Page 12 of Secret Baby for my Off-Limits Fiancé

I take another deep breath and start moving methodically among the piles of ruined fabric. There’s no time for a pity party. I need to salvage what I can, document the damage, and prepare to face the fallout. I have to see if I can salvage any fabric, any speck at all. Maybe I can design and sew a few commissioned pieces at home for a while.

If there is anything left here. Which is not looking good.

I can still remember the long nights spent here, designing, the excitement of each new collection launch, and the hope that every piece would bring me closer to success. Now, each ruined garment feels like a scar in the future I envisioned.

I know rebuilding won’t be easy. Insurance won’t cover this, and the financial loss will probably bankrupt me.

But I refuse to let this be the end.

I plan the long road to recovery and resolve to make calls, set appointments, and to gather the emergency funds I have saved. The first step will be to assess the full extent of the damage, then contact my team, clients, and financial advisors. I pull out my phone, fingers poised to type a new message. A message that declares I’m not defeated, that I will rebuild.

Glancing around at the remnants of my shattered dream, I let that sight fuel me. I know this is only a setback, but I also know that from these, I can craft something even stronger, an opportunity to reinvent, rebuild, and prove to myself there’s still hope.

I close my eyes, take one long, steadying breath, and step forward to begin the work of healing.

A new beginning stirs. A promise that even when everything seems lost, I have the strength to pick up the pieces and start again.

4

VALENTINO

Iarriveatworkearly in the morning, an old habit I’ve clung to no matter how wild the previous night was. It’s my way of staying ahead of the curve, knowing that nobody else is working as hard as I am.

And a small part of me hopes Dad notices my dedication.

Inside the vineyard office, Micah, our vineyard manager, and Devina, the facilities manager, are already poring over documents. I offer a quick nod as I step in.

Micah smiles at me. “Valentino, perfect timing. We were just discussing the latest batch of wines. They’ve gone out, and the initial reviews are fantastic, revenues are up, and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive.”

I pick up a folder from the desk. “That’s great news. How do the numbers compare with the last three quarters?”

Micah smiles. “Night and day. Business really took off after Silvano’s antics three years ago.”

I wince at the memory. Silvano, my father’s bitter rival, tried to sabotage our operations, but no matter what damage he tried to cause, we bounced back.

I scan the figures in the files inside the folder I’m holding. “Wow. These numbers are even better than our projections.”

Micah grins. “Your dad’s going to be thrilled. And here’s something else, word on the street is that Silvano’s vineyard has officially closed down. They were pretty much operating in a deficit for the last two years, and now the last of their investors have pulled out.”

My interest spikes. “That means the land might soon be up for sale.”

“Exactly. We should keep a close eye on it and make an offer as soon as it’s available. Acquiring their production capacity could double our revenues.”

My mind instantly races with expansion possibilities.

I’ve dreamed of taking our business to new heights, tapping into markets we haven’t even considered yet. This acquisition might be enough to prove to Dad that I’m the one capable of taking over and carrying on his legacy.

Devina’s eyes light up. “Imagine what we could do with that land, Valentino. We could expand operations, boost our yield, and cement our reputation as one of the best vineyards in the region.”

I nod, the wheels in my mind turning. “We need to look into this further. If we can move on Silvano’s vineyard, it could be a game-changer.”

Micah’s grin widens. “I’ll start gathering more information right away.”

“And I’ll draft a proposal outlining the benefits and how we’d integrate the new land with our current operations,” Devina adds.

“Fuck yeah!” Excitement courses through me.

The possibility of this acquisition has me buzzing, it might be the final piece of the puzzle. This move has to cement my role as CEO without resorting to the ridiculous compromises Dad seems to push.

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