“Stop. Stop,” I interrupt her.

Sophie starts to cry and Dorothy tries to calm her.

“Gianna, please, you are making her scared. Please, put the gun down. I just want to talk.”

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“He knows.”

No... no.

My fingers begin to tremble as I stare at her, confused and angry, trying to steady my breath. I failed to protect her. “How? How?”

“It’s Luca; he always finds out.”

I lower the gun, completely disturbed by the knowledge that Luca knows Sophie is his child.

“He wants to see you,” Bianca adds.

“No fucking way,” I shake my head in response.

“Please, Gianna. We just want to talk. He has a daughter and you have kept her away from him.”

“He left us. Left me. He has no fucking right to try to get to know her now.”

“I think you know him well enough not to give up, especially when it comes to family. Sophie is a De Santi.”

“No, she’s not. She’ll never be,” I retort, irritated.

Bianca sighs, keeping her gaze locked with mine. “Please, Gianna. Don’t make this hard for any of us. It would only be for a couple of minutes and, I swear on my life, he won't try to take you or your daughter.”

I stare at her in silence, contemplating my decisions. I’ve had to make hard choices lately. Luca won’t stop coming for me now if he truly knows about Sophie.

“I promise no one will hurt you. You have my word.” I turn to Dorothy and stare at my baby for a second. “Stay here,” I instruct.

Bianca flashes a smile as she lets out a sigh of relief.

“I’m only doing this to protect her.”

She turns around and begins to lead the way. “I know,” she replies softly.

My nerves start to flood the moment I see Luca. He was pacing the bathroom when we walked in. He looks unsettled as he stops in his tracks and stares back at me.

My stomach coils and I feel a rage reignite in me again… remembering everything he did to me.

“It’s true, Luca. She looks just like you.”

Luca breaks the gaze and looks at his sister instead.

She nods in response, like he needed reassurance that what she had said was true.

“Why have you kept her away from me?” Luca starts to walk closer to me. I can tell he is mad with his furrowed brows and clenched fists. “Were you ever going to tell me that I have a child?” His voice has gotten louder.

“No!” I say firmly.

“You think I don't deserve to know my daughter?”

“You left me for three fucking years, Luca. Three years with nothing but threats of killing me and my entire family! When you did come back, I no longer knew you. You turned into a monster… you kept me as a fucking prisoner. And now, you’ve killed my father, just as you promised.”