Chapter 34

“Good morning.” Christian smiled and sat down on the opposite side of me. The look on his face scared had scared me even more, was the fact that he was still at home.

“H-hi?” I greeted back. Emmanuella put down a plate in front of him and smiled at both of us. “Going toasked Christian.

“Yes, I made Serena a promise.” He said. It was surprising to me that he was trying to keep his word, but day one so who knows what would happen in the future. “I promised to be home more.”

“Any plans for today?” Christian asked me and my mind went to Vincenzo. I had decided for myself that mention that I was going to spend my day with him. It was obvious that the two were not on good termsnothing to do with me.

“Just doing some shopping,” I lied to him. “Yes, I’ve seen that you’re enjoying the credit card. You have ataste!” He laughed while I looked down embarrassed. Wasn’t that the meaning of it all?

“You’ve spent so much money and I have yet to see one thing for the baby!” He sighed hysterically whilelaughed at his joke. “You’re right, I haven’t!” I suddenly stressed myself and buried my head in my handsobsessed with buying my own stuff that I had not even bought anything for the baby.

“After we get back from the doctors we can go together, how does that sound?” He asked. This new Chrdefinitely scary, but I could get used to it. “You didn’t forget about next week?” I wondered. After our figwould forget about it and did not mention it anymore.

“Of course I didn’t, I have been thinking about it the entire week.” He confessed with a proud smile on hare your thoughts, boy or girl?” Emmanuella asked me while she wiped the kitchen counter.

That was something I hadn’t thought about. Just having something of my own was enough, regardless oor a girl.

“I want a daughter,” Christian answered the question. He seemed extremely sure of it and did not even hthought. “You do?” I asked and noticed the changed expression on his face.

“The Lamberti’s happen to be misogynistic, so I at least know they won’t brainwash her to be a monster alone.” He spoke as if it was the most normal thing to say and ruined the vibe at the table.

Was it really t“I can’t wait to see their faces when it does turn out to be a girl and you end up giving everything to hersarcastically and saw a slight smile on his face. “Me neither.”

I shrugged off his words and tried to think of something else because in a way it bothered me. The idea had suddenly occurred to me and all I could think about— was how I was going to protect my child no mChristian was not a monster, he hadn’t shown me one sign of being a monster so everything would be juYes, he had a temper and said some things which made me want to cut him in half with an ax, but he alsoheart and anyone could see that.

Without even noticing what I was doing I looked at him while he chewed his food and thought about howas. I would not mind having a son who would look just like him.

Christian was an eye-catcher for sure, and in a way, I felt some sort of pride because I was the one to carit, I told myself and closed my eyes for a second. The last thing I needed at the moment was this kind of “Are you done staring?” Christian chuckled and looked up from his plate to stare back at me.(i) He caughthis time and had not said a single word.

“I-I wasn’t staring.” I quickly defended myself and took a sip of water. Anyone with eyes could tell that I wwas embarrassing.

“Good, because you can’t fall in love with me. It won’t do you any good.” He joked, but what he didn’t kwasn’t that funny to me. He had done the bare minimum but my heart was already going crazy and I didwhether it were my pregnancy hormones or just me being crazy because yesterday I swore I hated this m“Trust me, you don’t have to worry about me, you should worry about yourself,”

I told him and looked aexpression. He obviously thought he was all that.

“Do Marc and Johnny hate me?” I suddenly asked him. It was something I wanted to know for a while nonot see or heard from them in a long time. “Marc doesn’t hate you, and Johnny…I don’t think so, why? Dsomething?” Christian wondered.

“No, just asking,” I reassured him. Besides the friends that I did have, they were the ones I got a tight bonthrew a drink in Cesca’s face— which reminded me that I still had to apologize and would do so tomorro

Maybe if I apologized everything would go back to normal.

“I have to go now, but I’ll be back in the evening, to keep my promise.” Christian got up from the chair afinal nod before leaving.

“I’m glad you guys are okay.” Emmanuella who was finished cleaning said. We were okay. That was a conto get used to. “So, what are your plans for today?”

“Nothing much, just going out with a friend,” I told her and tried to get her off my back which had luckilyhours later Vernon had driven me to the place where Vincenzo and I would meet. It took me a lot of timethat I was okay on my own, but it eventually worked.

“Grocery store lady!” A cheerful boy yelled out and ran towards me with Vincenzo and Beau following beKnowing that these two would also be here made me feel a bit more at ease and somehow less guilty. I dfeelings for Vincenzo and I was not in a relationship with Christian but it still seemed wrong.

“Luis, right?” I patted him on the head. “Wow, you’re…pregnant,” Vincenzo spoke with a shocked look onlooked down at my belly. Personally, I did not see that much of a difference, but hearing that there was mhappy. “You have good eyes.”

“So what are we going to do today?” I asked him to break the silence. “We are going to the zoo!”

Luis julike jumping with him. I loved animals, so this couldn’t have been any better.

“Is that okay with you?” Vincenzo asked and I nodded my head. We walked off and Beau was walking in Luis while Vincenzo and I walked behind him. “How are you holding up, how is Christian treating you?” Hforced an answer out of me.

“Good, he’s…good.” I told him and thought about his sudden behavior change. “I heard you threw a drinyou really okay?” He asked. Of course, he knew, news traveled fast around here.“How did you know?”

“It’s the mafia, of course I know— all families know.” He spoke as I turned my head to him and took in ha smug smile on his face and looked back at me. Not once had I met someone this honest, but I apprecia“Are you scared of me now?” He asked and I shook my head. If I played my cards right, I could get a lot oabout Christian. The information he wouldn’t tell me.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure she had it coming.” Vincenzo sighed. “I know as best how wicked that family can “Yeah well, it’s all good now so…” I tried changing the subject. It was not something I wanted to talk aboabout. “Does Christian know you’re here?”

“Of course he didn’t, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” He answered his own question just a second latethe hospital made me curious and wonder whatever they discussed back then. “You guys seemed close, ruining it.”

“Don’t be crazy, it’s not your fault and we’ll be okay.”

Even now Vincenzo still had the same kind smile on his face and I felt guilty about him liking me. I had blike crap, carried his best friend’s baby, and still…he was interested in me.

“Doesn’t it bother you that I’m Christian’s fiancée?” I asked him and saw the confused look on his face. “because it’s obviously not real.”

“H-how did you know?” I asked him, thinking whether I accidentally made a mistake or not.

“Christian hafriend for over fifteen years, I know he won’t put a ring around just anyone’s finger and you’re not even his type.”

Ouch. I knew that I was probably not his type— but for some reason, I did not want to hear it. Types coucould his. Focus Serena, after the baby is born you’re gone, I reminded myself.

“But you are my type,” Vincenzo spoke. I stopped walking for a second and took in his confession.

Therenothing, instead he had confessed as if it was a daily thing. “Your type is pregnant girls?”

“You know what I mean, I like you, Serena,” Vincenzo said while I wondered how I was going to reject himhim at all and only agreed to go out today because I needed someone around me.

“Don’t worry. I never asked you to say anything, I just thought you should know.” He told me and wrapparound my shoulder. He was getting bolder but in a way, his personality amused me. Rather than a Christthe power in the world, I thought Vincenzo was even more powerful. Being able, to tell the truth, and notruth was the biggest strength.

“I feel like maybe you can answer some of the unanswered questions I have,” I told him and saw his face“Of course ask me anything you want to know. Come on tell me, what is it?”

“I want to know about Christian.”