Page 86 of Secret Baby for my Off-Limits Fiancé

"You deserve to know the truth, Vincent. You deserve to know who your father is."

But what if telling him destroys everything? What if it destroys me and Valentino?

My heart clenches painfully.

I don't even know if there's a ‘me and Valentino’ to destroy.

And somehow, that hurts the most.

I’m curl up on the couch next to Giana, a half-empty bottle of wine between us, my mind spiraling in a million different directions.

I called her over to tell her Valentino’s plans to get engaged.

Vincent is asleep in his room. The house is quiet. I should be relaxing, unwinding after the whirlwind of tonight.

But I can’t.

Because no matter how much I tell myself otherwise, my thoughts refuse to settle.

I’m getting engaged.

The words keep echoing in my head, a chant I can’t escape.

It’s fake. All of this is fake.

But if it’s fake, why does it feel so damnreal?

I press the rim of my wine glass to my lips, taking a slow sip before setting it down with a soft clink.

"This whole thing is getting more complicated," I mutter, rubbing my temple.

Giana lifts a brow, giving me a knowing look. "Layla, honey, what did you expect?"

I let out a tired sigh, tilting my head back against the couch. "I don’t know. Maybe… something that made sense?"

She snorts, swirling the wine in her glass. "Your engagement making sense? Please, babe."

I groan, dragging a hand down my face. "I thought I’d at least have more time to wrap my head around it. But now I have to stand in front of his entire family and act like this is my reality."

Giana takes a long sip of her wine, her gaze sharp. "So, it’s all just an act?"

I freeze, my fingers tightening around the fabric of my sweatpants.

She’s looking at me too intently now, like she already knows what I’m about to say. Like she’s known all along.

My stomach clenches.

"Giana…" My voice is barely above a whisper. "It’s not real. None of it. Valentino and I…"

I exhale, pressing my fingers against my temples. "It’s all fake. He needs to show his father he’s settling down for him to inherit the company."

For a second, she just watches me, her expression unreadable. Then, she sighs, shaking her head. "I knew something was up."

I blink. "You did?"

"Babe, I’ve had my suspicions for weeks." She sets her wine glass down. "You two have chemistry, sure. But something about how fast everything happened? It didn’t add up. A fake relationship for mutual benefit, though? That’s a new one."

I let out a humorless laugh, sinking deeper into the couch. "I didn’t think it would get this far. I thought it would be simple, a business deal, nothing more."

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