alessandro.
“Yes.”
He sat.
Actually sat.
The billionaire who negotiated billion-dollar developments without notes stared at the floor like someone had removed gravity.
“How long have you known?”
“Two days.”
“Were you going to tell me?”
“No.”
That hurt him.
Good.
It was supposed to.
“Why?”
I laughed softly.
“Pick a reason.”
His jaw tightened.
“My family.”
“Yes.”
“My uncle.”
“Yes.”
“My father’s message.”
“Yes.”
“Because you think I might be involved.”
“I don’t know you.”
“You knew me enough to—”
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
Good.
“That night does not entitle you to trust.”
His face hardened.
“You are carrying my child.”
“That entitles you to information once I know telling you is safe.”
“I’m not dangerous to you.”
“Maybe not intentionally.”
He flinched.
I continued.
“Your father called my father a thief.”
“Yes.”
“Your uncle controlled the foundation.”
“Yes.”
“Someone shot through my workplace after you found me.”
“Yes.”
“Someone knows I’m pregnant.”
His eyes sharpened.
“What?”
Liam pulled out his phone.
Showed the message.
TELL NO ONE ABOUT THE CHILD.
Alessandro read it.
Something in his face became terrifyingly still.
“When?”
“Before you came to the diner.”
“Who knew?”
“No one except Liam.”
He looked at Liam.
Liam said:
“If you finish that thought, I’m using the IV pole.”
Alessandro almost smiled despite himself.
Then:
“Someone was monitoring you.”
“Yes.”
“Or your apartment.”
“Yes.”
“Or the pharmacy.”
“Yes.”
He stood.
“No.”
I stared.
“What?”
“You cannot go back there.”
My anger rose.
“Do not start.”
“They know the address.”
“You don’t own me because I’m pregnant.”
“I know.”
“Then ask.”
His jaw tightened.
He took a breath.
I watched a powerful man force himself to change one sentence.
“Would you consider staying somewhere secure until police identify who is targeting you?”
Better.
I looked at Liam.
He nodded reluctantly.
“Not his penthouse.”
Alessandro looked offended.
“I wasn’t suggesting—”
“Yes, you were.”
Fine.
We chose a hotel booked through Detective Cole’s department under another name.
No Vitali property.
No Liam apartment.
Neutral.
Before leaving the hospital, the doctor ordered an ultrasound because of the fainting episode and stress.
Everything looked normal.
Tiny gestational sac.
Tiny flicker.
Heartbeat.
Too early to look like a baby.
More like a secret flashing on a monitor.
Alessandro stood beside me.
He said nothing.
Then his eyes filled.
Not theatrically.
He looked away immediately.
I noticed.
Of course I did.
Later, in the hallway, he asked:
“Can I come to the next appointment?”
I hesitated.
“Maybe.”
He nodded.
No argument.
Progress.
Detective Cole met us downstairs.
“We identified the SUV.”
“Who?” Alessandro asked.
“Registered to VRC Property Services.”
His face changed.
“What?”
I frowned.
“What is that?”
“Vitali Renewal Construction.”
My blood went cold.
The foundation’s redevelopment arm.
“Who controls it?”
I asked.
Alessandro did not answer.
He didn’t need to.
Matteo.
Detective Cole continued.
“The vehicle was reported stolen this morning.”
“Convenient,” Liam muttered.
Then Alessandro’s phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression hardened.
“Matteo.”
Everyone went quiet.
He answered on speaker.
“Uncle.”
Matteo’s voice was warm.
“Alessandro. I heard about the unfortunate incident.”
Too fast.
News had not been public.
Alessandro’s eyes met mine.
“How?”
Silence.
Then:
“Chicago talks.”
“No.”
Alessandro’s voice became cold.
“You talk.”
Matteo laughed softly.
“Careful.”
“I found Thomas Rowan’s photograph.”
Longer silence.
Then Matteo said:
“You should have left dead men alone.”
My heartbeat stopped.
Alessandro did not move.
“Did you know Elizabeth Rowan survived?”
Matteo exhaled.
“Ah.”
Not surprise.
Recognition.
My blood turned to ice.
He knew.
Then he said:
“I wondered when she would stop hiding behind Emma.”
Liam swore.
Alessandro’s face changed completely.
“You stay away from her.”
Matteo laughed.
“You sound like your father.”
“Good.”
“No.”
His voice hardened.
“That is exactly what got Enzo killed.”
The call ended.
No one spoke.
Alessandro stared at the phone.
“My father didn’t die of a heart attack.”
Detective Cole immediately said:
“Do not assume that from one statement.”
Alessandro looked at her.
“No.”
His voice was steady now.
“I won’t assume anything.”
Then he looked at me.
“We prove it.”
That was the first moment I believed we might actually be on the same side.
Not because he promised to protect me.
May you like
Because he finally said the word I needed.
Prove.
