Chapter 3 - NICO ARRIVED TOO LATE
Nico reached the hospital at 9:13 p.m.
Lila was almost three hours old.
I knew the exact time because I watched the clock above the door when he entered.
The Moretti family had gone downstairs to give me space.
Vincent remained in the hallway.
Angelo had taken Paul somewhere.
I did not ask where.
Some questions were better answered by attorneys.
Nico came in alone.
His hair was damp from rain.
His black shirt was open at the collar.
No jacket.
No watch.
For once, he looked less like Nico Moretti and more like a man who had run through Manhattan traffic after discovering his life had continued without him.
His eyes found me first.
Then Lila.
He stopped.
I had imagined this moment for months.
Nico beside the bassinet.
Nico smiling.
Nico kissing my forehead.
Nico crying in that quiet way he hated anyone seeing.
Instead, he stood six feet away because I had told him not to come near me.
“That’s her?”
I almost laughed.
“No, Nico. I borrowed somebody else’s newborn.”
Pain crossed his face.
“I deserved that.”
“Yes.”
He looked at Lila.
“Can I…”
He stopped.
Not finished.
Not assuming.
Good.
“Can I see her?”
I looked at the bassinet.
Then nodded.
“Wash your hands.”
He did.
Thoroughly.
Too thoroughly.
His hands shook beneath the water.
Then he approached Lila.
He looked down.
Nothing in his expression remained controlled.
His mouth opened.
Closed.
His eyes filled.
“She’s so small.”
“She’s seven pounds, one ounce.”
“Is that small?”
“Average.”
“I don’t know anything.”
“No.”
That sentence meant more than babies.
He knew.
Lila moved beneath the blanket.
Nico reached toward her.
Then stopped.
“Can I touch her?”
“Yes.”
He placed one finger against her tiny palm.
She closed around it.
Nico made a sound I had never heard from him before.
Broken.
Completely.
“Hi.”
Lila kept sleeping.
“I’m your dad.”
My chest hurt.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
I looked away.
He remained beside her for several minutes.
Then finally faced me.
“What happened?”
“You mean medically?”
“Yes.”
“I started bleeding around five.”
His face drained.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I did.”
He closed his eyes.
“Paul.”
“Yes.”
“What else?”
“Blood pressure. Preeclampsia. They thought they might need an emergency C-section.”
Nico looked like he might be sick.
“Did they?”
“No. They managed it long enough for a vaginal delivery.”
I looked down.
“I tore badly.”
He flinched.
“Were you scared?”
I stared at him.
That question infuriated me.
“Terrified.”
He lowered his eyes.
“Were you alone?”
“Yes.”
His face broke again.
I could have made it easier.
I didn’t.
Because truth should not be softened simply because someone finally became ready to feel it.
“A little boy wandered into my room before your family arrived.”
Nico looked confused.
“He was the first person who asked her name.”
His eyes filled.
“A stranger met your daughter before you.”
He sat down.
Not beside me.
Across the room.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
“I was supposed to be here.”
“Yes.”
“I told you I would.”
“Yes.”
“I had no idea you were in labor.”
“That explains the absence.”
He looked up.
I continued.
“It does not explain Serena.”
“No.”
Good.
He did not try.
“What happened?”
Nico rubbed his palms together.
“Victor Vale asked for a private dinner.”
“You knew Serena would be there?”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes briefly.
“Did you tell me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew you would hate it.”
“Excellent reason to hide something.”
“I know.”
He looked at Lila.
“Victor wanted Pier Nine included in a joint port agreement. He wanted me to make a public commitment to Serena.”
“Marriage.”
“Yes.”
“And you refused.”
“At first.”
My stomach tightened.
“At first.”
“Then he threatened to hand the arbitration support to Bellini.”
“So?”
Nico laughed bitterly.
“That is exactly what Vincent said.”
Good.
“I was angry.”
“At me?”
“At everyone.”
“That doesn’t answer.”
He looked at me.
“Yes.”
I stopped breathing.
“Why?”
“Because you told me that morning you were done waiting for me to make space for you.”
I remembered.
We had argued in the kitchen before he left.
Not loudly.
I was too tired.
I told him I could not raise a child in a relationship where I always came after business.
He told me I was being dramatic.
“So you kissed another woman because I asked you to act like a father.”
“No.”
His voice cracked.
“I kissed another woman because I wanted to feel like somebody wasn’t asking me to be better.”
That was one of the ugliest honest sentences I had ever heard.
I stared at him.
“Thank you.”
He frowned.
“For what?”
“For not blaming the alcohol.”
He looked down.
“I thought about it.”
“At least you’re improving.”
A sad laugh escaped him.
Then the door opened.
Vincent entered.
“Nico.”
Something in his tone changed the room.
Nico stood.
“What?”
“We found Paul.”
“Found?”
“He tried to leave.”
Nico’s expression hardened.
“Why?”
“Because Angelo asked for his phone.”
My stomach tightened.
Vincent looked at me.
“Ava, you should hear this too.”
Nico glanced at him.
“Should she?”
I almost laughed.
Vincent didn’t.
“Yes.”
We all sat.
Vincent placed a phone on the table.
“Paul received twenty-five thousand dollars yesterday.”
Nico’s jaw tightened.
“From who?”
“A Vale security subsidiary.”
I stopped.
Serena.
Victor.
The dinner.
Vincent continued.
“The payment was routed through two contractors, but we traced it.”
“What was he paid to do?” I asked.
“Keep Nico at Bellario’s between four and eight.”
The room went silent.
Nico stared.
“Why?”
“We don't know yet.”
“Did Serena know?”
“Unknown.”
“Victor?”
“Likely.”
My skin crawled.
They had wanted Nico away from me.
Not just at dinner.
Unavailable.
“Did they know I might deliver?”
Vincent looked uncomfortable.
“Ava…”
“What?”
“Paul had access to Nico’s calendar.”
“So?”
“It included your induction contingency dates, hospital information, and physician.”
I felt cold.
“But I wasn’t scheduled today.”
“No.”
Vincent hesitated.
“However, somebody accessed your obstetric portal yesterday.”
Nico went completely still.
“Who?”
“We don’t know.”
My stomach tightened.
Nico looked at Vincent.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying somebody may have known Ava’s blood pressure had been rising.”
I stared.
My doctor had ordered labs two days earlier because of swelling and headaches.
Nothing definitive.
But enough to suggest labor could become urgent.
“Why would Victor care whether Nico missed the birth?”
Nico answered this time.
“Because of the family trust.”
I turned.
“What family trust?”
He closed his eyes.
Of course.
Another Moretti secret.
“Nico.”
He looked at me.
“My grandfather wrote a succession clause.”
“What clause?”
“The first legally acknowledged child of the next generation triggers transfer of voting shares.”
I stared.
“To who?”
“To the child’s father.”
My stomach dropped.
“Nico receives shares because Lila was born?”
“Yes.”
Vincent added quietly:
“Twenty-two percent of Moretti Maritime.”
I looked between them.
“And if Nico had publicly committed to Serena before Lila’s birth?”
Nico’s face hardened.
“The Vale family could argue that the transfer violated a pending alliance covenant.”
“That sounds insane.”
“It is.”
Vincent nodded.
“But expensive insanity can last years in court.”
I looked at Lila.
My daughter had been twelve minutes old when I sent five words to the family group.
Her name is Lila Moretti.
That message had done something I didn’t understand at the time.
It had documented her.
Immediately.
Publicly within the family.
Before anyone could pretend she did not exist.
Vincent continued:
“Your message timestamped acknowledgment before any Vale agreement could be signed.”
Nico looked at me.
For the first time, I saw something like awe in his face.
“You protected her.”
“I named my daughter.”
“Same result.”
I stared at him.
Then Vincent’s phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
His expression changed.
“Where?”
Nico stood.
“What?”
Vincent ended the call.
“Serena is downstairs.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“She says she needs to speak to Ava.”
Nico immediately said:
“No.”
I looked at him.
“Excuse me?”
He stopped.
Right.
My room.
My choice.
I looked at Vincent.
“Send her up.”
Nico’s jaw tightened.
“Ava.”
“You already had dinner with her.”
May you like
He flinched.
“Now I will.”
Related Stories
