Chapter 1
“GET AWAY FROM THAT USELESS OLD MAN!” THE MAFIA BOSS'S FIANCÉE SCREAMED, THROWING A BOWL OF HOT SOUP OVER HIS PARALYZED FATHER. BUT WHEN A SIX-MONTH-PREGNANT MAID GRABBED HER WRIST TO STOP ANOTHER ATTACK, THE MAFIA BOSS WALKED IN AND WITNESSED EVERYTHING. THEN HIS FATHER, WHO HADN'T SPOKEN IN FIVE YEARS, REACHED TOWARD THE MAID'S PREGNANT BELLY AND WHISPERED TWO WORDS THAT MADE HIS SON QUESTION EVERYTHING.
“YOU DISGUST ME!”
Vanessa Sterling slammed a silver spoon onto the dining table.
Across from her, seventy-eight-year-old Giovanni Romano sat silently in his wheelchair.
His hands rested motionless on the armrests.
Five years earlier, a devastating stroke had left him unable to walk or speak.
Once the most powerful man in the Romano family, Giovanni now depended on others for almost everything.
And Vanessa hated him for it.
“Do you have any idea how embarrassing you are?” she snapped.
Giovanni stared at the bowl of soup in front of him.
His lower lip trembled.
Vanessa leaned closer.
“Lorenzo spends thousands of dollars keeping you alive, and you can't even feed yourself!”
At the doorway stood Nora Bennett.
Twenty-six years old and six months pregnant, she had worked as a maid in the Romano mansion for nearly a year.
She carried a clean towel and a glass of water.
“Mrs. Sterling,” Nora said gently, “Mr. Giovanni hasn't finished his dinner.”
Vanessa turned.
“Did I ask you?”
“No, ma'am.”
“Then get out.”
Nora glanced at Giovanni.
The old man had barely eaten.
“Please, ma'am. His nurse said he needs to eat before taking his medication.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“His nurse isn't here.”
She grabbed the bowl.
Nora immediately stepped forward.
“Ma'am, please—”
SPLASH!
Vanessa flung the soup across Giovanni's chest.
The warm liquid soaked his shirt and blanket.
The bowl struck the marble floor and shattered.
Giovanni flinched.
A strained sound escaped his throat.
“Ah…”
Vanessa pointed at him.
“LOOK AT YOU! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A USELESS BURDEN!”
Nora rushed toward the wheelchair.
“Mr. Giovanni!”
She grabbed the clean towel and gently pressed it against his soaked chest.
“Are you burned? Please look at me.”
Giovanni's eyes filled with tears.
Nora carefully checked his skin.
The soup had cooled enough to avoid an obvious burn, but his shirt was soaked.
“It's okay,” she whispered. “I'm here.”
Vanessa marched toward them.
“GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM!”
Nora remained beside the wheelchair.
“He needs help.”
Vanessa grabbed her shoulder.
“I SAID MOVE!”
Nora stumbled.
One hand immediately covered her pregnant belly.
But she didn't leave Giovanni.
Vanessa raised her hand toward the old man's face.
“Maybe this will teach you to stop making those disgusting noises!”
Before her palm could strike him, Nora caught her wrist.
The room went silent.
Vanessa stared at the maid.
“Excuse me?”
Nora's voice remained steady.
“YOU WILL NOT HIT HIM.”
Vanessa's face reddened.
“Let go of me!”
Nora released her wrist but stepped directly in front of Giovanni's wheelchair.
Her pregnant belly was clearly visible beneath her black-and-white uniform.
“Please step away, ma'am.”
Vanessa laughed in disbelief.
“You think you can give me orders?”
“No.”
Nora held her ground.
“But I won't let you hurt him.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Move.”
Nora shook her head.
“No, ma'am.”
Vanessa's expression twisted.
“I'LL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT OF THIS HOUSE!”
A deep voice came from the doorway.
“TRY IT.”
Both women froze.
Lorenzo Romano stood at the entrance.
Thirty-eight years old, tall and broad-shouldered, he wore a tailored black suit.
New York's most feared mafia boss had returned home earlier than expected.
And he had seen everything.
The broken bowl.
The soup covering his father's clothes.
Vanessa's raised hand.
And Nora standing between them, protecting a man who couldn't protect himself.
Lorenzo slowly approached.
Vanessa immediately changed her expression.
“Darling! Thank goodness you're here!”
He ignored her.
His eyes remained fixed on his father.
Vanessa hurried toward him.
“This maid attacked me!”
Lorenzo stopped.
“What?”
“She grabbed my wrist! She threatened me!”
Nora said nothing.
She simply remained beside Giovanni.
Vanessa pointed at her.
“SHE'S DANGEROUS! GET HER AWAY FROM YOUR FATHER!”
Lorenzo looked at Nora.
Then at the broken bowl.
Then at Giovanni's soaked shirt.
His expression hardened.
“Who threw the soup?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“Lorenzo, your father was being difficult—”
“WHO THREW IT?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“I did. But—”
Lorenzo stepped toward his father.
Vanessa reached for his arm.
“Darling, listen—”
He pulled away and firmly moved her aside.
“GET AWAY FROM HIM.”
Vanessa stumbled backward.
Lorenzo immediately knelt beside Giovanni's wheelchair.
“Dad?”
The old man's eyes moved toward him.
Lorenzo gently touched his shoulder.
“Are you hurt?”
Giovanni tried to move his lips.
Nothing came out.
Lorenzo looked at Nora.
“Is he burned?”
“I don't see any blistering, sir, but he needs to be checked.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“Call his doctor.”
Then he looked toward his security chief, Marcus, who had appeared in the doorway.
“Have Vanessa escorted out of this room.”
Vanessa gasped.
“YOU'RE CHOOSING A SERVANT OVER YOUR FIANCÉE?”
Lorenzo slowly stood.
“I'm choosing my father.”
Vanessa pointed at Giovanni.
“He doesn't even understand what's happening!”
Lorenzo's expression turned cold.
“HE UNDERSTANDS ENOUGH TO BE AFRAID OF YOU.”
Vanessa fell silent.
Nora gently adjusted Giovanni's blanket.
The old man's breathing was still uneven.
“It's all right, Mr. Giovanni,” she whispered.
“Your son is here now.”
Then something extraordinary happened.
Giovanni's right hand moved.
Only slightly.
But Nora noticed.
“Mr. Lorenzo…”
Lorenzo turned.
His father's fingers were trembling.
Slowly, painfully, Giovanni lifted his hand from the wheelchair.
Lorenzo froze.
“Dad?”
For five years, Giovanni had struggled with even the smallest voluntary movements.
His physical therapists had celebrated every tiny improvement.
But this was different.
He was reaching toward someone.
Toward Nora.
The maid stepped closer.
“Do you need something, Mr. Giovanni?”
Giovanni's hand continued moving.
His fingers trembled.
Then, with extraordinary effort, he placed his palm against Nora's pregnant belly.
The entire room went silent.
Nora stopped breathing.
Lorenzo stared.
“Dad?”
Giovanni looked directly at Nora.
His eyes filled with tears.
His lips began to move.
At first, there was only a faint sound.
“Mm…”
Lorenzo knelt closer.
“Dad, don't strain yourself.”
Giovanni tried again.
“My…”
Nora's eyes widened.
Vanessa slowly stepped backward.
Then the old man whispered two words.
“MY BABY…”
Lorenzo went completely still.
For five years, his father hadn't spoken a recognizable phrase.
Not once.
And now his first words were directed at a pregnant maid.
Lorenzo looked at Giovanni's trembling hand.
Then at Nora's belly.
“WHAT DID YOU SAY, DAD?”
Giovanni's lips moved again.
But no sound came.
Nora stood frozen.
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
Lorenzo slowly rose.
He looked at her.
“Nora.”
She swallowed.
“Yes, sir?”
“Why did my father say that?”
Nora shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Vanessa suddenly laughed.
A sharp, nervous sound.
“Oh, for heaven's sake!”
Everyone turned.
She pointed at Giovanni.
“HE'S CONFUSED! HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S SAYING!”
Lorenzo stared at her.
“My father just spoke for the first time in five years.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“And you're going to believe he knows whose baby that is?”
The room fell silent.
Nora's face went pale.
Lorenzo slowly turned.
“What did you just say?”
Vanessa realized her mistake.
“I meant—”
Lorenzo stepped closer.
“WHY WOULD YOU THINK MY FATHER WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BABY'S FATHER?”
Vanessa couldn't answer.
Nora instinctively covered her stomach.
Lorenzo looked back at her.
“Who is the father of your child?”
Nora lowered her eyes.
“Please, sir…”
His expression softened.
“You don't have to answer that.”
But Vanessa interrupted.
“Of course she does!”
Lorenzo turned sharply.
“Enough.”
Vanessa's voice rose.
“You're letting a pregnant servant stand here while your father calls her baby his!”
Nora's hands began trembling.
Lorenzo noticed.
He stepped between them.
“YOU WILL NOT HUMILIATE HER TOO.”
Vanessa's face reddened.
“Then ask her why she keeps visiting your father when nobody's watching!”
Lorenzo slowly looked at Nora.
“Is that true?”
Nora nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
“Why?”
She hesitated.
“Because he gets lonely.”
Vanessa laughed.
“That's not all!”
Nora remained quiet.
Lorenzo turned toward her.
“Is there something else?”
The maid's eyes filled with tears.
“Your father likes listening to old music. Sometimes I sit with him after my shift.”
Lorenzo frowned.
“What kind of music?”
“Songs from Italy.”
Giovanni made a faint sound.
Nora glanced toward him.
“He always seems calmer when I play them.”
Lorenzo looked at his father.
The old man's eyes were still fixed on Nora's belly.
Then Lorenzo noticed something.
A small silver necklace around Nora's neck.
A round pendant rested against her uniform.
He had seen that pendant before.
Somewhere.
Years earlier.
Lorenzo frowned.
“Where did you get that necklace?”
Nora instinctively touched it.
“My mother gave it to me.”
“What's inside?”
She hesitated.
“A photograph.”
Vanessa suddenly stepped forward.
“LORENZO, STOP ASKING QUESTIONS!”
He ignored her.
“Nora, may I see it?”
The maid slowly opened the pendant.
Inside was a faded photograph of a young woman holding a baby.
Lorenzo stared.
The woman's face seemed strangely familiar.
He looked toward Giovanni.
His father's eyes filled with tears again.
Lorenzo swallowed.
“Who is she?”
“My mother,” Nora whispered.
“What was her name?”
Nora lowered her eyes.
“Isabella Bennett.”
Giovanni made a strained sound.
“Ah…”
Lorenzo turned.
His father's fingers were moving again.
This time, he was pointing toward the necklace.
Lorenzo looked back at Nora.
“Did your mother ever work for this family?”
Nora hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Many years ago.”
Lorenzo felt a chill.
“What did she do?”
“She was a nurse.”
Vanessa suddenly grabbed her handbag.
“I've had enough of this!”
Lorenzo turned.
“Sit down.”
She froze.
“What?”
“YOU'RE NOT LEAVING UNTIL I UNDERSTAND WHY MY FATHER IS TRYING TO TELL ME SOMETHING.”
Vanessa slowly sat.
Lorenzo looked at Nora.
“Why didn't you tell me your mother knew my father?”
Nora's voice trembled.
“Because I didn't know until recently.”
“What happened?”
She reached into her apron.
“My mother left me a letter before she died.”
Lorenzo stared.
“What letter?”
Nora hesitated.
“She told me to find Giovanni Romano if I ever needed help.”
Lorenzo's heart began pounding.
“Why?”
Nora shook her head.
“I don't know. She never explained.”
Lorenzo turned toward his father.
“Dad… did you know Nora's mother?”
Giovanni's eyes filled with tears.
He slowly blinked.
Once.
Then again.
Lorenzo leaned closer.
“Is that why you're trying to tell us something?”
Giovanni's hand moved toward Nora's belly again.
His lips trembled.
“My…”
Lorenzo held his breath.
But the old man couldn't finish.
Nora gently covered Giovanni's hand with hers.
“It's okay,” she whispered.
“You don't have to force yourself.”
Giovanni looked at her.
Then at Lorenzo.
A tear rolled down his cheek.
Lorenzo slowly stood.
He looked at the young maid.
At her necklace.
At her pregnant belly.
Then at the father who had just spoken for the first time in five years.
“NORA… IS THERE ANY CHANCE YOUR CHILD IS CONNECTED TO MY FAMILY?”
Nora's face went white.
She opened her mouth.
But before she could answer, Vanessa suddenly whispered:
“LORENZO… YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW.”
He turned toward her.
“What?”
Vanessa stared at Giovanni.
Then at Nora's belly.
Her voice trembled.
“Your father made a promise to Isabella Bennett twenty-six years ago.”
Lorenzo froze.
“What promise?”
Vanessa shook her head.
But Giovanni was still looking at Nora.
His trembling hand rested against her stomach.
And the words he had whispered echoed through Lorenzo's mind.
“MY BABY…”
Was Giovanni claiming the unborn child was his?
Or had the old man recognized something far more complicated—a grandchild his family had never acknowledged?
Lorenzo looked from his father to Nora's pregnant belly.
For the first time, he wondered whether his father's words had been misunderstood by everyone in the room.
And whether Vanessa already knew the truth.
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Read Chapter 2 in the first comment to discover the secret connecting Nora's mother to the Romano family—and why Giovanni's first words in five years may reveal the identity of an heir nobody knew existed. Thank you for reading!
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