CHAPTER 7
Ariana's POV
It was Friday today, which meant there were only two days left before the wedding — and I was dreading it.Two days until my life turned into a complete, utter mess, and I wasn’t prepared for it at all.No matter what might happen that day, I knew I didn’t have the strength to get through it.
“Cara, there is nothing to worry about.I can assure you that we will get through this.”
Right now, I was having a mini panic attack in Mom’s room, wondering how we were supposed to escape something that felt impossible.This was my life now, and there was no way out.If there had ever been a time to get away, it would’ve been the day I met Nicola — but it didn’t happen.I realized it too late.
“M-Mom...I don’t know...”I began to have second thoughts, shaking my head and looking away from her.I didn’t want to risk anything — certainly not Mom’s life.
“Tesoro...no, think about this.What are you going to do?”she asked.
I lifted my gaze to her, trying to figure out what she was implying — until she placed her hands gently on my flat stomach.My fists curled tightly, my nails digging into my palms.I had never really thought about my pregnancy the way a normal woman would — because I couldn’t.
“You need to break the news...at least to Nicola,” she finally said.
Her words left me frozen with fear.The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and my heart dropped straight to my stomach.My skin felt clammy under her steady gaze, as if she were waiting to see how I would respond.The most terrifying thing imaginable was telling Nicola that I was carrying his child.
I furrowed my brows and stepped back from her, shaking my head.There was no way I could tell him.He would never understand.
“No, Mom.He wouldn’t understand, would he?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted softly, “but he has the right to know.After all, he is the father of this child — of your child.”
Her reminder made my chest ache.I closed my eyes tightly and clenched my jaw as tears streamed down my face.I couldn’t do this.I wanted to leave Nicola right now, but if I even tried, it would be impossible.Someone would die — me, Mom...someone.
“It’s okay, Ariana,” she said gently, “take your time.You don’t need to tell him just yet.No one will rush you into anything.”
“Thank you, Mom...for everything,” I smiled weakly.“I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“Of course I’ll be here for you, always,” she said softly, brushing my cheek with her thumb.“You are my only daughter, and I love you with all my heart, tesoro.”
“I love you too."
***
THE DAYS WERE GOINGby too fast; it was already the day before the wedding, and I was beginning to lose hope.My mind was drowning in conflicting questions and thoughts — mostly about the fact that I was carrying a baby.If something were to happen to me, the baby would suffer too.I felt responsible for two lives now, and I couldn’t risk anything at all.
My thoughts were interrupted when I heard footsteps approaching — heavy, deliberate — getting closer to my room.My eyes shot toward the door just as Nicola walked in.
“Are you okay, prekrasnyy?”he asked, beginning to undress himself.
I nodded, looking away for a moment before glancing back at him — only to freeze when I noticed a large, dark mark on his neck.My brows furrowed as I rose from the bed and approached him, keeping a careful distance.
“Nicola, what...what happened to your neck?”I asked softly.
He stopped in his tracks, his body tensing before he glanced over his shoulder at me.When he turned fully around, my eyes widened — the bruise was unmistakable.It looked raw and painful, and it alarmed me to see Nicola injured.
“I’m glad you asked, Ariana...moy milyy angel,” he whispered with a faint smile.Stepping closer, he placed both hands on my arms, his gaze filled with a deceptive softness.“It shows that you really care about me.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine.
I pulled away, studying him closely, determined to get an answer.“Please, tell me what happened,” I said, caressing his cheek.“Are we safe here?Are you safe here?”My voice trembled with unease.
In my heart, I was convinced Alessandro had done this.No one else could have gotten close enough to Nicola — he was ruthless and deadly, and anyone who tried to cross him never lived to tell the tale.Seeing him wounded like this was shocking, almost surreal.But behind that shock was guilt — because if Nicola was hurt, it meant someone had died for it.I was sure of that.
