I peer into my sister’s eyes, fully willing to lay myself bare in front of her. If there’s only one person in this world I can be candid with, it’s with her.
“I am in love with Antonio, Harp,” I say the following words with a struggle. “That is not all.” I cup my stomach.
Her eyes widen as her gaze shoots to my stomach, and then back up to my face. “Are you pregnant?”
The shock in her voice makes me quiver a bit. For a moment, I consider leaving this detail out of the equation for a while, but I don’t. I’m not ashamed of the child growing in my belly, and I don’t care about anyone’s opinion on it apart from Antonio’s.
I nod. “I am.”
“How far along are you?” she asks in a barely audible voice this time.
“A couple of weeks.” I suck in a deep breath, and in my gentlest voice, I say, “Look, Harp. I know this situation is not ideal to you. I mean, Antonio kidnapped me and forced me into marrying him, but this child—he didn’t force this child on me, and I decided I wanted the baby. I’m having this baby because I love him… or her. I love Antonio, too.”
She reaches for my hand across the table. “I’m okay with whatever as long as you are happy. I have your back, Vivi. Always.”
A tear drops down my face before I even realize how emotional I am. “Thank you,” I whisper.
She squeezes my hand gently. “Will you tell Papa about the baby?”
I shrug. “I have to. It’s not like I can hide it from him forever.”
“He won’t be happy,” Vivienne says. “You know this. He’ll be repulsed.”
I know it. I thought of it all night. I thought of ways to handle my papa with this news. “Do me a favor, Harp. Don’t tell him about the baby yet. I’ll tell him myself.”
She raises her brow. “Tonight?”
Shaking my head, I think for a moment. “Not tonight. I’ll pay him a visit later. I need to talk to him about this and make him see the reasons with me and Antonio. The tension is too high for all of that tonight.”
“I doubt he’ll want to hear it, Vivi. But you can try.”
The men come into the dining room, Antonio first and Papa after. Despite the blank masks they’re wearing, I can tell they’d been discussing something outside, but it doesn’t seem like the conversation or argument went pleasantly.
Surprisingly, dinner is peaceful. I almost choke on my food a few times from the palpable tension; still, it isn’t all that bad.
Neither Antonio nor my father says a word throughout dinner. Harper and I share glances and a few stifled laughter a couple of times.
After dinner, my father hurriedly leaves while I hug Harper, and she rubs my belly. She whispers, “I’ll get something for my niece next time,” before she leaves.
Watching them drive away, I feel a piece of my heart go with them. I’ve missed Harper so much these last few months, and a few hours together doesn’t make up for it.
Antonio takes my hand in his. He’s standing so close that the warmth rolling off him heats me up instantly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make her stay longer.”
I whip my head around to look at him, shocked he’s apologizing even. He’s the only reason I got to see my sister after so long. “No, Antonio. Thank you for letting me see her.”
He shakes his head. “You don’t understand,gattina. You shouldn’t be thanking me for anything. You wouldn’t have to stay away from her if I didn’t kidnap you in the first place. It’s all my fault.”
“Hey.” I reach for his face and cup it. “You’re right. All of this is your fault, but we wouldn’t have found the love we did if you didn’t take me. We wouldn’t have had our baby. I would have been married to that old bastard and have my life stolen from me.”
His eyes soften in a way I’ve never seen them as he places his hand on mine. “Vivienne?—”
I hold up a hand. “No, let me finish. None of this is ideal. Some would say I have Stockholm syndrome, but the truth is you saved me from a fate I so badly wanted to be saved from, and there’s nowhere else I would rather be than here with you.”
“Vivienne.” He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer. “Did you just say love?”
My heart pounds in my chest as I peer up at him.
“Do you love me, baby?” he asks softly.